Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing Has Been a Lifeline for Businesses During COVID-19

by
Keiran Davies
Cloud Computing Has Been a Lifeline for Businesses During COVID-19

Covid-19 changed the world.

This goes without saying. Masks, hand sanitizer, government lockdowns; the impact of the pandemic can be seen in all aspects of life and, in many cases, those impacts are negative.

No more is this true than within the world of business.  41.3% of US businesses reported that they were temporarily closed because of COVID-19. Essential workers aside, the majority of employees were sent home and told to isolate, in-store trading halted, and face-to-face meetings had to be halted.

Sound like the end of the world for business, right?

Well, not necessarily. Despite the pandemic throwing everything into turmoil, IT has managed to keep itself calm and adapt to the changes. Specifically, cloud computing, which has been a lifeline for businesses during Covid-19.  

From cloud storage to remote working, cloud computing gave businesses the tools they need to survive in the new digital landscape.

According to a report by Centrify, cloud adoption has saved more than half of UK businesses from collapse.

So, what have been the benefits of cloud computing during COVID-19?

Remote Work

One of the main benefits of cloud computing, in relation to the pandemic, is the ability to facilitate working-from-home.

With restrictions meaning office work is no longer viable, cloud computing has allowed businesses to maintain a remote workforce that can access company data/applications from anywhere in the world.

This has allowed office-based businesses to stay afloat, and from what the data tells us, it would seem remote working is here to stay.

An Upwork survey has revealed that 1 in 4 American workers are expected to be working remotely throughout 2021 (a feat that would not be possible without cloud computing).

In addition to this, many companies have already started to make the transition to complete remote work. Spotify, for example, has made a promise to be more flexible and allow people to choose their own work location. Is this just the start?

Cloud Storage and Remote Access

Remote working means a distributed workforce.

The issue with this?  Employees are no longer working within an office on an enterprise network. The home office, the laptop on the sofa, the computer in the dining room; all become the new professional work environment.

This point relates to the above, facilitating remote working, but essentially cloud storage/remote access allows data and applications to be retrieved from anywhere. Meaning that the new professional home-work environment we mentioned is fully functional.

Cloud storage and remote access are the fundamental reasons remote work is a possible option.

Virtual Meetings

This one perhaps needs no explaining. It is simple really.

Cloud video conferences allow users to make HD video/audio calls from their home office, which means smooth communication and collaboration across the board.

Efficiency

Admittedly, the term efficiency can be rather vague.

What exactly do we mean?

Well, cloud computing results in employees being able to carry their files and applications with them whether they go, effectively and seamlessly making anywhere a place of work. Of course, there is a limit to this, but if applied correctly, companies can achieve a perfect work-life balance with employees.

Remote work, office work, a mix of both; cloud computing allows organizations and their users to make the choice.

Cost efficiency – saving potentials are huge.

Cloud computing simply has the potential to make managing an IT estate, especially a distributed one that adapts to the new digital landscape, far more cost-effective.

As these benefits demonstrate, cloud computing has allowed over half of businesses to continue working during COVID-19.

Are there any disadvantages?

So far, cloud computing seems too good to be true. Although the benefits are clear, and cloud-based solutions are extremely advantageous, it would be dishonest to not address the disadvantages.

Make sure to read our previous blog post addressing the top organizational obstacles to cloud migration. But to summarize some of the points made: some organizations may not understand exactly what they need from the cloud (which leads to confusion), businesses may not utilize top leadership or sufficient team members in the process, and there may be undeveloped project management.

There is also the issue of transitioning to cloud computing and remote work, without considering the security risks. Again, be sure to check out our blog post identifying the cloud-security trends we expect to see in 2021.

A remote workforce means a bigger target for cyber-criminals, and cloud computing means new security threats. Businesses have to adapt to the change and make sure their networks are secure.

From what we can see here, and what we’ve discussed in past posts, it is clear that although cloud computing has been a lifeline for business during COVID-19, companies need to be aware of the obstacles and threats.

Summary

Despite the obstacles, which can be overcome with the right support, the benefits of cloud computing clearly demonstrate why it was able to facilities remote working and save many businesses during COVID-19.

Not only has cloud computing been a lifeline for business during COVID-19, but evidence suggests it will continue to see usage after the pandemic has ended. Businesses have seen the efficiency and effectiveness of remote work and have decided it could be the future.

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