Keep employees connected when away from the office

Remote connectivity technologies let off-site workers remain productive

A small business anxious to retain its best people may find that giving them the opportunity to work from home on occasion is a great way to build loyalty.

The remote connectivity options available today enable workers to do just that and remain highly productive. Employees can stay home with a sick child or avoid a weekend trip to the office using a PC and an Internet connection to access business e-mail or log into the company network.

There are many ways to take advantage of remote connectivity, depending in part on the technology you have available at your location – and what is available at your place of business. Here are a few worth considering:

1. Remote Desktop: With Windows XP or Windows Vista on your work computer, you can get full access to it from a home PC that has an Internet or network connection. For example, you can connect to your office computer from home and work with files, programs, and resources as though you were in front of your computer at work.  
2. Remote Web Workplace: For companies running a network based on Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2003 R2, there are even more productivity options for remote and mobile workers. Remote Web Workplace is a dynamically updated Web site that provides a single, simple, and consolidated entry point for authorised remote users anywhere in the world using any computer that can access the Internet. Users can connect to Remote Web Workplace through a simple Internet address and access the Windows Small Business Server network features, such as e-mail, documents and their desktop.
3. Outlook Web Access: Remote workers can access e-mail from home, a satellite office, a customer site, or a wireless hot spot such as an Internet café with Outlook Web Access. Outlook Web Access works from any Internet-connected computer to gain security-enhanced access to business e-mail sent and received via Exchange Server 2003, which is included with SBS.
4. Outlook Mobile Access: Similar to Outlook Web Access for desktop browsers, Outlook Mobile Access is designed for security-enhanced access from mobile device browsers. Windows Mobile-based devices, such as Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs, come with the Exchange ActiveSync client and Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile built in. This enables you to sync your e-mail messages, calendar, and contacts lists directly with Exchange Server 2003.
5. Live Meeting: With this Microsoft Office Web conferencing service, you can collaborate online with colleagues, customers, and partners in real time. Live Meeting works with either individuals or large groups and only requires a PC and an Internet connection. Even if you are working from home, you can participate in meetings that include co-workers and customers anywhere in the world.

Certainly there are other ways to connect from remote locations, such as instant messaging, Web-based e-mail – and simply making a phone call. But having secure access from home or while on the road to everything on your work PC – or data on your company's internal network – offers the flexibility workers appreciate and optimised productivity to keep the flow of business on track.