How to Keep Up with Evolving Technology in the Workplace
Can you imagine if the COVID pandemic had happened 20 years ago? Working from home simply wouldn’t have been an option for many people, given the technology at that time. Evolving workplace technologies allow us to continue building the future of work and keep business moving forward. In today’s landscape, this means focusing on tools that enable collaboration and productivity in a hybrid workplace.
With all the new tech options, how can companies keep up? Our advice: focus on these six key areas that support a remote or hybrid work environment.
Cybersecurity Tools
When workers are accessing company data remotely, cybersecurity comes into focus. In a remote setting, companies can’t always control the devices their workers use or how or where they access information. Working from coffee shops and public spaces is more common with remote workers, which means they’re relying on third-party connections that may or may not be secure.
Companies can overcome these challenges by tailoring their cybersecurity to remote work. For instance, you might instate two-factor authentication before granting employees access to any critical data. Or, you might time out sessions after a period of inactivity.
File-Sharing Platforms
Sharing documents and files remotely can get messy if you’re relying on email alone. Attachments become lost and email threads get too long to navigate.
A better approach is to invest in a secure file-sharing platform, such as Dropbox. These platforms are purpose-built for document storage, organizations, and multi-person access. They help to keep everyone on the same page without the inefficiencies of email.
Collaboration Tools
Collaborating in real-time helps teams to recreate the in-person work vibe in a remote setting. These tools enable multiple people to work on the same doc, leave comments, brainstorm, and complete projects side by side with no loss of productivity.
This eliminates the need to create multiple versions of the same file. There’s also no need to constantly reshare files and wonder if you have the most recent copy. Just invite the right people to collaborate and grant them access — the rest is up to them!
Virtual Team Building
Managing a virtual team isn’t just about assigning tasks and meeting deadlines. Your culture helps to put the “team” into virtual teams, so make sure you’re investing in virtual team building just as you would with on-site staff.
Virtual team-building technologies help your team members network and feel connected to the company. It’s a great way to put faces with names and learn more about each other outside of the normal workday.
Digitization of Training, Upskilling, and Onboarding
Along the same lines as team building, make sure you’re giving your remote workers opportunities to upskill and advance. Digital training technologies help them keep their skills sharp and relevant — an important consideration with evolving workplace technologies.
Data Analytics
As work becomes more dependent on data, having a robust data analytics tool can help you run a better workplace. Data analytics enable you to learn more about every area of your business, from remote worker productivity to sales and marketing to daily operations. Pick an area and explore how data analytics technologies can help.
For more remote work insights, head back to the Virtual Coworker blog.