Photo by Olia Danilevich

Work from home options have become an expectation for many organizations in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we shift into a post-pandemic workforce, companies that continue to support remote or hybrid work options will likely find they have a competitive edge. And those that use zero touch provisioning for employee onboarding will be ahead of the game.

The Remote Work Environment: It's Here to Stay

What makes us say the remote work environment is here for the long haul? Consider the following statistics from Small Biz Genius:

• 76% of workers would be more willing to stay with their current employer if they had flexible hours options
• 86% of people feel that a remote work environment reduces stress
• 25% lower employee turnover rates are experienced by companies that allow remote work

Companies should be willing to accept that the non-traditional work environment is here to stay. Those that do are better positioned to spend less on hiring and onboarding new talent each year.

Remote Work Onboarding Challenges

However, adapting to a remote work environment has brought about its own set of challenges. This is especially true when it comes to onboarding new employees who are working remotely.

Some of the most persistent questions employers with remote workers have difficulty solving include:

• How do I ship equipment to remote employees?
• How do we ensure a new employee's work computer is set up and integrated properly?
• How do we troubleshoot technical issues with employees who are not in the office?
• How do I keep track of which employee has which business devices?

These are valid concerns that, if left unaddressed, can lead to a less than ideal remote work experience for both the employer and the employee.

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Introducing Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP)

Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) is a cloud-based solution that helps companies automate the process of onboarding and shipping equipment to remote employees. With ZTP, employers can ensure employees get the equipment and IT support they need without any hassle.

Services provided from ZTP providers conform with remote onboarding best practices and include:

• provisioning and installation of IT equipment for remote workers
• Inventory management of issued work from home computer
• Off-boarding support
• Shipping of equipment to and from remote office locations
• Off-site storage of devices when not in use

Clearly ZTP is a superior alternative to trying to turn your IT team into a logistics team.

But, What is Zero Touch Deployment (ZTD)?

Zero touch deployment is a methodology used to streamline the process of provisioning devices to remote employees. It allows businesses to automate the process of onboarding new employees and distributing devices to them without IT intervention.

This cloud-based solution makes it easy for company-owned devices with IoT capability to be connected together remotely.

This is great news for hiring teams because, with ZTD, the challenge of setting up and installing company-issued devices for a remote working employee is eliminated.

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Credit: DCStudio‍

Who Should Use ZTD Services?

Any business that has remote or hybrid employees can benefit from zero touch deployment services. These services are particularly helpful for businesses with a high turnover rate or those that are expanding their remote workforce.

Examples of industries that are increasingly relying on ZTD providers for employee support include: financing, customer service, digital marketing, IT support and development, and construction.

However, it's easy to see that almost any business with a remote workforce equipped with company-owned devices can benefit from a device provisioning service.

How a Zero Touch Provisioning Service Works

ZTP is a cloud-based solution that integrates with your organization's existing systems and workflows. When an employee is hired, their information is entered into the company's ZTP system indicating their business device requirements. The system then automatically orders the necessary equipment, such as a work from home computer, and ships it to the employee's home address.

When the equipment arrives, the employee simply has to unbox it and plug it in. The ZTP system will automatically provision the device and configure it for use. IT support is also built into the system, so if any issues arise, they can be quickly resolved.

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3 Benefits of Using a Zero Touch Deployment Service

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1. Save Time and Money

One of the biggest benefits of using a zero touch provisioning service is that it saves your organization time and money. With ZTP, there is no need to ship equipment to your office for new employees or wait for IT staff to configure devices. This all happens automatically and can be done from anywhere in the world.

Inventory management is also built into most ZTP solutions. This ensures you always know which employee has which device and that devices are accounted for when they are no longer needed.

2. Improve Employee Experience

Another big benefit of zero touch provisioning is that it improves the employee experience. New employees can get started with their work right away without having to wait for equipment or IT support. And if any issues do arise, they can be quickly resolved without the need to travel to the office.

3. Increase Productivity

Finally, zero touch provisioning can help increase productivity by making it easier for employees to get started with their work. With all the necessary equipment and IT support in place, employees can hit the ground running and be productive from day one.

Further Onboarding Solutions with Zero Touch Provisioning

Zero touch provisioning for remote employee onboarding offers employers viable solutions that make the hiring process streamlined and efficient. Some of these solutions include:

• The need to source and ship equipment to remote employees is eliminated
• IT support for business devices is simplified
• Employee satisfaction is improved
• Time to fully onboard a new employee is decreased
• Equipment collection when off-boarding an exiting employee is taken care of

With zero touch provisioning, new employees can be productive from day one without having to worry about configuring their devices or installing software.

QB ZeroTouch & Device Provisioning: A Full Circle Service

Quadbridge's QB ZeroTouch Provisioning is a full circle ZTP service. We offer a complete solution for onboarding and offboarding remote employees as well as IT support. We help your employees feel welcomed and part of their new community.

We take care of everything from sourcing and shipping equipment to configuring devices and providing IT support. And, with our secure warehouse space, we can do it all without the need for you to provide office space or staff.

To learn more about our QB ZeroTouch Provisioning service, contact us today. We'll be happy to answer any questions you have and help you provide new employee's a better onboarding experience.