In mid-March, Mike Jones could be found dropping off computer monitors all over the Springfield area. 
As ATM analyst for INB, this was a task he’d never done before. But it was all hands on deck to move nearly 200 INB employees to remote work once Illinois was put under a stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus pandemic.
To say the INB IT department has been busy is an understatement.
“The last couple weekends in March, we worked completely through the weekends,” says Sarah Enlow, AVP, Information Technology. “We were figuring out if our staff had the proper equipment – and if not, we were getting equipment for them. There was quickly a shortage of laptops, webcams and monitors.”
Why so crucial to ensure employees could log in that Monday morning?
“So their customers wouldn’t even notice a difference,” Sarah answers.
Finding a Way to Make it Work
Over the next few months, IT staff spent time troubleshooting any issues and working through new problems, like what software to use for digitally signing documents and how employees should print documents.
“We’ve actually discovered new products and processes that have streamlined the way we work now, so that’s been really helpful,” Sarah shares.
The IT team hasn’t missed a beat, even with the uncertainty of this unique situation.
“Everyone stepped up that first weekend without even being asked, going above and beyond to make sure all employees could log in remotely and be ready to work on Monday. I was extremely proud of our team,” says Charlie Kerwin, SVP, Information Security Officer. “We even brought on two new HelpDesk employees. Starting a new job is always crazy, but it was especially chaotic for them to learn their positions and then help others,” he adds.
A Critical, Behind-the-Scenes Role
INB’s staff adjusted well during our few months working from home, ensuring very few changes in processes or interruptions in the way we serve customers.
“A lot of our customers were afraid and uncertain; people get especially concerned when finances are involved,” Sarah says. “There was a mortgage boom and increase in small business loans, and all of that expanded our workload. Supporting our departments and meeting those challenges has been really important to us on the IT team.”