In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the London Metropolitan University (LMU) successfully transitioned 4,000 staff members to remote working within just a week. This swift change was made possible by the university’s IT department, which had been preparing for such a scenario since January. The team, led by Luke Taylor, had already been testing remote working tools and training staff on their use. The transition was also facilitated by the fact that the university operates on a cloud-first policy, with most systems and applications accessible via the internet.
The IT department had to overcome several challenges, including ensuring all staff had the required hardware and that they could securely access the university’s systems. The team also had to deal with the psychological aspect of such a sudden change, reassuring staff and providing them with support.
Taylor emphasised the importance of communication and flexibility during this transition. He believes that the experience will lead to a permanent shift in attitudes towards remote working. The university is now focusing on improving its remote teaching capabilities, with the aim of delivering high-quality online education.
Go to source article: https://www.zdnet.com/article/coronavirus-how-one-team-switched-4000-staff-to-remote-working-in-just-a-week/?ftag=COS-05-10aaa0g&taid=5e7da812ef5fb4000146a0bf