Business is no longer conducted solely face-to-face. From conference calls to screen sharing to being able to access your emails on tap – technology has most definitely changed the way we work. However, as a business owner, it’s important to stay ahead of the times if you wish to excel in your line of work. In fact, many business relationships depend on technology. Without it, virtual teams wouldn’t be able to function, business relationships would fall apart and deals could disintegrate! Nearly a fifth of European employees have access to some format of wearable technology too, according to human capital management provider ADP, although that proportion is increasingly on a daily basis.
PwC also suggest that more than 50% of employees would use smartwatches if they felt it would benefit their work. The proportion was even higher among millennials (those born between 1980 and 1995) as seven in ten would use such technology provided that it adds value to their work.
It is of course imperative to use the right technology in the right ways. Today’s tech-savvy companies have evolved technology to make it work in the way they wish it to, creating a delightful experience for clients, staff and colleagues. The speed of development is rapid too, as Application Development Trends magazine found that 85% of enterprises have a backlog of mobile applications – essentially because IT practices have failed to keep pace with the levels of technological innovation taking place in the modern workplace.
Many industries allow their staff to work from home or sometimes, from another continent. This is only possible because of technology. FaceTiming your business partners has made making business decisions a possibility from all corners of the world. Working virtually allows for more flexibility, it’s cost-effective and it’s fast. It’s also a great way of connecting workers to the brand and the workplace, no matter where they are. Unlike a phone conversation, video calling allows you to view the caller, which encourages a higher level of concentration too. Embracing the mobile workplace is becoming compulsory for lots of industries. In fact, 79% of people are now part of a virtual team.
Technology has massively changed the workplace to the extent that regardless of what time of day it is, no one is ever disconnected.
This drives productivity and collaboration – especially when you consider the time differences between certain parts of the world.
Technology not only allows for a higher level of productivity, it makes your brand more desirable. Tech has driven vast improvements in communications – many of which would have been unthinkable just a decade ago – and with future developments, further change is not just likely, but guaranteed.
