Cloud computing in the workplace is changing the way business is done, shifting the landscape where it all takes place. By operating from the cloud, businesses of any size are able to compete with market rivals in ways that were previously unimaginable. This comes down to a reduction in capital expenditure and overheads, along with an enhancement in speed to market, enabling customer expectations to be met.
Within the last decade, technology has enabled start-ups to disrupt traditional industries (the decline of Blockbuster is a telling tale of a market leader not moving fast enough in the face of innovation as video distribution moved to the cloud). Consequently, it seems the best advice we can take from very recent history is: don’t be Blockbuster. And by that, we mean your business can’t afford to underestimate the pace of the cloud.
Innovate to compete
No matter the size of your organization or the industry that you work in, keeping up with the latest innovations is essential for staying competitive. That brings us to the future of the workplace. Your workplace and how it functions is key to just about everything else in your business operations.
Broadly speaking, organizations strive for goals like speed, accessibility, and flexibility. Your customers expect to seamlessly utilize your services and purchase your products from anywhere, resulting in the optimal customer experience. Your employees ideally desire a flexible working environment that not only aids their productivity, but one that also permits them to get their work done on their own terms. Employers want their team members to be able to meet customer demands and have a pleasant time doing so (employee engagement drives profit). One critical approach that organizations can take to meet both sets of demands is by embracing cloud computing.
Let’s take a look at several ways the cloud is redefining workplaces by transforming IT infrastructure and offering a more efficient use of computing resources.
Greater flexibility
When your employees aren’t forced to work from their desks they can work to a schedule that complements their individual routines. In turn, their productivity levels increase benefitting the organization’s bottom line. Working in the cloud allows your employees to access their documents and files from any device, be it smartphone, tablet or laptop, anywhere at any time, which will not only encourage collaboration in your business, but boost it as well.
Better collaboration
Cloud computing makes business collaboration a more achievable feat, both in the office and remotely. Thanks to the evergreen nature of the cloud, you’re always working with the latest technologies available. As company data is stored centrally, you can give multiple employees, teams and third parties access to view and edit your files. In Office 365, Skype for Business makes collaboration even more personal and efficient. Now not only can you access and send instant messages, you can make conference calls directly from Microsoft Word. Your team can easily work on files together while the cloud saves them automatically so they can view and continue working via their mobile devices at any time in the future.
Smarter processes
A knock-on effect of cloud computing has been the flood of data and information that organizations can use to evaluate their business processes. Cloud systems enable reliable collection, tracking, and analyzing of important data that can help organizations update or replace processes to give a better return. This allows the workplace to function more efficiently and for employees to be assigned the right jobs and roles.
Another solution to redefine any modern workplace
The manner in which cloud computing is redefining the workplace is impressive. However, there are jobs that the cloud just cannot do. That’s where remote access software comes in. Remote desktop solutions, like Splashtop, provide your employees with the best way of extending their desktop and applications. Additionally, it’s relevant whether your IT infrastructure is in the cloud or on-premises. In either case, remote desktop solutions lead to more dynamic workplaces.
In the cloud, your employees can access their files from anywhere. With Splashtop, they can access their specific desktop and all that it contains and control it from anywhere. This is useful for many situations. As an IT team member, for instance, you may need to help a colleague or a client work through a specific computer problem even though you are miles apart. You can easily connect to their computer without having to navigate conference calls and screen sharing, which can slow down the process. Perhaps your company data center, located in Malaysia, needs its servers administered but you are in LA for a conference.
All you need to do is log on and get to work. The same can be said for performing administrative tasks—being able to log on to a specific computer from anywhere can be an invaluable way to save on wasted time or to meet a tight deadline.
Without a doubt, the cloud is redefining the workplace. Yet, there are still tasks and times that require remote desktop software to get the job done nonetheless.
To find out more about how remote desktop access software can help make your workplace more efficient, get in touch with us at Splashtop today. Or, start a free trial now!
