image 1What if you could tap into the top talent in your industry, no matter where in the world they are? With the power of the mobile web, your all-star team is now – literally – at your fingertips. 

Consider this: 83% of workers report that they prefer using cloud apps over those deployed on premise. Millennials, who will make up almost 50% of the available workforce by 2020, are “digital natives.” And don’t forget how much money remote workers allow you to save on real estate and office equipment.

Yet there are risks. Spreading your network around the world on a variety of devices you don’t control can expose your data in more ways than ever before. The key is to find the right balance between protection and productivity. Here, then, are five ways to effectively “mobilize” your workforce – without endangering your data:

Collaborate In The Cloud – A plethora of online collaboration tools have sprung up that make it easy for a geographically dispersed team to access and share the same files in real time. These tools not only make sharing easy and instantaneous, they help your team communicate quickly and effectively. Tools like Slack, HipChat, Asana, Podio and Trello – to mention just a few of the most popular options – are proving to make teams more productive. And that includes keeping critical data safe and secure.

Expand Elastically – In-house investments in IT hardware, software and staff can lock you into a rigid structure that can’t easily adapt to changes in demand. A cloud-based mobile workforce is able to contract and expand more easily as needs arise, and with very little loss of capital. Bottom line: use a VPN (virtual private network) and cloud-based collaboration tools to remain agile, flexible and competitive.