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3 Reasons Workplace Flexibility is Crucial

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It’s been estimated that by the end of this year there will be 1.3 billion mobile workers. Gartner says that by 2020, 75% of businesses will be considered digital. Forrester forecasts that 43% of US workers will telecommute for some part of the day by 2016, nearly double from 2009.

The trend is clear: the workplace of the future will be remote, mobile, and flexible. Despite resistance from some quarters – notably Yahoo and Reddit – this movement is unlikely to change. That means businesses need to figure out how to embrace the inevitable shift to ensure their long-term success.

Here are three reasons flexibility in the workplace going forward is imperative.

Global talent pool

Finding the right employee is no longer a case of placing an ad in a local newspaper and hoping for the best. Forward looking companies are gathering talent wherever they can find it, and many times that means leaving their backyard to get it.  A report from Cisco reveals that more than 60% of workers say their current or future job will not be limited to their hometown or even their home country. Two thirds of American millenials said companies that embrace a remote work environment have a competitive advantage. Forrester reported that 43% of employees surveyed would choose flexibility over a pay raise. The message is clear: businesses that want the best talent are going to have to make flexibility a core component of their work environment.

Reduced cost and improved productivity

Businesses that adopt workplace flexibility are likely to enjoy financial benefits as well. Shifting to remote workers can significantly reduce the cost of real estate, building maintenance, and other infrastructure costs. According to a Forbes article, American Express has made workplace flexibility part of its strategy and has saved between $10-15 million annually in real estate costs. Aetna has cut their real estate footprint by almost 3 million square feet realizing $78 million in savings.

An effective remote collaboration program also improves productivity since workers can connect with anyone in the company, regardless of location. A white paper from Gigacom Research reported that 87% of remote users feel more connected to their team and process when using videoconferencing. Most felt that cloud-based video tools significantly improved engagement and improved their productivity.

Work/Life Balance

The growth of global companies and spread of the “always connected” culture is another reason businesses need to be flexible with their workforce. Workers can accept the fact that life and work are blending into one if they have the ability to mix the two appropriately. A late night teleconference with someone six time zones away is easier to take if the employee can spend an hour at a child’s soccer game earlier in the day. With the appropriate collaboration technology, workers can handle both life and work responsibilities seamlessly.

To meet the flexibility demands of the workplace of the future, businesses must have the appropriate technology infrastructure in place. Polycom’s RealPresence Platform has proven effective in enabling collaboration across the entire organization with high quality voice, video, and content sharing. Coupled with Cloud Video Experience from IVCi, the Polycom solution offers virtual meeting rooms with interoperability with Skype for Business and WebRTC. This provides the remote worker with the tools needed to always stay connected.

Such an advanced infrastructure is critical if companies are to adequately meet the growing demands for workplace flexibility. Their future success might depend on it.

 


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