We are currently living in unusual times– so unusual it feels like we are living in one big dream. These past few weeks, the nation has needed to adjust to new norms, including “social distancing,” a term most of us have never even heard of before this all started. Companies have adjusted to 100% remote work. Some Americans are even living under “Stay at Home” orders, depending on the state they reside in. All of this has been a major adjustment for the nation and we will continue to live under these circumstances for at least the next month, as the nationwide social distancing guidelines have been extended for 30 more days.

Even though we are living under unfamiliar circumstances, one element of it remains constant: there is still work to be done. Staffing companies have candidates to place, payroll to process, and new business to gain. As we live during these unpredictable times, are you able to carry on business as usual with the necessary safety precautions? Are you able to take your business remote without missing a beat? It is at times like these, that a cloud-based staffing software solution is valued more than ever. If you haven’t made the switch yet to a cloud-based solution, here are the benefits, and it is not just in times of crisis.

Ability to Work Anywhere and Increase in Productivity

The biggest advantage of a cloud-based staffing software solution is the ability to work anywhere. You can access all of your candidates, clients, contacts, and job orders no matter where you may be. Mobility is the future of recruiting—you need to be able to work anywhere, especially when you are out visiting clients. Instead of needing to go back to the office to enter notes or perhaps add a new job order, you can do it while on the go to your next client. This increases your productivity and ability to fill jobs quicker and ultimately gives you an advantage over your competition.

Not to mention, you also have the ability to work at home, especially under the conditions we are currently living in. Working remotely is simply the safest option, whether your state has implemented “Stay at Home Orders” or not. The Federal government recommends keeping gatherings to 10 people or less. A cloud-based software gives you the ability to work at home.

Note, some may argue you can still access your data remotely with your own server, however, you have to make sure your designated IT rep has setup a secure way to make a connection, such as a VPN.

Security

The security of your data is improved through a cloud hosting solution. You may think your server is secure, but you will be surprised to hear how secure cloud data really is, if the right investments are made. What’s important to note, is that not all staffing software providers invest in the same amount of security. If you are not familiar with cloud security when you are looking for a solution, here are the questions you need to ask the staffing software provider.

One of the biggest security advantages of the cloud is that multiple safety nets are put in place to ensure no data is ever breached or lost. Cloud data is stored at facilities called “Data Centers.” Each data center is ranked by Tier ratings. A Tier 3 and 4 data center offers the most security with an uptime of approximately 99.982% and 99.995% respectively. What is uptime? It is the amount of time a server stays up and running without power issues or other problems.

Cloud data should also be stored in multiple data centers, so in the unlikely event “the cloud goes down” in one data center, your data is still backed-up and secure in another one. Note, it is important to ask software providers if your data will be stored in multiple data centers. To give you an idea of what a secure data center looks like, when you walk in you would see a large number of backup power sources, fingerprint access between rooms, locked cages, 24-hour monitoring, and armed guards. Only a few key IT people at the software company would have access to the physical data.

In addition to the data center, back-ups are run daily. Incremental backups are made throughout the day with one full backup done at the end of each day. Upgrades are also performed without derailing operations as a server upgrade might. Everyone can continue to go about their day-to-day tasks without any pause or delay in work.

Lastly, data centers offer several layers of firewall protection in case one or multiple are breached. Multiple anti-viruses and anti-malware software are used to protect your data. This is important because one software may find something and begin running updates, but miss another threat that different software will catch. With layered security, an intruder would need to breach through several layers before reaching your data.

Elimination of Hassle and Expenses of Having your Own Server

Hosting your own server takes up a large amount of physical space and also requires valuable upkeep time that you could be using to focus on the core of your business. Not to mention, the expenses associated with a server. You are probably paying for rental costs, electricity expenses, and on-site technicians to monitor, support, and upgrade the server. You also had to make a large investment to purchase the server, which is a piece of equipment difficult to resell. Also, think about the lifespan. How often do you have to replace it?

Moving to a cloud hosting solution, takes away the hassle, space, and expense of managing your own data. What you may be surprised about is it is actually more cost-effective to move to a cloud staffing software. You can expect to pay a monthly subscription to your software provider to secure and maintain your data at a much less expensive cost. You will only pay for the amount of storage space you use.

Are You Thinking About Making the Switch?

The idea of implementing a whole new software and way of operating can sound terrifying, especially in times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Is it really a good time to be thinking about making the switch? You may feel like you need to focus all of your efforts on forming a new business strategy to come out on top after all of this. But have you considered a cloud-based staffing solution being part of that strategy?

Are you interested in learning more? Click here to explore a cloud hosting solution!

Written by Jennifer Roeslmeier Mikels

Jennifer Roeslmeier Mikels is a Sr. Digital Marketing and Brands Manager at Automated Business Designs, developers of Ultra-Staff EDGE Staffing Software. Jennifer regularly publishes articles about key topics surrounding the staffing industry with both local and national staffing associations.

View Jennifer Roeslmeier Mikel’s Full Bio