Are you Prepared to Work Remotely?
This site provides guidance for the success of CSUCI’s distributed workforce — no matter where your “office” may be.
Checklist
- Do you have access to electricity and the internet at your remote location?
- Do you have a workspace suitable for remote work?
- Do you have a computer that you can use to work remotely?
- Does your computer have all the software you need?
- Will you be able to access your work remotely?
- Have you forwarded your office phone to your number?
- Have you filed a temporary telecommuter agreement with Human Resources?
Accessing electricity and the internet
Electricity and internet access are prerequisites to being able to work remotely. If you cannot make it in to work during a regional emergency, this access might not be available at your home.
Plan ahead by becoming familiar with your options to access these services near your home. These options might include working from the homes of local family, friends, or neighbors; working from coffee shops or libraries with Wi-Fi.
Your computer
Make sure that your University-issued laptop or portable computer has all of the software that you need to be able to work remotely.
Your workspace
Make sure that your work space aligns with the guidelines outlined in the CSUCI Policy on Telecommuting and the CSUCI Telecommuter's Home & Safety Checklist (PDF, 120KB).
Accessing Your Work Remotely
Many key University systems and document repositories are accessible via the web, from your CSUCI-issued laptop or from your personal laptop or tablet. Most campus services can be accessed securely from remote locations using myCI.
In some instances when working remotely, you may need to start a VPN session to access certain restricted documents or applications. Learn more about VPN
Make use of available collaboration tools
Location doesn’t matter as much when you’ve got reliable online tools to help you connect and collaborate with colleagues. CSUCI’s recommended collaboration tools are:
- Microsoft Teams for instant messaging
- CI Docs/Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive (through Microsoft Office365) for cloud file sharing
- Zoom for video conferencing and meetings
Workspace Accessories and Equipment
You may need to modify or add to your existing office equipment to accommodate the unique circumstances of your remote work environment.
For example, for participate successfully in remote meetings, you may need:
- A web cam
- A microphone
- Speakers
Most modern laptops have these items built-in. You can also use a smartphone or tablet with Zoom to participate in a remote meeting. However, you may also benefit from obtaining a headset (headphone + microphone combination).
Forwarding Your Phone & Checking Voicemail Remotely
Learn more about phone forwarding
Maintain security of computers, data and systems
If you work remotely on your home computer (rather than on your CSUCI-issued laptop or tablet), you must be aware of the data risk classifications and application risk classifications for the data and applications you use.
The system that you are working on must comply with CSUCI's computing standards, as defined in CSU Policy 8050.S100. Please visit the CSU Information Security Policies and Standards page for more details about workstation standards.
Learn more about securing your computer, data and system on the ITS Information Security web site
Online Training
Training resources are available for the available collaboration tools listed above. These resources are frequently provided by the vendor (as self-paced training resources). Training for technologies like Teams, Zoom, Google Drive and Dropbox are also available through LinkedIn Learning (accessible via myCI).
In addition, the HR Professional Development & Personal Enrichment (PDPE) team may also provide additional training resources & workshops to learn tips and tools for working effectively with remote team members.
Get Help
Browse the ITS Knowledge Base to find helpful articles on a range of topics pertaining to remote work and telecommuting.
If you need IT support for an issue related to telecommuting or remote work, submit a Solution Center support request and we’ll get you connected with someone who can help.