Canadian Government Executive - Volume 26 - Issue 03

TECHNOLOGY May/June 2020 // Canadian Government Executive / 17 your virtual collaboration strategy. In the education sector, cloud-based collaboration apps and software such as ViewSonic myViewBoard enables teach- ers, students, and parents to share and interact with content in a myriad of ways that can also adapt to any workplace. Currently available during the COVID-19 crisis at no cost to schools, myViewBoard brings people together wherever they are, and from virtually any device, enabling all to interact with the shared onscreen con- tent. 3 Simplify for success. Make it easy for employees to keep in touch and communicate. Take the time to de- velop and share clear procedures with easy-to-follow process documents. Don’t assume everyone knows what to do with a Zoom link. We all know that in-person meetings can result in lost productivity, as employees trickle in, struggle to find the right cables to connect to the confer- ence room display and slide from topic to topic if there’s no defined agenda. Video collaboration is no different and, as many have learned these past weeks, can open up even more avenues for wasted time if not managed appropriately. In addition to documenting how to connect, provid- ing the right technology tools and par- ticipation guidelines can help keep teams aligned and on topic. One useful way to simplify is by adopt- ing a software-agnostic digital collabora- tion system that can intuitively bridge your conference room, home-based and mobile workers. Typically consisting of an interactive conference room display plus cloud-based software, a fully compatible solution lets users choose their preferred conferencing platform, from Zoom and Google Hangouts to Cisco WebEx and Sky- pe, leverage their existing experience and skills for added efficiency. 4 Adjust budgets to the tasks at hand. The new normal is anything but normal. Attempting to move ahead based on previously established budgets won’t enable the flexibility to meet the changes we face today, and those we can expect to happen over the next months. Realigning budgets to reflect a changing digital workplace will enable the necessary resources are in place to support infrastruc- ture expansion, hardware purchases, and training. 5 Take the time to train. Invest- ing in training is an investment in success. A wide range of evidence indicates that efficient training leads to greater employee engagement, retention, and productivity. IT professionals know that end-user training is one of the keys to the successful implementation of any software. Now more than ever, employees need to feel confident about their ability to efficiently use systems and software for reliable connectivity and collaboration. They need to feel supported by their or- ganization and their managers. Now is the time to expand training and support to im- prove your users’ experience while work- ing towards future stability and sustain- ability for an expanded remote workforce. Assessing user capabilities is a good place to start. When implementing new cloud-based collaboration software, for example, your team will have a range of familiarity and skills with this type of communication. Determine who excels and consider implementing peer-to-peer training, which has been shown to pro- duce outstanding results: boosting train- ers’ commitment and accountability while gaining greater acceptance from the train- ee. Hands-on training by an outsourced expert may not always be an option. Le- veraging tech-savvy staff to train their peers can be particularly powerful when some co-workers may feel isolated and disconnected. To further boost the impact of training, tailor lessons to your team’s use of the application rather than relying on generic examples. You’ll know you’ve succeeded when support ticket requests decrease. Conclusion Canadians are adapting well to the chal- lenges of unanticipated remote work. As the new normal continues to emerge, em- ployees will look to managers to provide the productivity tools for continued success across a mix of home-based, mobile, and onsite environments. Collaboration tech- nology will be the key to unlocking this suc- cess. Now is the time to begin preparing, by adjusting budgets, moving applications and data to the cloud, and standardizing con- tent sharing and virtual conference room technology with an eye toward providing intuitive solutions, simplified processes, and appropriate training. Deidre Deacon is General Manager of ViewSonic Canada, a leading global provider of visual solutions including monitors, projectors, digital signage, ViewBoard® interactive displays, and myViewBoard™ software ecosystem. Deidre can be contacted at deidre.dea- con@viewsonic.com. For more informa- tion, visit www.viewsonic.com . Laying the Groundwork for Virtual Collaboration • Assess their team’s home workstation needs which employees have/need the necessary hardware, software, and internet access. • Upgrade technology and tools as needed to provide adequate internet or increased internet speed. • Ensure the team has access to necessary files; consider a VPN solution. • Update remote work policies as needed. • Ensure the team has all of the necessary productivity tools and apps to allow communication and collaboration with teammates and supervisors, whether they are home, mobile or onsite workers. • Support employees with tips on setting up an ergonomic workspace with computer /laptop, keyboard, mouse, chargers, and monitors. For more work from home information and resources visit: https://www.viewsonic.com/us/resources/work-from-home Ensure employees have what they need to succeed now, before beginning long-range planning. Direct managers to: