There was a time when work meant long hours in an office somewhere. There were cubicles, fluorescent lights, and lots of manual tasks, like faxing letters or mail. Business mobility was all but nonexistent.
But that was years ago; times have changed.
Mobile-friendly technology has streamlined many activities and changed the way people do business – and it’s not just communication. Productivity has also improved. A study from Dell and Intel found that 83 percent of people say technology helps them be more productive every day.
While emails and pdfs have made a real impact on the way many companies operate, those technologies are just the beginning. Today, you can work from anywhere with any device, and there are several technologies that help make that happen.
Let’s take a look at each of them.
Cloud Computing
It all starts with the ability to store information in a virtual cloud. Also called cloud computing, this is the technology that lets people stay connected wherever they are by providing a virtual database.
But it’s more than just offsite backup.
This technology makes telecommuting a possibility, and it’s one that many people use. The number of remote workers increased by 115 percent from 2005 to 205 – and that figure only includes people who identify as telecommuting. Many employers are starting to offer flexible work opportunities that include some amount of stay-at-home work.
Virtualization
Cloud computing lets companies share everything, including software.
“Virtualization allows multiple software to run on a single server while tricking each software instance into thinking that it’s running on its own hardware,” explains Centre Technologies. “Essentially, it is the separation of the software layer from the hardware layer in order to use the hardware more efficiently across several platforms.”
[av_hr class=’invisible’ height=’20’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’40px’ custom_margin_bottom=’40px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’ custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=” av_uid=’av-uiiv’]
Businesses leverage this technology to set up remote workstations for workers, run virtual desktops, and provide access to proprietary software while keeping customer data secure.
Mobile Gadgets
Mobile gadgets like smartphones and tablets are making a big difference in the way people do business, too. A study from Cisco “found that 92% of employees who are part of a BYOD workplace will use their own phones every week to answer work email, use job-related websites and apps, and make work calls.”
It is an important part of staying connected to work and it is growing. According to Cisco, there will be an estimated 11.5 billion devices keeping everyone connected by 2019 – and it’s not all smartphones.
Internet of Things
Mobile gadgets are one thing, but they aren’t everything. Also fueling the ability to work from anywhere on any device is the rise of the Internet of Things or IoT.
The IoT refers to the use of devices that are connected to the Internet or in some way are recording information, like a GPS tracker or a smart mirror in a store. Smartphones have IoT technologies but so do devices like smartwatches and coffeepots that are connected wirelessly to other devices.
The IoT helps you work from anywhere because it provides an opportunity for different devices to connect with each other, helping you streamline everything you do.
Final thoughts
New technologies are making it possible to work from anywhere on any device. From cloud computing and virtualization to mobile gadgets and the Internet of Things, everything works together to help you do more. Take advantage of this technology to grow your business and remain productive no matter where you are.
