Remote work has gained significant traction among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). While it offers flexibility and numerous opportunities for both businesses and employees, it also presents challenges in keeping teams connected, productive, and secure. Fortunately, managed IT services provide a practical solution to these concerns.
In this blog, we’ll explore how managed IT services help SMBs manage remote work effectively.
What are managed IT services?
Managed IT services refer to technology support and solutions offered by external specialists, known as managed IT services providers (MSPs), who help handle a company’s IT needs. These experts take a comprehensive approach to maintaining and optimizing IT infrastructure, handling essential tasks such as providing help desk support, proactively monitoring networks, and applying software updates.
For organizations with remote teams, MSPs keep systems running reliably, efficiently, and securely.
The role of managed IT services in supporting remote work
MSPs facilitate seamless and secure remote work in many ways:
Providing reliable network and infrastructure support
A major challenge of remote work is enabling secure and reliable access to company systems. MSPs address this by delivering robust network and infrastructure support by doing the following:
- Setting up secure networks for remote access
- Configuring firewalls and managing access controls to safeguard sensitive information
- Proactively monitoring networks to identify and resolve issues before they escalate
- Installing virtual private networks and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to enable employees to securely access company files and applications from anywhere
Optimizing internet connectivity
Unreliable internet connections can disrupt productivity for remote workers. MSPs can help provide guidance for internet connectivity by making sure your staff has the bandwidth and speed necessary to complete their tasks. They also troubleshoot connectivity issues, reducing downtime and boosting productivity.
Enabling cloud-based collaboration
Remote work thrives on efficient collaboration, and cloud-based platforms such as Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are essential to achieving this. MSPs help SMBs implement and maintain these tools, allowing employees to securely share, store, and collaborate on documents in real time.
Implementing communication tools
Effective communication is important for remote teams. MSPs can integrate powerful collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Slack seamlessly with your existing systems, eliminating compatibility issues and optimizing performance to enable effortless communication across teams.
Delivering on-demand help desk support
Technical issues may be unavoidable, but downtime doesn’t have to be. MSPs provide reliable help desk support to assist remote employees with troubleshooting technical problems, configuring devices, or resolving system errors efficiently.
Strengthening cybersecurity for remote teams
As remote teams access sensitive systems and data from various devices and locations, having robust cyber defenses is more important than ever. MSPs can protect remote work environments by implementing advanced security measures, such as:
- Regular security assessments and penetration testing: Proactively identify and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
- Firewall management: Filter incoming and outgoing traffic to prevent unauthorized access to networks.
- Continuous monitoring: Detect and respond to unusual activity or potential risks in real time.
- Endpoint protection: Secure all network-connected devices (e.g., laptops, smartphones, and tablets) using security software, encryption, and centralized device management protocols. Advanced tools such as Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) with 24/7 monitoring by a Security Operations Center (SOC) can reduce risk of system compromise and provide immediate response and support if there is a security incident.
- Multi-factor authentication: Prevent unauthorized access by requiring multiple verification steps, safeguarding sensitive systems and data even if login credentials are compromised.
- Data encryption: Encode sensitive information both at rest and in transit so that cybercriminals are unable to decipher and exploit it.
- Software updates and patches: Eliminate security gaps in applications and systems to protect against potential threats.
- Security awareness training: Empower your team to identify and prevent potential risks, creating a workplace culture focused on security awareness.
Take your remote operations to the next level with managed IT services
If you’re ready to improve your remote work operations, partnering with Fidelis can make all the difference. From expert network support to cutting-edge collaboration tools, our managed IT services are tailored to keep your business connected, productive, and secure. Get in touch with us today to learn how we can help your remote teams succeed.
