Remote work has been on the rise for quite some time. Because of the recent coronavirus outbreak, more companies have been allowing employees to work remotely. We don’t see the trend of remote work slowing down anytime soon.
One reason remote work has become so popular is because of all the tools and technology that are available to companies today. For most companies, you can do almost everything remotely. In the age of remote work, it is critical for your success to identify and implement the latest remote technologies that will keep your team connected, organized and safe. Here are some of the ways technology is bringing remote work into the 21stcentury.
#1 Improving communication
Communication is an important quality of any organization. Communication is what allows companies to be productive and operate efficiently and effectively. Technology has improved the way organizations communicate in many ways but most importantly, to remote teams.
With smartphones, chat apps, and social media, people can communicate on a whole new level. Communication among your team has become fast, instantaneous, more deliberate, collaborative and unified.
All the technology that is used for communication can be used in an office setting but it is especially helpful to those working remotely. With networking apps like WhatsApp, Skype, Google Hangouts, etc., you no longer have to be face-to-face to have a meeting.
#2 Keeping things on track
Despite the hesitations people may have about remote work, the technology that we have today keeps teams more organized than ever. Project management is another essential factor in your remote team’s success. It can be challenging to have everyone on the same page with their tasks and deadlines but having the right project management tools in place can help your team overcome those challenges.
Project management tools help managers to build, assign, review, and assess tasks. There are tools like Trelloor ClickUp that help employers and managers supervise the remote team so that everything is on time. It holds each individual accountable for their tasks.
#3 Boosting Productivity
The technology that is available to remote teams today boosts productivity in several ways.
Technology brings collaboration. Consider Google’s cloud-based suite of products for instance. Here employees all have access to all the documents they need with just the click of a button. Sales teams also use Customer Relationship Management systems (CRM) to allow them to keep track of the status of each prospect in one location. Before these advancements in technology, we would have to dig through files and rely on paperwork that could get lost. But with updated technology, everything is in one place where it can easily be found.
Technology also boosts productivity by enhancing organization. There are several technological tools out there that can help track employee expenses, hours, mileage, and other information. This means that managers and HR professionals have accurate information stored in one place so when they need the information, they know exactly where to find it.
#3 Increases Profitability
Thanks to technology, businesses no longer need a brick-and-mortar office to operate. You can still choose to have an office, but it is not entirely necessary. You can run an entire company with no office base thanks to tech and the cloud. The cloud can store important documents and as mentioned earlier, there are plenty of tech tools to keep your team on track and delivering high quality work. All this means that you will save money because you won’t have to rent a space, provide office furniture and equipment, or pay for the cost of the upkeep of the business office.
#4 Keeping the Business Secure
When everything is online, you want to ensure only authorized individuals have access to all your organization’s data. Thanks to technology like LastPass and 2-factor authentication, you can rest assured knowing that your data has never been more secure. While, fingerprint and facial recognition features give an added level of security to systems in the workplace.
#5 Providing Customization
Each business is different in size and has its own way of doing things. For that reason, all the technology that is available out there today is very typically customizable to each organization specific use-cases or needs. There are all kinds of technology options available that supports different styles of work.
#6 Increasing Collaboration
With technology, you can work with anyone from anywhere. Individuals can do their own work and with a click of a button, they can share their work with others. Because employees can now connect and communicate from different locations, this has helped teams bond and effectively work across long distances. That’s because increased collaboration helps leaders and managers stay in touch with their employees to manage them better. It also enables organizations to keep their clients updated on their project performance and progress.
#7 Changing the Way We Interact
It might seem odd not to be able to walk across the room to talk to an employee, but this is an advantage for your company. With remote work, employees are faced with fewer distractions. They can no longer get up and walk around the office to chat.
If employees do have to talk with peers, all they have to do is send a quick instant message through an app so they can continue on with their work.
With cloud technology and internet-based service models, companies can now meet virtually for complete connection. Meeting with others has never been so simple!
Work2Live: Helping Companies Adjust to Remote Work Environments
Technology is impacting the workplace in incredible ways. Rather than focusing on all the challenges of a remote environment, focus on all the advantages of remote work! With the latest and greatest technology, your business can continue to thrive.
At Work2Live, we are dedicated to helping companies adjust to the new concept of remote work, and through our platform, we offer whole teams (employees, contractors, or anyone else) a way to engage and bond with each other over any distance.
Want to learn more about how your remote team can be successful? Check out our latest blogs!