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The Virtual Workspace: How Tech Has Changed Our Working Lives
With the benefits of modern technology, the traditional 9 -5 work day could soon become a thing of the past. Employers are increasingly embracing alternative, virtual working schedules such as flexitime and remote working. This is because employees can often complete their work just as effectively from home: a variety of cloud collaboration applications give us the ability to manage projects, hold meetings, share files, and track performance from the comfort of our sofas.
Research has shown that the virtual working trend isn’t going to disappear any time soon. In fact, it’s been estimated that 50% of the UK workforce will be working remotely by 2020. Plus, employees are increasingly pushing for more flexible schedules – 70% of workers in the UK would prefer it if their organisation allowed them to work remotely, and 82% would be more loyal to an employer that offered this perk.
Virtual working comes with benefits for employers too. Workers are more productive when they can choose their own schedules, and with employee turnover a huge concern for businesses, offering flexible working helps to boost employee retention. That means less time and money spent recruiting to replace valued staff members.
We’re big fans of virtual working at McGowan Transcriptions, and all of our staff work from home to complete transcription work. With this in mind, we’ve put together the following infographic exploring the ‘Virtual Workspace’ and how tech has impacted work on a day to day basis. We’ve included some top tips on applications and software that can help employers to get the most out of virtual working.
If you would prefer to read this infographic in text form, please click here to see the transcript. Otherwise, take a look at the handy graphic below!
Infographic Transcript
Gone are the days when the adult population dragged themselves to their workplaces every morning. With the advent of modern technology, the concept of a ‘workplace’ has become considerably different from a ‘workspace’.
Did You Know?
- 50% of the UK workforce will be working remotely by 2020.
Don’t believe it? Have a look at these stats below:
- From 2006 to 2016, remote workers in the UK have increased fivefold and the number is now 5 million people.
- 70% of workers in the UK would prefer if their organisation allows them to work remotely.
- 82% of the UK workforce said that they would be more loyal to their present employer if there were more flexible working arrangements.
- Remote working teams have a productivity of 7 out of 10, whereas teams in open plan offices had a productivity rating of 6.5 out of 10.
- According to a recent survey, 56% of employees say their companies should adapt their skills to manage a remote workforce.
Two Main Concerns Used to Bother Real-Time Managers
- Lack of visibility, hence lack of direct supervision
- Risk of time theft, difficulty in supervising employee attendance
But with state-of-the-art technology being implemented all across the world, it is easier and more efficient than ever to work remotely!
What are the Pros of Having a Virtual Workspace?
- Reduced office expenses
- Increased staff retention
- Wider talent pool
- Round-the-clock advantage
- Higher staff morale
- Environmental benefits
5 Top Incredible Cloud Collaboration Software
1. Project Management Portals
Pieces of software like Basecamp or Teamwork which help in managing projects have made managing a remote workforce easy. These applications have provisions for target-set activity tracking, to-do lists, task assignment functions, and commenting and chatting functions.
Managing a remote team cannot get any easier!
2. Web & Video Conferencing Apps
If you want an alternative to Skype or WebEx for setting up audio/video conferences with your team or clients, Fuze is the way to go. It provides a single platform for online meetings (video and voice calls) and chat messaging. It has a unified desktop and mobile app which can sync across all devices, from desk phones and mobiles, to desktops and laptops.
3. Employee Performance Tracker Tool
Worried about tracking employee performance? Ask your remote team members to download Glint or Trakstar. It keeps track of engagement on an ongoing basis for individual employees. It provides managers with continuous data analysis for them to identify opportunities, predict risks, and support employee satisfaction.
You can also set goals for employees using these applications!
4. Group Chat & Notifications App
Slack, a group messaging app, has become very popular among remote working teams. In Slack, teams can set up groups or channels for project conversations, which is very easily accessible across all devices (mobile, desktop, etc.) The paid plan also has provisions for group audio/video calls.
Want more? It has a provision for customising notifications, so if you are not part of a particular group, just mute your pings for that group.
5. Work Collaboration Tool
There are a host of work collaboration applications out there, the most popular among them being Dropbox. The Business version of the software is trusted by more than 300,000 teams worldwide. Through Dropbox, collaborating and storing project files in one place becomes easy, and the interface is hassle-free even for first timers.
Files are shared through links, and can even be accessed by someone not using Dropbox. It’s that simple!
There is no doubt our workspaces have changed with the advent of modern technology. Why wait? Choose your remote work solution and get your projects soaring TODAY!
