b'COVID-19Ramping Up Remote ConnectivityThe new normal amidst COVID-19 By Matthew BradfordC ollaboration is the cornerstone of project success. During the COVID-19 crisis, however, keeping crews connected is easier said than done. With team members split between remote of-fices and physically-distanced jobsites, it can be challenging to keep everyone on the same page.Fortunately, theres technology to bridge the gaps. As pandemic measures continue to keep teams apart, construction firms are turn-ing to mobile tools, cloud computing and virtual communications to enhance connectivity and help projects stay on track. While some construction companies were caught a bit off guard by social distancing rules, there were many that were already using collaborative technologies and are therefore able to embrace them as they made the transition to remote work, says Ryan Bialek, Modern Workplace Consultant with Clear Concepts.Valy Motei, IT Manager with Artis REIT and Marwest Group of Companies, worked with his team in advance of recent events to establish remote-working capabilities in case of business continuity challenges. We did a lot of proactive work to move work to the cloud and set up remote working. While we had a little resistance when the time came to rely on these technologies, they have become essential to operations.When it comes to remote connectivity solutions, he adds, com-panies have their share of options. Collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Procore, Slack, Google Workspace and Workplace by Facebook have proven useful in linking on-site crews, office col-leagues and company leaders in real time. Each offers unique features and considerations, but each is similar in that they leverage cloud 14ONTARIO ROOFING NEWSISSUE 3 2020 THE ONLY SOURCE FOR PROFESSIONAL ICI ROOFING CONTRACTORS IN ONTARIO ORN'