The cloud has become increasingly popular in recent years and is now practically essential for any organization. And for good reason—with its enhanced security and capabilities for remote access, it perfectly addresses today’s workplace needs.
Businesses of all industries can benefit from public cloud managed services, from real-time inventory management for retailers with multiple locations to secure sharing of patient files for healthcare professionals. Truly, the collaborative abilities of the cloud are endless, and these simple practices can help you and your team make the most of them.
Prioritize Security
Using the cloud expands your horizons and the possibilities for collaboration, but it also increases the possibilities for hackers to access your data. Because of this, it’s absolutely crucial to implement strict security measures on your cloud platform. Here’s a few best practices:
- Teach proper password hygiene and implement password policies as necessary.
- Require employees to set up MFA to access their cloud accounts.
- Set up session timeouts that require users to re-log in and verify their identity.
- Employ the principle of least privilege by allowing team members access to exactly the information they need to do their job—nothing more, nothing less.
Enlist the help of an IT provider with public cloud managed services to integrate these safety practices into your cloud use.
Implement Version Control
One of the most attractive features of cloud collaboration is that multiple users can edit a document from anywhere, with real-time updates. This means that everyone has access to the most current version of a project at any time. It can, however, present problems when accidental edits are made or users want to access previous drafts and information.
To avoid confusion or loss of work, you may need to get help from someone who offers public cloud managed services. Have them confirm cloud settings to ensure that previous versions of documents can still be seen and that edits are tracked, i.e., you can see who made what change when.
Promote Collaboration
For cloud collaboration to be most effective, your team must already have a strong culture of collaboration in all areas of their work.¹ One of the best ways to cultivate this culture is to be an example: You and other leaders should request and integrate ideas and feedback, communicate clearly, etc.
Giving team members smaller opportunities to collaborate can also help them feel more comfortable working together on bigger projects. Workshops, team activities, goal-setting sessions, or company parties can be a great way to help your team connect and feel excited about collaboration.
Making sure your staff has all of the needed tools for working together, besides just the cloud, also helps them make the most of their collaboration. Encourage employees to use other communication platforms to help them feel connected through multiple channels. Some public cloud managed services even come in packages that offer a full set of collaborative resources.
Keep Team Members Informed
In the end, your cloud service will only work as well as the people who use it. Hold trainings to teach team members about available tools, updates, security protocols, and creative ways to take advantage of cloud resources. You could plan special training sessions for these topics, write a blurb in your newsletter, or include a “Cloud Tip” minute at the beginning of meetings.
Cultivate Cloud Collaboration With Brightline
At Brightline IT, we understand the importance of team collaboration and keeping your work safe and secure. So when you partner with Brightline for your public cloud managed services, you’ll experience expert insights, reliable service, customized solutions, and a strong dedication to your business’s security and success.
Fill out our form to learn more about our support for the Microsoft Azure stack and how we can facilitate team collaboration in your workplace.
