Ultimately, the success of your business stands and falls with your staff. The better you manage, the more productive your team will be. But with so many different businesses competing, how can you ensure that your employees have the edge? One way to set your staff head and shoulders above the rest is to embrace communication technology.
When it comes to good business, communication is key. Today’s best business technology is designed to make all types of communication quicker and easier, which in turn leads to greater efficiency and increased productivity.
Get on the Cloud
Working from home is far more prevalent today than it was even five years ago, thanks to the introduction of clever tech like cloud storage and internet enabled devices such as tablets which allow you to access the net from anywhere with WiFi.
What is Cloud Storage?
When you use cloud storage at work you can eliminate that hot and noisy room full of servers from your office space as everything you need can be stored remotely. But even more impressively, being on the cloud allows staff to access work computer systems from wherever they are. Provided they have an internet connection they’ll be able to open and share files, send emails and carry out any of the tasks they would do in a conventional workplace – and with Skype and other video conferencing tools increasing in popularity, it’s not even necessary to come into the office for meetings.
Does Working from Home Really Work?
If you run a business where your employees spend most of their time on computers or on the phone then it’s likely that some of your staff could be working from home, at least some of the time. Many bosses are put off the idea of home workers because they fear staff won’t be as focused, but successful national firms like BT would disagree. The telecoms giant started its home worker scheme in 1986 and now more than 15,000 of their employees work from home. According to a recent survey carried out by the company, each of their homeworkers saves them around £6000 a year, takes significantly fewer sick days and is around 20% more productive than equivalent employees working in offices.
When you consider your own busy office environment with constant distractions from ringing phones, staff interruptions and through-traffic, it’s easy to see how someone might get more done in the comfort and privacy of their own domain.
Whether you decide to try home working or completely rule it out, cloud technology is still an effective route to increased efficiency. Staff can gain access to and share the documents they need quickly and easily – and getting on the cloud now will give you the flexibility to try home working in the future.
Keep Connected
Today’s internet enabled devices allow workers to access their work computer from wherever they are, which means it’s easy to communicate with staff when they’re out and about. If your staff spend time on the road, investing in tablets and smart phones will mean they can catch up on work, keep in touch and access what they need to whilst getting from A to B.
So if you want to get maximum productivity from your workforce, get on the cloud and ensure that your staff get to grips with the latest communication technology.
Joe Finn is a seasoned business IT consultant. He provides advice and solutions to businesses in the South East of England on behalf of a company that offers IT network support in Essex.