The millennium has brought its fair share of innovation in a seemingly endless series of life-hacks, work-hacks and productivity solutions that provide value at every level.
Remote workers are happier
The most obvious benefit may be to the remote workers themselves, but there is a trickle-down boon to the environment as well: No commute means less fuel burned and less traffic on the roads. The stress of fighting rush-hour gridlock or taking public transit is virtually eliminated, and the once delicate balance of work and life finally finds an equilibrium.
Studies show that when workers are happier they are more productive. The ability to work remotely also pays dividends in allowing companies and their workforce to remain flexible, providing opportunities for nimble handling of delicate tasks on-demand.
Remote workers tend to remain in their positions longer. Job satisfaction counts for a lot in this particular stat – happier workers tend to stay put, saving companies huge amounts of capital in HR and retraining, not to mention less real estate to manage.
Companies benefit from a barrier-free business
To employers in many industries, hiring a remote workforce just makes sense.
Outsourcing has long been the milieu of telecommunications, sales and marketing, providing companies with cost-effective ways to fulfill help desk, call center and various other needs that impact the bottom line. This sector has expanded considerably in recent years to include freelancers from many disciplines, from graphic design to copywriting, virtual assistants and more.
Taking this ideal to a much higher level, companies are now looking beyond geographical boundaries to find the right fit for highly skilled, technical and even executive positions. Industries that rely on talented specialists can seek out and on-board exactly the right person for the job.
Other advantages include the promotion of a diverse company culture, global collaboration and saving both time and money by removing the restrictions of immigration or the expense of relocation.
Technology supports the remote workforce
The single most important element in bringing the remote workforce to fruition is communications technology. While the existing technological tools make it all possible, exciting new advances are opening even more avenues.
Unified communications, digital VoIP services, video conferencing apps and integrated telecommunications hardware are making possible what was very recently in the realm of science fiction. These solutions not only make sense, they provide capabilities beyond what was even recently thought possible.
With the adoption of these technologies, the cost of doing business is falling in line, buoying a connected, collaborative, global, remote and mobile workforce rife with exciting new possibilities.
Remote work technology solutions and their key features
Here is a roundup of some of the top collaborative technologies that are leading the charge in support of a remote workforce:
1. Skype for Business
Designed for the enterprise environment, Skype for Business is a complete unified communication solution. Features include full integration of MS Office products, voice and video enhancement, and full integration of several vendor endpoints via a downloadable mobile app.
With an internet connection, users are connected through messaging, meetings and screen sharing, able to share PowerPoint presentations as well as all manner of media securely, with zero latency.
Exciting advances in the S4B platform include the imminent release of a beta feature that will offer live, automated text captions to translate speech into forty different languages, making overseas meetings simpler and just plain smarter.
2. Plantronics
With the Plantronics Voyager 5200 UC headset, your mobile workforce can enjoy the same high-quality communications whether they are in the car, on the road or in the office.
The hands-down leader in UC hardware and headsets, Plantronics headsets are the standard for VoIP communications and are known for their quality, clarity and ease of upgrades across an enterprise-level network. They have recently released their Voyager 5200 UC Bluetooth headset, which is made specifically to integrate with smartphones, PC’s, laptops or any Bluetooth-enabled desk phone. Adaptive noise technology means better quality communication. Voice control features allow integration with Siri, Cortana or Google Now, and whispered alerts advise on incoming calls, to which you can answer or ignore without lifting a finger.
Plantronics also offers a portable speakerphone called the Calisto 600 Series allowing you to take your unified communications on the road. Features include full integration with S4B, supporting your workforce wherever they might be. It’s fully compatible with any device, offering active noise cancellation and wideband signal processing in one compact, portable unit that fits in your carry-on.
3. Polycom Mobile
Polycom is an industry leader in unified collaboration. With the recent release of their RealPresence mobile apps for Android and iOS, video collaboration on the go is a breeze. What it delivers is a natural meeting experience and full compatibility with Microsoft applications as well as video content, voice and web collaboration capabilities. Meet and collaborate wherever you are: whether on the road, at home, at their desk or at the jobsite, your workforce will enjoy high-quality voice and video, anywhere, anytime.
CCG supports your remote workforce
No matter where you are in the world today, you are no doubt going places you have never gone before.
Whether your enterprise is already employing remote workers, or if you are just thinking about making the jump, CCG can support your expansion. With so many advantages to employing a global workforce, it may be the single smartest decision you’ll ever make. With no barriers to connectivity or collaboration, the possibilities are truly endless. CCG’s technicians are your unified communications experts, and can advise you on the solution that best suits your needs. Call us today and find out how easy it is to step into your future.