When you think of the cloud, your mind might think of storage or memory drives. While one of the cloud’s many features is to provide safe backup for important data, it’s impact in the workplace is much greater than just that. Most companies today are using cloud-based platforms every day, some without even noticing it. Let’s look at some of the simple ways in which cloud-based platforms can boost your workplace.
Helps Make Collaboration Easier
Two minds are always better than one, that’s why collaboration remains a key contributor to an organization’s success. In addition to gaining another set of eyes, companies often need different departments to provide their insights on a project. And cloud-based platforms make that task simple. Millions of people use cloud services to make workforce collaboration as efficient as possible. There’s no need to attach large document files to emails, or task one person on the team with being the scribe. Services like Google Drive, One Drive, and Dropbox have changed how we share content. These platforms allow for real-time collaboration on the same document from any device, anywhere.
Keeps the Team on the Same Page
How do you keep in contact with your team? Odds are you probably have some sort of cloud-based platform you communicate through when everyone isn’t together at the office. In addition to allowing a company to share important information at any time, these channels can also help team bonding.
It’s not uncommon for employees to use these spaces to joke and laugh with one another, often sharing funny pictures or Gifs. Birthdays, events, and movements that some find important can all be shared on the platform in non-work-related threads. While often overlooked, these moments help to make the workplace healthier for everyone involved. Platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams are some of the major players here. Both allow for users to easily communicate with one another, whether through text, call, or video.
More Flexible Work
These features also allow companies to do more remote work, since workers can easily collaborate and communicate from anywhere. And the data shows that a large portion of the workforce is headed in that direction. Flex Job completed a report showing that there was a 159% increase in remote work from 2005-2017 – a figure that will surely rise as technology continues to develop. This flexibility also makes it easier for companies to get new software or tools out to their teams. Everyone is under one platform, so the process is a whole lot smoother.
The Takeaway
These features that are revolutionizing businesses and schools are just a drop in the ocean that is the cloud world. This technology is always improving, with amazing new trends in cloud-based platforms coming to the fore every year. So, whether you’re looking to allow more flexible work, or just help your employees be on the same page, cloud-based platforms will be a key part of that transition.
