The effectiveness of any organization’s communication systems forms an essential part of its work. We have come a long way from handwritten letters to typewriters, to pagers. And now tools like Emails, Skype and Messenger call Slack, and Workplace by FB to name a few. The accessibility and instant availability to talk to anyone and at any place is what makes technology an integral part of the workplace environment.
Effective communication channels like instant messaging and conference calls over the internet contribute highly to work productivity. As a result, virtual office technology has removed workplace boundaries and has led to business expansion faster than we thought.
Hence, new technologies allow teams to collaborate and share information without having to be in the same room, paving the way for the remote office. Here are a few ways in which communication technologies have blazed a path toward telework and telecommuting.
Efficiency
Effortless communication is the core of organizational efficiency. Since there are multiple layers of communication involved in businesses, including communication with clients, co-workers, peers, customers, and other stakeholders, the choice of the communication channel can help make quick business decisions.
The integration of technology has not only changed the pace at which inter and intra-organizational communication works but has also impacted the way work is done. It brings flexibility and ease of connectivity, which makes the global workplace mobile. The introduction of liquid computing is increasing efficiency by eliminating constraints like time, place, and manner.
Face-to-Face Communication with Global Reach
Facial expressions and body language convey a huge amount of information more than the words we speak. Therefore, video conferencing allows teammates to hold important workplace conversations without losing the visual cues that add to the message.
Cloud-Based Collaboration to Create Documents from a Distance
No amount of editorial conversation can compare with actually making an edit. Especially when the document remembers who made the change and can revert to the original draft with the click of a mouse. Cloud services like Google Docs and Microsoft Teams allow us to draft, edit, proof, and comment on our workplace creations remotely.
Mobile Work-from-Home
We live in a global workplace without time zones or office hours. Just ask any spouse who has waited to serve the main course while awaiting a husband or wife to finish a work email at the table. Delayed dinners notwithstanding, the ability to shoot out that email at the dinner table actually allows that spouse to get out of work an hour earlier and be there in the first place. A fair tradeoff.
Closing Thought
With so many workers worldwide now working in virtual teams, many business relationships do depend on technology. And that’s not a bad thing as long they’re using the right technologies in the right ways.
