It should come as no surprise that with the growth in conference call services, a parallel change is being seen in the workplace. Collaboration tools of all kinds allow enterprise to offer employees the flexibility they desire while still keeping a high level of productivity. A recent Unify survey (The New Way to Work) illuminates the fact that 43 percent of employees would rather have flex work than an increase in pay—what does that tell you?
This survey echoes what other reports are saying. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) on employee benefits revealed in a recent study that 59 percent of businesses offer some form of telecommuting to employees but, this isn’t the whole story. Fifty-four percent of enterprises offer telecommuting on an ad-hoc basis, 29 percent of businesses offer telecommuting on a part-time basis and 20 percent of employers allow employees to telecommute on a full-time basis.
This increased freedom is in direct correlation to the new virtual working environment. Innovations in Web-conferencing and other collaboration tools make today’s more productive, it is that simple—so, it removes the NEED to come into the office.
A recent article on Business2Community.com by Dan Newman states that many Fortune 500 companies are leaving the brick-and-mortar behind and hearing what employees are saying—“we want flexibility.” Some of these companies include American Express (News - Alert), Dell and Xerox.
By adopting telecommuting and flex work enterprises save on cost, primarily when it comes to “the office.” A remote workforce translates to less space needed, less desks and less phones; the collaboration tools of today allow for meeting to take place from any location at anytime without the feeling of being alienated because I’m not working in the office. Another benefit is an increased talent pool. By giving the freedom of flexibility a company can recruit of all corners of the globe.
Last but not least, probably the biggest benefit of remote and flexible working is a happy team. People are more productive, creative and efficient when happy. The ability to plan one’s schedule and choose where the “office” will be today offers employees responsibility, or as Newman put it “it gives them a sense of ownership of the job.” Another piece to the elusive happy employee is the issue of distractions. Offices can be loud, chaotic and extremely distracting so why not allow employees the ability to have a workspace of their choosing?
As more enterprises hear employee cries for more freedom and flexibility, telecommuting will see increased adoption. Conference call services like Web conferencing and reservationless conference calling make it possible to deliver employees the resources and support they need to be highly productive from whatever locale they desire. As we have all heard time and time again, “a happy worker is a productive worker.”
Edited by Alisen Downey