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Accessing and using a Remote Desktop can be a convoluted, frustrating and less-than-ideal experience for employees. It's likely to involve downloading a desktop client and logging in more than once during a session, making it difficult to switch to other applications outside the Remote Desktop. However, there are approaches organisations can take to dramatically improve this experience, both saving time and reducing frustration for employees.
In this blog post, we're going to explore some of the issues involved in accessing a Remote Desktop, and how using Workspace 365 provides an alternative option that streamlines the experience for users, presenting an opportunity to create hybrid workspaces which offer everything employees need in one place.
Access the Remote Desktop in the hybrid workplace
In the new world of remote, distributed working and the hybrid workplace, more and more of us are accessing the applications we need from numerous locations. With increasing numbers of applications available in the cloud, including Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams, a true work-from-anywhere capability is being developed. This has proved essential during the pandemic, and will be equally valuable as organisations evolve hybrid working patterns.
Unfortunately, not all systems are available or can be accessed in the cloud. Sometimes, this might be down to the security and network protocols required by an organisation, or because legacy systems are not available on a SaaS basis. To enable remote working, many of us still need to access a Remote Desktop solution such as Citrix to be able to access all the different systems, applications and files we need during the working week.
Why accessing the remote desktop can be frustrating
Remote Desktops can provide a lot of value when certain systems are not available yet as SaaS, but the experience of accessing and using them is not always great.
Accessing a Remote Desktop solution often involve several steps which can ultimately be time-consuming and less-than-straightforward. Typically, this might involve a new user:
- Logging into an intranet or similar solution
- Downloading a Remote Desktop client
- Logging into the solution again
- Opening the Remote Desktop
- Opening individual applications, which may require additional authentication.
An easier way to access the Remote Desktop
Workspace 365 provides an alternative approach to accessing the Remote Desktop where employees can reach everything they need through Single Sign-On, including elements from your Remote Desktop, without needing to go through the cumbersome download and log-in ritual.
They also avoid the ongoing frustrations around dropping connection or having to authenticate multiple times. This more efficient process helps raise productivity, and drives a better employee experience.
Workspace 365's ability to craft a hybrid workspace that bypasses the need for employees to access the Remote Desktop applications and files is facilitated by our Clientless RDP capability, that provides access for users:
- From any device and any location
- Through Single Single-On via just one click
- That is relevant to a particular group, role or location
- Through multiple-factor authentication to match organisational information security policies.
The way this works in practice is relatively straightforward, in that your Workspace 365 administrators can set applications from your Remote Desktop solution so they are available to different groups and employees based on permissions.
This means you can either configure desktop experiences that are targeted to the needs of different groups based on their role, location, division or team, or let individuals add relevant applications to configure their own desktop experience. You can also combine these approaches, creating targeted desktop experiences that individuals can then customise based on their personal needs and preferences.
A new hybrid workspace fit for the hybrid workforce
One of the advantages of using a solution like Workspace 365 is that you can create a truly hybrid workspace that brings together your SaaS and Remote Desktop solutions into one experience. You can also mix access to applications, documents and sites from anywhere beyond the remote desktop, effectively creating a hybrid workspace that can be targeted to meet the needs of the new hybrid workforce perfectly.
Many organisations are introducing Microsoft 365 digital workplaces that employees can access directly in the cloud, but also have a set of other core systems or legacy applications that need to be accessed via a Remote Desktop solution such as Citrix Virtual Apps & Desktop. As we have already established, switching between the two can be a jarring and fragmented experience, all of which can be avoided by using Workspace 365.
Find out more!
Are your employees complaining about accessing your Remote Desktop? Is your IT helpdesk having to deal with too many related support tickets? Do you want to create a better employee experience to support a new hybrid workplace? Try Workspace 365 now through a free demo where you can receive access in seconds!
