
As workers have rapidly discovered, work isn’t necessarily a place they go to each morning. Today’s work-from-anywhere environment has made co-workers someone you chat and work with virtually versus sitting next to them at the office.
A 2019 Deloitte Insights’ study, “The Future of Work in Technology,” noted that workplaces must move from location-centric environments to relationship-oriented ones. This might seem difficult, but in actuality, relationship-oriented means focusing more on the person than the location.
“Fixed, uncompromising workplaces may need to evolve to virtual workplaces that leverage advanced mobility and connectivity, collaboration tools and [other tools],” the report says.
This might mean having a completely virtual workforce — or one that comes together in a single location periodically.
Regardless, as we have rapidly experienced in 2020, the traditional workweek at a physical office has become the exception rather than the rule, even in industries that traditionally have been entrenched in brick-and-mortar operations. Technology will continue to drive this expansion and make digital transformation a must rather than an option as we approach the “new now.”
Transforming with Google Workspace, formerly G Suite, is one such way to do this with clear purpose. But before you make the switch, here are three vital questions to explore.
How Has Your Company Adapted to a Remote Environment?
No matter where you work, your teams need to not just function but thrive, whether they meet in person or virtually. Chances are at some point in 2020, you have adopted remote work as a way of life in the new now.
How has your company adjusted to this way of working? Are your workers connected? Do they have ways to check in regularly with each other and company management? Are you struggling to keep everyone in touch using a slow VPN or have you moved to cloud collaboration?
It’s a lot to consider, but how you answer these questions delivers a true reflection of how your organization has been able to pivot into working in the “new now” of a more dispersed workforce and a stronger-than-ever reliance on technology. Cloud-based productivity tools like Google Workspace are well-suited for a remote work model.
What Collaboration Tools Do You Use and How Well Do They Work?
Speaking of technology, not all productivity suites are best suited to a work-from-anywhere model. Legacy tools driven by VPN access can slow productivity when it comes to remote work. Cloud-based solutions keep workflows moving and people connected by enabling always-on collaboration across users, regions and devices.
Life in Google Workspace, for example, takes collaboration and productivity to a new level in the cloud. You can unbundle those aging legacy solutions to reduce maintenance time and costs, streamline administration and focus more on innovation.