This article is contributed by Jason Dirkham

Running a business in 2020 is a highly stressful experience for most. While some fortunate businesses have thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have found the damage to the economy this pandemic has created too difficult to weather. Big and small businesses have gone into administration, while America is witnessing the biggest job crisis in a century with over 40 million jobs lost. On top of this economic upheaval, our lives have all changed physically too; offices closed for much of the year, and larger businesses have had to handle huge teams working from remote locations around the world. 

As a business owner or manager within a larger business, you will know that operating a business remotely is a huge challenge that nobody was fully prepared for. Home working has its benefits, but for companies which rely on in-house servers and localized databases, this transition can be highly expensive and difficult for everyone. This is where cloud computing comes in! In this article, you’ll find helpful information on how using cloud computing can benefit your business, as well as creating meaningful change in your company’s data storage, employee relationships and more. Let’s get started!

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is a remote way of storing data which only requires internet access. Rather than using an internal server, cloud computing stores all company data in an internet server which acts as a central hub for all company activity, documents and more. Cloud computing is used widely by many huge companies around the world and is an increasingly popular mode of operation. Examples of popular cloud computing models are:

  • Dropbox, where users can insert files into the online database which can then be accessed by other users.
  • Google Docs and Google Slides, a simple way to give access and editing power to others. 
  • Apple iCloud, used for photographs and documents alike. 
  • Oracle PCF, used by businesses to manage their 5G network. 

Cloud computing has produced phenomenal results for many businesses, but has its downsides too. Read on to find out the pros and cons of cloud computing for businesses. 

What are the pros and cons of cloud computing?

Let’s get straight into the fabulous pros of cloud computing!

The Pros!

Pro #1: Accessibility

Organizing a huge team of people from a remote location can be equated to herding cats. Sending and receiving files, organizing team meetings and collaborating on projects is highly challenging when you cannot be in the same room together. Cloud computing provides accessibility to certain documents from different digital locations, providing simple routes to editing, sharing and collaborating on pieces of work from many sources. The simple accessibility of cloud computing means that as an organizer and manager within a larger business, you can efficiently share and edit documents without relying on formatting of Word, PDF, PowerPoint and other formats. 

Pro #2: Efficiency

Cloud computing creates efficiency in all areas of business. Storing data in an external database means that the workday will be more efficient in more ways than one. Firstly, cloud computing models can be accessed via smartphone, laptop or tablet anywhere with a stable internet connection. In addition, they do not require reformatting for specific devices, such as Mac or Windows, but are able to operate from any device. This increases efficiency all round. 

Pro #3: Backup Security

Never again should you worry about servers crashing and erasing documents. Cloud computing has second to none backup, meaning that as long as the internet remains intact, you can access your documents no problem. This avoids terrible accidents with valuable or sensitive documents erased and lost, costing the company money, reputation and clientele in one sweep. 

Pro #4: Cost Cutting

If you have serious cost cutting needs, for example due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy which will affect your business, it is important to consider cloud computing as a cheaper alternative to an internal server. Cloud computing products such as Google Docs or Dropbox are mostly free to use; in addition, they have widespread IT support and rarely experience outages, saving your company money on internal software troubleshooting. Specialized cloud computing services such as those provided by Oracle are still cost-effective in comparison to having in-house hardware which requires employees to be tethered to a specific office space – not ideal in a pandemic situation!

The Cons!

Con #1: Cyber Security

There have been major concerns about cloud computing’s ability to enforce good cybersecurity. For companies with sensitive documents such as medical companies, finance and other sectors with highly confidential material, cyber security with cloud computing has become a major talking point. Although many large businesses operate on the cloud successfully, it is worth considering that it might be easier for data breaches to occur on the cloud than on a private server. 

Con #2: More Widespread Issues

With widespread accessibility come widespread problems, and cloud computing is no exception. If your business runs globally using cloud computing, a server outage would mean that every employee across the world would experience the outage, not just one office in one location. This could cause a more difficult reboot and incur further costs than a localised server outage. Make sure you consider this possibility of widespread problems. 

Con #3: Workflow Depends on High Speed Internet

Once again, advantages can quickly turn to disadvantages in the wrong circumstances. The workflow of your remote team members will depend entirely on their ability to connect to high speed internet. If a team member working remotely experiences issues with their WiFi or data connection, they can’t access their work. Unlike using documents which are saved into the device itself, the cloud requires a constant internet connection, which for some might prove tricky.

Con #4: Difficulty Applying Regulations

If your company has strict procedural regulations in compliance with data protection law and internal policies, you may find these difficult to enforce on a widespread cloud model. With an internal server designed specifically for your company, policies and procedures can be coded into the usability of the product; with a cloud computing server like Dropbox, it is up to the individual user to enforce proper conduct according to your company policies. 

How Does Cloud Computing Benefit Working From Home?

You might have guessed by now that cloud computing is highly beneficial for remote working in a larger business. Here are some ways which cloud computing will benefit your employees while working from home. 

  • A simplified database.

For employees working from home, a simple database containing everything they need is the best bet to ensure efficiency and straightforward working. Storing files in multiple databases, folders, email chains and memory sticks is bound to end up with a more chaotic, broken up day with more and more issues as the day goes on. Cloud computing takes the complications out of locating and storing work for all employees in any corner of the globe. 

  • Fewer maintenance issues. 

If you use a cloud computing server, you can say goodbye to internal server issues and rely on the service provider to sort any issues that arise. For people working from home, this means that any technical issues with the cloud computing provider will allow them to ensure their work is backed up, safe and ready to be accessed when the maintenance is quickly resolved by the provider. No hassle, no panic.

  • Few requirements for the home worker. 

For a person who has had to uproot their working life and operate from home, the fewer technical needs the better. Many employees are juggling taking care of their children and working in small spaces at home, so the need for simple accessibility has never been more essential. Cloud computing only requires a device and an internet connection, allowing easy access and efficient workflow for even the most confined and cramped home worker. 

  • Accident assurance.

On a similar note, accidents can happen at home. Children spill things, papers get lost, laptops burn out – and with cloud computing, your business never has to worry about employees’ device issues getting in the way of work security and file storage. None of their work will be stored on their specific device, only on the database, meaning that no matter where they log in from, everything is ready for them.

  • Productivity boosts. 

Due to the aforementioned benefits of cloud computing, productivity in your workforce is bound to increase. In addition, working from home has been found by a Harvard study to be the more popular option; by offering this flexibility even when the pandemic does not require it, by using cloud computing to run your business, you are bound for success and productivity in the future. 

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, cloud computing has many pros and cons, but the pros and benefits for a homebound workforce outweigh any issues that it presents. Being able to centralise your workforce’s documents, progression and confidential information into one slick database takes pressure off individual workers and provides an elegant solution to file losses, excessive server costs and maintenance problems all at once.