When we talk about remote work, we hear a lot about the lone workers who are driving the trend, but the real story is much bigger than that.Remote and mobile work reflects a fundamental change in the way we work—thanks to technology—that enables global collaboration in a way never before possible. That’s why we at AVI Systems speak of modern collaboration possibilities in terms of liberation.
As Richard Branson said, "In 30 years' time, as technology moves forward even further, people are going to look back and wonder why offices ever existed."
There are so many tools that enable us to work from anywhere now—we just have to make sure we pick the best ones for our companies and for our work styles.
Remote workers need more than email and a laptop. And though employees want to choose their own devices (tablets, smartphones, and sometimes even laptops), you can make sure you provide quality equipment on your end, as well as guidance as to what other tools will help with connectivity and productivity. Some of the basic tools remote workers need is: reliable internet connectivity, instant messaging, quality voice communication, and video conference capabilities.
Depending on the kinds of work, they may also need tools for project management and file management that allow sharing and collaborative work—from anywhere, with anyone, at any time.
To simplify remote work with those in and out of the office, consider virtual meeting rooms and wireless presentation systems that allow any-to-any connections. An integrator can help mid-sized and larger companies take a holistic approach to planning their technologies for the long term.