Remote working
How is remote working changing the public sector? What impact has the lockdown had on the possibilities for more regular home-working across organisations, and what technology is needed to support this? Sascha Giese, Head Geek™, SolarWinds, explores Across the public sector, remote working Accelerated IT investment seems certain to have a more important Providing the tools and technology to role to play in the future. Right enable people to work from home now, it’s a national health has meant some IT investment necessity, but once this has been happening more crisis is behind us and quickly than usual. Providin organisations can go Indeed, the need g the too back to choosing to offer access to ls and techno where people work, services such as l o g people y to enable it remains to be videoconferencing seen how many on such a broad home h to work from a will set aside what scale may well s m eant so IT inves they’ve learned have been m t m e happen ent has be in recent weeks years away en ing mo and return to their under ‘normal’ r e q u ickly than us pre-crisis approach. circumstances. ual But, given the efforts But these are far made to adapt, how from sticking plaster might short-term, enforced investments, and IT change result in longerspend currently being made term change and benefit both by public sector organisations public sector workers and organisations? in rapid response to the Covid-19 crisis
shouldn’t just be viewed as a short-term fix to keep the wheels turning—it will deliver long-term benefit. Building a Virtual Private Network (VPN), for example, to extend secure connectivity to people working at home will continue to pay for itself after workplace restrictions have been fully lifted. And there’s a strong argument which says once the infrastructure is in place to work from home, we can’t sensibly justify reducing it again. Now people have the tools in place and organisations are more familiar with supporting their needs, the momentum behind continuing to invest in technology for positive workplace change will be hard to resist. New experience, expertise, and best practice Like many, the public sector is building valuable new experience and learning more about remote working best practice ‘on E Issue 27.3 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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