We are now part of Eviden, discover more...

3 Common Work From Home Use Cases for Administrators: The G Suite Solution

Many enterprises are suddenly tackling the need to support a remote workforce – and running into a few of the same frequently asked questions and challenges. Whether it be video conferencing woes, a digital collaboration learning curve, or security concerns, you’re not alone.

Though it’s stressful to be forced to quickly migrate to cloud-based collaboration, G Suite transformations can be incredibly lucrative and powerful in the long run. First, for quick proof, take a peek at the case study featuring Fortune 500 manufacturing company, Sanmina. The move to Gmail alone saved this global enterprise over $2 million per year on total cost of ownership and reduced 100+ email servers by 90%. Overall, G Suite increased agility, flexibility, and productivity for Sanmina’s global team, which consisted of 45,000 employees across 60 manufacturing plants in 26 countries, while boosting company-wide collaboration. Maven Wave, the 3x winner of the Google Cloud North America Services Partner of the Year award and the deployment partner for Sanmina’s G Suite adoption, is here to help our customers maintain productivity while connecting teams across screens.

Using three popular use cases as examples, let’s explore how to thrive with G Suite.

Getting the Necessary Support

The first step to this process is to team up with the right Google Cloud Partner, which will streamline and speed up your digital transformation. That partner will almost certainly inform you of a few key tips to getting started. First, it’s imperative that certain employees have a reliable and secure internet connection at home, as well as the right apps and permissions. As the Google Cloud team points out in this blog, “It’s a good idea to make sure managed devices have the right policies for Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and virtual private network (VPN) access, as well as network certificates (for managed devices enrolled in your organization).” By using these Google Network Recommendations, you can ensure that your remote team will be web-cam ready for those daily all-hands meetings and critical client-facing conferences.  

Providing training materials and company tutorials to educate and inform the team of new processes, tools, and policies is essential. We recommend implementing an internal site or dedicated shared drive that employees can leverage on-demand. Additionally, IT departments can use Google Hangouts Meet, and set hours outlining their availability, to assist with internal challenges and questions. If you’re concerned about introducing new tools to the enterprise at this chaotic time, Maven Wave’s Change Management practice can help make this transition not only successful, but enjoyable for your users.

Simplicity and Security

Employees will need a streamlined, secure process for accessing company accounts and collaboration tools. If your company doesn’t have an existing single sign-on (SSO) system, in just a few simple clicks, you can improve user experience by distributing Google Cloud Identity SSO. With only one set of credentials, you will reduce IT headaches and trouble tickets regarding lost passwords, and employees can increase productivity by accessing apps quickly and securely.  

When it comes to security, now more than ever, all managed and BYODs need superior measures to prevent unnecessary cyber-attacks. With endpoint management and enhanced security features from Google Cloud, you can be sure your company data is secure. Additionally, Layered Machine Learning, integrated into Google Cloud, further prevents phishing, malware, and spam from ever reaching users. eSKU licensing allows simple remediation in the unlikely event that a malicious message makes its way to a user.

Use Case #1: Video Conferencing

Feeling connected has never been more important to workers considering today’s challenging climate. But even after COVID-19, the need for human interaction through video channels such as Google Meet will remain imperative to productivity and employee satisfaction, as we inevitably continue to move toward telecommuting. But many admins are struggling with security concerns when it comes to videoconferencing – whether it’s stolen login information, unwanted meeting visitors, or any number of other concerns.  

With enterprise-level security, Google Meet is making video calls during isolation less of a challenge, and it is available at no charge through September 30, 2020. Applying best practices company-wide for enabling effective video conferences is vital as your organization transitions into a virtual meeting environment. (Check out this recent blog for tips on achieving the best video meeting experience.) Maven Wave can quickly deploy Google Meet in as little as a week for free, depending on the level of customization needed. Our change management team aids with everything from implementation to in-depth training and support. Once you’re up-and-running, the Meet Quality Tool in the admin console allows you to monitor meeting participation and provide assistance as needed.  

Use Case #2: Team Collaboration

Remote team collaboration is also one of the top three telework challenges for admins. But with Google Drive in place, teams worldwide find it to be an easy feat. Secure, intelligent, and simple collaboration will unite your team like never before. Real-time changes, anywhere access, and sophisticated AI-powered features enhance efficiencies and will unquestionably increase productivity across teams. With simple initial set-up, quick migration, and unlimited support, valuable documents will be safe and sound. As a trusted Google Cloud Partner, Maven Wave can support the movement of your sensitive data, or it can be done through internal IT teams.  

Use Case #3: Email & Calendar

Gmail’s award-winning email and calendar platform is user-friendly and recognizable to employees across the globe. Not only will Gmail / G Calendar encourage teams to further collaborate, but the platform offers significant cost savings as well. Setting up an organization-wide team calendar is simple, and you can easily establish permissions within the organization in just a few steps. The rich calendar feature set allows supervisors to quickly access who is working remotely at any time and who is available for a virtual meeting via Hangouts Meet. 

Celebrating Success

Once your team has adapted to these new remote policies and platforms, it’s time to applaud and celebrate their success. Celebrate with a virtual team happy hour, send a small token of appreciation, and post victories on internal company channels such as a co-authored document or chat room. After all, your employees are the key to your company’s success. For those struggling to manage these changes, encourage others who have championed this transition to assist and lead.

To learn more about remote work success, join Maven Wave for our upcoming webinar Getting Started with Google Meet for Free on April 17. Click here to register for this informative webinar that will cover all of the basic and new Google Meet features. Plus, learn how you can get up-and-running with Meet for free in less than a week.

REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR

About the Author

Blake Jines-Storey
Blake Jines-Storey thrives on showing clients how G Suite unlocks collaboration, delights employees and drives companies to achieve more. He guides Fortune 500 companies through the process of “Going Google.” Jines-Storey is a digital transformation technology expert with over 20 years of experience developing solutions for clients.
April 14th, 2020
ENTERPRISE COLLABORATION

Get the latest industry news and insights delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up for our Newsletter
2020-04-14T13:33:28-05:00