Issue:
Whether planned or due to an emergency, there are a number of things you should consider while working remotely. This article covers the policies, technology constraints and best practices while working remotely.
Audience:
Faculty and Staff
Resolution:
Policies and Security. In the office, you have protocols and security built into the work environment. You need to treat your remote office the same way. There are a number of policies that you need to adhere to that have an impact on how your work when you are not in the College's office environment. Here are the key policies:
It's probably a good idea to go ahead and fill out the general telecommuting agreement, getting your manager's approval to work remotely. Your manager will process the signed agreement.
Technology. There are a number of things to consider from a technology standpoint. Below are some of the knowledge base articles and external sites that will help you get settled in a remote work environment.
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Loaner Equipment. Information Technology has a short term loan/checkout program for a variety of technology items., including laptops. Submit a Loaner Equipment Request and come by Bell525 to pick up your laptop. This is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- Checking your bandwidth. It's a good idea to know the bandwidth you are dealing with remotely. Here is how to check your bandwidth on a PC and Mac. Also, this is a good source on how to monitor your network usage in case you need to close some applications to increase your bandwidth. Another source is Speedtest. Also, to conserve bandwidth during an emergency, you should try texting as opposed to a call.
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Accounts. It's a good idea to check your access to individual sites. We have a category dedicated to login help that provides instructions and known issues.
- Office 365. This Microsoft suite of products offers a wide range of cloud-accessible applications including Teams and OneDrive (see below). We have a category of Office365 articles in our self-help knowledge base. A good place to start is with the articles on installing and activating Office 365. You can access Office365 training through our relationship with LinkedIn Learning.
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OneDrive. If you haven't already done so, it's a good idea to move your files to the cloud. Here is everything you need to know about setting up and using OneDrive.
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Teams. Keeping up with your colleagues is important when working remotely. Here is general information on how to use Teams and how to set up and run a remote meeting. You also want to make sure your WebCam is set up correctly. Also, with Teams private channels, you can have focused, private conversations with people on your team. The following 1:44 video tutorial will show you how to create private channels as you’re working remotely: How to create and use private channels in Microsoft Teams.
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Zoom. We have an institutional site license for Zoom, which covers all employees and students. It has been integrated into our CofC login, but you must activate your own account through https://cofc.zoom.us. You can also add Zoom to Outlook to schedule a meeting. Here are some common issues users have found when starting to use Zoom.
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Do you need a VPN?. Your job might require that you use a VPN solution to connect. Check with your manager to be sure. But if you do, here is some information on the College's VPN options, and some known issues regarding security and connection over Wi-Fi.
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Web Maintenance: Employees that maintain College web pages can access Cascade through your Office 365 portal. VPN access is needed. You may need to select All Apps for the Cascade logo to appear.
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System Status: While working remotely, it's important to know the status of the systems we rely on. Check out status.cofc.edu to check for active issues or planned outages.
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Network access. (Requires VPN) Your job might require that you access a server or files from a college server or network. Ask your manager if you need to request access. Depending on your operating system, this is how to connect to a network drive: Windows and Mac. Also, just make sure you have access to any websites as well. Check out the general login assistance and known issues.
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Remote Desktop. (Requires VPN) You may need to connect to your office computer via VPN or another person's computer. If so, here is some information on Windows Remote Desktop, some general connection tips, and how to use remote desktop on a Mac.
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Telephones. Since you won't be using your desk phone, it's a good idea to set up call forwarding. Also, you may want to change your voicemail to indicate how to best contact you. Another option is to request a softphone. Note, softphones work best with wired connections.
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Cougar Alert. You want to make sure you have the Everbridge App installed and with your current phone number. That is how the college will keep you updated and contact you in case of an emergency.
Resources
Do you still need help? go to help.cofc.edu or email the Service Desk and a technician will contact you.