Many companies are encouraging employees to work remotely, even if they’re not sick. It’s simply one of the most effective ways to make sure they stay well and to contain the coronavirus. Twitter recently announced it’s encouraging all employees to work from home if they have the capability, and the company is optimizing work so it can be performed remotely. A record number of company transcripts (at least 65) referenced “work from home” or “working from home” in February, demolishing the previous record of eleven.

Naturally, business videoconferencing plays a large role in remote work, allowing employees to communicate with each other from the safety of their homes. Features such as screen sharing makes it feel as though you’re sitting right next to co-workers without having to worry about catching their cold (or worse).

Travel restrictions are a given, since planes and trains foster too much physical contact and create breeding grounds for contamination. That in-person client meeting just isn’t going to happen right now. Videoconferencing makes that face-to-face encounter possible without the travel, keeping your employees and customers well. Using video rather than just an audio conference call shows your customers how much you value their business. It keeps the meeting more personal and engaging, encouraging collaboration and communication. MiCloud Connect conferencing even includes an agenda tracker, so meetings stay on course and focused on the task at hand.

Companies are also using videoconferencing to replace large gatherings such as in-person conferences and workshops. For instance, Facebook just announced the cancellation of a developers’ conference. Instead, the social media giant plans to use video and streaming content to encourage the exchange of ideas and information among its developer community.

47 percent of employers said they would cancel planned conferences for North American employees in selected countries (Source: Harvard Business Review)

Not all videoconferencing technology is created equal, especially when you plan on relying on video during times of sickness. A reliable provider can support high demand when the majority of your workforce is working remotely. MiCloud Connect, for example, is built on Google Cloud, providing superior reliability, security and scalability. Rich features such as screensharing and single click-to-join keep employees engaged and increase efficiency. Mix-and-match pricing makes allows you to add features as needed and to adapt to changing demand.

Some people need a little time to get used to being on a video call. If you’re working from home, you may be accustomed to staying in your PJs. Or it may seem unusual to conduct what is normally an in-person meeting via video. The best way around this is to make video a regular part of the meeting process, even when infection is not an issue. Perhaps your standing weekly meeting becomes a videoconference once a month, or your typical audio conference call gets upgraded to video. Regular usage helps everyone become more comfortable with how to use the technology and how to behave.

Speaking of usage and behavior, there are a few key points to keep in mind. First and foremost, videoconferencing should not be difficult. Even a powerful solution with advanced features and functionality should be simple to operate. It’s still important to train employees, but the right solution doesn’t come with a steep learning curve. In fact, you may have to spend more time on etiquette training than on product usage. Key principles to keep in mind include dressing appropriately, staying focused on the meeting, and not eating while on a video call. If everyone follows basic etiquette rules, video meetings will be productive and positive.

No one likes being sick, and the uncertainty of where and when the Coronavirus will strike next has us all on edge. A powerful and robust collaboration tool with business videoconferencing from Mitel keeps employees, customers and clients happy and healthy, making it easy to get work done from anywhere. Speak to our team today to see for yourself how Hitech’s MiVoice and MiCloud will keep you connected, in sickness and in health.