In a world where remote work is quickly becoming the norm, print management has never been more valuable.

When people moved to their home offices in droves at the beginning of 2020, it set in motion a change that’s still lingering over two years later.

While it’s true that many people have returned to company headquarters, business owners are seeing the value of distance work. Remote, hybrid, and asynchronous setups are highly efficient in the right circumstances. However, they do require companies to make some changes.

Even the core processes offices rely on are getting a makeover thanks to this new way of working. Take printing – this common workflow now requires a new approach, with cloud computing and print management creating the solutions that companies need.

REMOTE WORK IS STICKING AROUND – ARE PRINT FLEETS READY?

There are many benefits to remote and hybrid work. While the transition did come with growing pains and a learning curve, many companies are better off after the fact.

Even though social distancing requirements are behind us, at least for now, remote work has proven to be more affordable and more convenient in many ways. It’s reducing commute impacts, both in terms of gas costs and carbon emissions. It’s also allowing companies to hire people from a larger area, making it easier to manage the ongoing talent shortage.

But how can people send files, print them, and receive them if they aren’t in the office by the print fleet? This is where a print management setup built off the cloud comes in handy.

Cloud computing has been the biggest asset in the remote work shift. Functioning as a complete platform that companies can rely on for supporting their workflows, it’s a perfect tool to use for managing print needs.

The cloud provides a single place that a decentralized team can use to store documents, print them out at a central location or at any connected device, and share this information with everyone on the team. It’s a system that’s highly valuable in any dispersed setup, and it’s also valuable when the work setup is prone to change.

The cloud is ideal for companies that are experimenting with remote and may only be using it for a short period of time, as well as those that plan to grow with it.

HOW MODERN MANAGED PRINT IS MORE SECURE THAN EVER

While working in different locations and being able to print is handy in many ways, this setup also brings some serious security concerns. This is one of the biggest questions about the cloud – while it can support a remote team, can it really be trusted to do so securely?

Many steps have been taken to make modern cloud computing setups more secure. As the remote work environment creates more endpoints, heightened concerns of unauthorized device access, and increased availability of a company’s files, security experts have responded.

Zero-trust security setups are popular today, as they provide companies with a way to ensure that no device is compromised and puts their network at risk, even if said device is used by a trusted member of the company.

There’s also the option of double authentication, which adds an extra layer of protection whether the user is accessing the printer directly or simply communicating with it via their own work device.

REMOTE AND HYBRID WORK CAN HELP WITH DATA MANAGEMENT

While the remote work option is something that has presented new challenges in areas like print management, it’s also presented new opportunities. Companies are seeing certain benefits when they communicate via cloud computing systems and manage their data in a decentralized fashion.

Cloud platforms and print management tools can function as data centers, storing vast amounts of documents. This provides many unexpected benefits, such as functioning as a data backup in case of emergencies, as well as providing companies with a data pool they can use to draw valuable insights from.

CHOOSE US AS YOUR MANAGED PRINT PARTNER

Your print setup should be designed around your print needs, and these needs can change based on the ways you work. Remote teams require a setup that works for them in every location no matter what the workday holds. When you’re looking to improve your print management approach, call on a partner who can support you both in and out of the office setting.

Doing Better Business can help you build the optimal print setup, supported by cloud computing technology and geared to empower remote teams. You’ll ensure everyone has access to your print hardware and that your data is kept secure at all times – contact us to learn more.

Topics: printers, color printers, remote work, print management