Using Technology to Boost Your Business’ Productivity

Using Technology to Boost Your Business’ Productivity

Advancements in technology have dramatically improved our productivity, according to a new study by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) and O2 Business. Away from work, technology can often seem like a distraction from more important matters; from consoles to mobiles there’s always something clamoring for attention. But in the workplace we’re apparently 84% more productive than we were four decades ago, with productivity expected to increase a further 22% in the next seven years.

It’s now almost a given, especially outside less developed countries, that employees can work anywhere they like – from the office to the home, on the move or abroad. Accessing files or applications and editing documents on mobile devices is getting easier as software becomes more advanced and 4G and Wi-Fi networks become more widespread. Productivity is a great indicator of a business’ economic growth so harnessing technology to its full potential in the workplace will guarantee long-term success.

But what technology should businesses, large and small, embrace?

Explore Virtualization

Virtualization and remote desktop access are ways of saving your IT department time and money, and simplifying your computer network. Instead of having multiple desktops all with the same applications and operating system, you have various instances of virtual desktops located on a server. To access these virtual desktops, remote desktop software is used, such as Ericom’s RDP client for Windows, so a freelance employee for example can access from home all their business-critical, company-specific applications without the need to install everything from scratch. Having desktops centralized on a virtual machine makes managing and securing them that much simpler – upgrades, patches, and security measures can be implemented across the board and employees will have a harder time breaching security, accidentally or otherwise.

Collaboration software

If you have a large remote workforce and your employees are no longer working in adjoining cubicles (and even if workers are simply spread out across the building), making collaboration on tasks as simple as possible is essential. Before cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) programs like Google Drive came on the scene, collaborating involved a lot of emailing and sending documents back and forth to come to a group decision. Now documents can be edited and changes can be tracked on the fly by multiple users in different locations. With project management software like Basecamp these tasks can be easily assigned to individuals or a group and deadlines can be set to make the whole process run even more smoothly.

Leverage Employee Devices

To be in line with modern business practice, adopting and implementing a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiative is crucial for not only saving on hardware costs but also increasing productivity. Your employees will have their preferred devices, whether that’s the iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy, the Nexus or the Surface. By allowing them to use personal device that they are both comfortable with and experienced at using, you can enable them to be more productive. You can get rid of the time spent on learning how to use new, unfamiliar devices and software, while making your employees more satisfied. Be sure to do your research on BYOD issues before implementing a company-wide strategy.