One of the most notable reactions of various governments to the ongoing global health crisis is the implementation of social distancing protocols. As a result, businesses have been left with no choice but to shift to a remote working arrangement in order to somehow mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
Consequently, the participation of hundreds of millions of professionals in the biggest work from the home experiment has placed all of us in a unique position wherein the viability of remote work can be put to the test.
A few years ago, it would have been unthinkable for businesses to introduce this kind of arrangement at the scale we are seeing today. After all, despite the overwhelming number of professionals who prefer a flexible working arrangement and the multitude of benefits it offers, Small Biz Genius noted that about 44% of companies around the world still didn’t allow remote work.
Aside from forcing businesses to introduce remote work, which has been deemed as the future of work for many years now, the situation today provides us with the perfect opportunity to appreciate and zoom in on the technological innovations that made working remotely possible. That being said, here are some of the advancements that have enabled remote work:
High-speed internet
If there is one thing that can be considered as the main reason why remote work is no longer a trend but a new way of working, it would be high-speed internet. With the coming 5G revolution, Inc expects remote work to achieve a new level of functionality and productivity. The increased speed and bandwidth of 5G will make the integration of virtual reality and augmented reality into remote work a reality. In addition to this, the low latency this next-generation network offers can easily translate to the ability to send more data almost instantaneously to anywhere in the world.
Blockchain
Best known as the technology behind Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, blockchain offers a lot more benefits to a lot more industries, including remote workers.
In fact, this up and coming technology can provide transparency and increase accountability by giving freelancers and clients a certain level of security. This way blockchain can potentially make salary payments easier and more secure.
For example, by partnering up with banks and payment services, Bitwage is able to transfer salaries into Bitcoin, which can then be paid out in local currencies. This makes the scope for a remote world much wider, as companies will be able to employ talent from all over the world with less hassle when it comes to paying them.
Cloud-Based Storage
More and more businesses are migrating to the cloud and for very good reasons. Aside from providing flexible computing power, cloud technology has the potential to dramatically reduce overhead costs and make collaboration more efficient.
Box explains how cloud backup services ensure that not only is the latest version of any file available from any device at any time, but that data recovery is also fairly simple. Furthermore, cloud-based storage solutions are also capable of enhancing security.
Beyond decreasing the likelihood of onsite disasters that could corrupt data, the cloud can also mitigate the impact of phishing, ransomware and the like.
Communication Systems
Slowly but surely, professional tools such as Slack and Hangout are taking over emails when it comes to office communication — and it’s easy to see why. In this day and age where everything is almost always instant, it is crucial for remote teams to have a platform where they can send and receive messages and content in real-time.
Additionally, apps that revolutionize office communication, in such a way that teamwork and morale are enhanced and improved, are also in-demand. After all, the current situation of the world has left many of us craving for more meaningful connections with our colleagues, friends and family.
Of course, while these technologies have long proven themselves to be instrumental to the success of remote work, it can’t be denied that certain technologies are ‘Presenting Industries With New Challenges To Security.
In order to combat said challenges, it is imperative for remote workers (and by extension businesses that manage a remote workforce) to keep themselves educated and up to date with the latest threats to cybersecurity. It would also be a good idea to regularly update your software and firmware to maintain security.