A Guide to the Importance of Technology and Communication in the Workplace
As the world connects more online, the importance of implementing technology with a focus on communication in the workplace has never been so high. If you’re not sure what this could mean for your business, or how you could make it happen, then read on within this guide.
Remote Technology
One of the biggest benefits that can be said for technology and communication intertwining in the workplace, is that it allows for remote working. Remote working is proven to benefit businesses, as it allows them to hire from a more talented working pool. This means you don’t need to just look in your local area to hire staff, instead looking as far as another country to get the person that suits the role.
The future is looking more and more likely to focus on remote working, so it will be important that your business be able to communicate with them. Of course, this mainly means that employees can talk whilst not in the same space. Whilst this is of course a major benefit, you will need to ensure you’re not bothering your employees too much when out of work hours, as this will lead to stress and could lead to a drop in productivity.
The Options Available
When it comes to implementing technology into the workplace, you should be thinking of how to implement the changes into everyday life. That means thinking of how to incorporate communication techniques into modern technology. One way you can make this happen is by talking to your team of employees, to find what they would like to see.
You may find that whilst you like the way you run meetings, they may not get as much from it as you thought. It could be smaller daily time-consuming tasks, that you believe works well, but your employees may have ideas that increase not only their productivity but their motivation levels too.
In terms of improving communication in the workplace, you will need to consider some different options. One of the most important tools your business has comes in the form of your phones. Not only is this important for operations externally with your customers, but it will also improve communications internally too. Whether that’s for them talking to customers, other departments, or being able to transfer people to the right person.
Even before you choose your supplier, you will need to think about what technology you wish to implement. If you look at the advantages and disadvantages of VoIP vs PBX, then you’ll start to get a better idea of what you want, and what your employees will want. Choosing the right technology should be a team decision, as everyone will need to use it for their benefit.
Each business will be different in what they prefer. A private branch exchange for example focuses on a phone system that connects all the desk phones in a businesses network. This means that employees can chat without paying and route incoming calls to each other.
A voice-over-internet protocol system, allows your team to connect to a phone system anywhere in the world. This means that they don’t require a desk phone, and can instead look to work from home, or remotely in general.
Better Security
Another reason to look to update your technology is that as each iteration and innovative piece of tech comes, it is generally more secure than the one that came before it. There are some reasons as to why this is, from older software going out of date, meaning that it is no longer supported. This makes it easier for hackers and the like to get into private data.
Emails are a great example of this, where they could easily be leaked to bring a business to its knees and show its inner workings. This led to email platforms and applications to use end to end encryption. This means that only the sender and the receiver would be able to read any email messages.
As smartphones and tablets started to get more common, they had to look into better security methods too. This led to third party security companies offering software that could be bought for these mobile devices, or even pre-built-in by the manufacture. This helps to make the devices more immune from hackers, and protect sensitive data.
Environmentally Friendly
Better technology built for communication purposes is also good for the environment. If you manage to keep in touch with people remotely, avoiding resources such as letters and in person, then this will save resources.
Of course, you’ll save on the paper demand by avoiding letters, which can lead to protecting trees and nature. When avoiding in-person meetings, which have advantages and disadvantages, you save on the transportation cost. This cost is not only money but also in terms of fuel, which can lead to climate issues when burnt.
You’ll find that it’s easy to implement these communication methods into your business, as it’s more than likely something that will benefit your employees. Whatever you do, ensure you speak with them first so that they aren’t overwhelmed or surprised about any changes.
It Can Improve Customer Relations
As time changes and businesses become more modernized, you’ll find that how customers expect to shop has changed. Businesses that can adopt techniques that look to improve technology to communicate with them, will find themselves improving customer relations.
For example, many businesses have started using smart chatbots through social media accounts or their website. These bots are designed to quickly answer customers’ questions with ease, and point them to the right place to go if they still can’t help. This saves a lot of time both with customers and with your team, as they can focus their attention elsewhere.
You could also look to develop an app for your business, or pay someone to do it for you, that helps to improve communication across the board. This app could be used for customers to make purchases, or to quickly get in contact with employees if they have any comments, questions, or anything like that.
