How to Communicate & Collaborate Beyond Physical Obstacles

December 15th, 2015 by admin

Think being present in the office is the best way to get work done? Mobile employees are working during commutes, in coffee shops and outside using city mesh Wi-Fi. For businesses capitalizing on the most flexible communication tools, distance is no longer an obstacle to productivity. Organizations using these tools are reaping the benefits of optimization and may be staying a step ahead of competitors. The time you used to spend trying to reach mobile employees was costing your business productivity, and ultimately, customer service ratings. Are you allowing your employees collaborate and breaking the assumption that physical borders are an unavoidable obstacle? white space

1. Get rid of the office

You don’t need to be in the office to get work done. Working away from your desk could maintain (or even improve) productivity. Think of the number of distractions in the office, such as break room small talk and background noise. A Stanford Economics study concluded that employees were more productive at home than in the office, and making 13.5% more phone calls. The flexibility can pay off in employee happiness too, with 50% fewer employees quitting when they were allowed to work remotely; and it's likely that your happy employees will create happy customers. white space

2. Play more. Give yourself the time to do it!

In 2014, 89% of employees reported wasting time at work every day. There are various distractions such as non-work related texting, snacking and surfing the web. Ineffective communication tools should not add to the list of “wasted time." You’ll probably be surprised by how much business communication features have evolved into simple, time-saving creations to help you relax more. Use the cloud to share files in real time, use instant messaging for quick, minor decision-making, and rely on call forwarding to reach your contacts the first time. Stop wasting time on unproductive communication methods and spend more time completing tasks. Ultimately, you'll avoid frustration and free up your schedule to play more — you deserve it! white space

3. Save Actual Money

Why would you choose to spend more on your communication tools than they're worth to you? Overhead implementation, administration, reporting and maintenance expenses add up fast, and you should have a system that you know is worth its value and can trust to cause minimal downtime. If you’re still using legacy phone systems, you’re risking a system failure that may result in several hours of lost work. Time is money and the clock will continue ticking. Apart from reliability, overhead costs are a painful liability for new employees. Stanford Economics estimates that you could save $1,900 per employee for the first nine months by encouraging employees to work remotely. The less subjective the job tasks, the more likely you are to save big by using cloud-based communication tools that support mobility. Do not mess around with the bottom line of your business, but find the solutions that help you save money, time and headaches. white space Maybe you’re travelling more, your child is sick at home for the day or you simply prefer the quiet of the park. Your location shouldn’t stop you from a productive work day. The traditional office has evolved into “virtual” experiences where being present in the office does not matter nearly as much as it has in the past. Luckily numerous collaborative and communication tools will make your work day easier and more productive no matter where you are working. Collaboration is the answer to a seamless, clear operational system that’ll directly impact your bottom line.