{"id":1762,"date":"2020-10-21T18:52:58","date_gmt":"2020-10-21T18:52:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.skillup.online\/?p=1762"},"modified":"2025-08-25T18:28:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T18:28:06","slug":"top-it-skills-needed-to-manage-a-virtual-work-environment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skillup.online\/blog\/top-it-skills-needed-to-manage-a-virtual-work-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"Top IT Skills Needed to Manage a Virtual Work Environment"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

The emergence of new technologies over time has continued to evolve the way the world does business. However, March of 2020 may have created the single biggest change to how organizations operate due to the drastic shift to a virtual work environment. The majority of workers used to commute into offices every day and now they are logging in from their homes, creating distributed workforces unlike we\u2019ve ever seen before. And this shift likely isn\u2019t going anywhere anytime soon.<\/p>\n

In fact, recent research shows that more than 70%<\/a> of businesses are planning a permanent move to make remote work an option for some, if not all employees. This may be because many businesses are seeing not only maintained but increased productivity<\/a> amongst employees who are full or part-time working remote. However, this shift means that IT professionals need to quickly adapt to support the new normal.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look into some of the biggest challenges facing IT professionals today and the top skills needed to support today\u2019s virtual work environments.<\/p>\n

Technical Challenges of a Virtual Work Environment<\/h2>\n

Remote work is not a new concept. Some businesses were already operating remotely and reaping the benefits of cost savings on physical infrastructure and overhead and the ability to tap into talent across the world.<\/p>\n

However, the sudden switch to virtual processes has introduced new technical challenges for many. And the bulk of this burden has fallen to IT professionals. They have to overcome obstacles not faced in the traditional workspace, including:<\/p>\n

New Technology to Support Remote Collaboration and Productivity<\/em>: IT has been adapting to new tools that are meant to help a remote environment thrive.\u00a0For example, tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Slack keep teams connected, helping to bridge the communication gap. However, this means IT needs to ensure each employee has access without sacrificing security and appropriate data management, among other technical challenges new tools may bring.<\/p>\n

\"depiction<\/p>\n

Ensuring Effective Remote Onboarding<\/em>: Employee training has also been affected, and IT teams have to effectively onboard remote employees – remotely. These employees need access and training for online business tools, new hardware, security best practices, and overall company processes.<\/p>\n

Ongoing IT Support<\/em>: As employees adjust to the new normal, there will be inevitable technological challenges faced. IT has to provide support from afar, without the ability to drop in to address these challenges in person. This may increase service time and require the need to implement additional remote tools.<\/p>\n

Security and Accessibility<\/em>: In a traditional office setting, everyone is on the same secure network. But in a remote environment, this isn\u2019t possible. Virtual employees may use unsecured networks and local storage, putting a business\u2019s data privacy at risk.<\/p>\n

Core IT Skills In a Virtual Work Environment<\/h2>\n

Success in transitioning to a remote work environment hinges largely on IT. For IT professionals to be successful in today\u2019s virtual landscape, they’ll need to be skilled in certain areas, including:<\/p>\n

Cybersecurity<\/h2>\n

Cybersecurity is key for ensuring the security of remote workers\u2019 home technology setup. For example, IT professionals managing a remote environment need to ensure employees are using a VPN if using public WiFi. They’ll also need to teach employees how to properly secure their home networks and ensure the core network is not susceptible to viruses from unvetted personal devices. Plus, cybersecurity threats continue to evolve.<\/p>\n

To prevent them, businesses need IT personnel skilled in the cybersecurity field. This includes professionals that are problem solvers, have keen attention to detail, and know-how to \u201cethically hack<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n

The demand for Internet of Things (IoT) professionals<\/a> has risen with the instances of remote work, especially when the line between personal and business devices are becoming more blurred. It\u2019s a crucial element in keeping remote employees and businesses connected and secure. Plus, organizations still need access to analytics and business intelligence, making this a highly sought-after skill.<\/p>\n

On top of that, technical skills like hardware interfacing, IP networking, interface (UI) and user experience (UX), and mobile app development, among others, are needed to ensure remote work mimics all aspects of an office environment.<\/p>\n

Data Management<\/h2>\n

A business\u2019s data is its most critical resource. Data management professionals help prevent security risks, prevent data loss, and help companies make better, more accurate decisions.<\/p>\n

\"depiction<\/p>\n

This is an important IT skill under normal circumstances, but it\u2019s especially critical when the workforce is dispersed. People tend to store data on personal devices or fall back on data management tools and apps typically reserved for personal use. Which means it\u2019s imperative IT not only has the proficiency to store, manipulate, and access<\/a> company data but to also manage employee access and create training programs and put parameters in place to ensure proper data management protocols are effectively followed at all times.<\/p>\n

IT professionals with expertise in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence<\/a> will also be better able to make sense of large data outputs by using these technologies to improve decision making.<\/p>\n

Soft Skills<\/h2>\n

Some skills aren\u2019t traditionally taught in IT but are traits of successful IT professionals. Remote workers are now left to their own devices, both literally and figuratively. This means the stress when something goes wrong often falls directly onto the shoulders of IT who need to be particularly adept in traits like:<\/p>\n