Stay Productive at Work Without Missing Sports Events
Flexible working hours is something a lot of office workers wish they could obtain, but can’t. However, thanks to the modifications in technology and legislations, this could quickly change. Because employees can now stay connected with their business using tablets and smartphones wherever they have 4G and Wi-Fi networks, a new legislation was introduced that will entitle employees to request flexible working hours. With all of the commotion about flexible working and the upcoming sporting events, it’s important for employers to gear up for the possibility of this being a high demand within their companies very soon. To help you prepare for mobile working, here are a couple of tips.
Steps
- Don’t Bog Down Your Employees with Heavy Technology: Sleek and sexy is the way to go when you’re equipping your employees with the tools they need to stay connected with your company. This means getting rid of bulky laptops and replacing them with tablets, smartphones and ultra-mobile laptops.
- If you want your employees to keep these gadgets with them at all times, it only makes sense for them to be easy to transport. So if you’re looking for laptops, make sure that the screens aren’t too large and the weight is manageable.
- Ultra-portable laptops are usually beneath 5 lbs. and no bigger than 13 to 14 inches. Some businesses opt for netbooks and Chromebooks. The screen should still be large enough to view important documents.
- Tablets are also quite popular in the business world, especially with models like the Samsung Galaxy Tab being released. This too is small and lightweight, while still providing instant access to emails and the Web using 4G and Wi-Fi networks.
- Use Applications that Will Maintain or Boost Productivity: The main worry any business has about telecommute working is that productivity will plummet. By providing your mobile employees with the right virtual tools they need to get their job done quickly, you won’t have to worry about this being an issue.
- There are many different apps you can have downloaded to the mobile devices your employees will use while away from the office during sports seasons, and you won’t have to worry about it costing too much money. For instance, you can use the screen sharing app that’s offered by UberConference
- Plans are available from free to $10/month per user. Another app you may want to consider is one that allows your employees to log into their work computers from their mobile device. One particular app that allows this is called Log Me In. This is a free application.
- There are other apps out there that can help with boosting productivity. For example, you can find programs that will allow your employees to manage projects and set milestones, so that assignments are completed within deadline.
- Use VoIP Technology to Have Virtual Conferences from Anywhere: The beauty of working virtually is that you can use VoIP services to hold important business meetings. All of your mobile workers and even those at the office can participate in virtual conferences that are held on programs like UberConference.
- These services are typically cheap and are easy to use. Each person can have their own personal phone number, which can be set up through their desktop, laptop or other mobile device.
- These calls can be taken as voice only or video enabled. Google Hangouts is another system that can be used for virtual business meetings and conference calls. A screen sharing app is also included with both of these services.
- Install Effective Security Software to Encrypt and Protect Business Data: A lot of important and sensitive data is shared between the office and employees’ mobile devices, which is why it’s important to safeguard the transfers using security software like Immunet, AVG or McAfee.
- Using cloud services is another way to help ensure that your data is protected from hackers. Cloud-based storage services are typically affordable for business use. It’s important that you also have all of the files backed up and all documents and computers should have passwords enabled.
- The documents you store in the cloud consist of those that you would typically keep on your company’s server. This will allow the files to be remotely accessible from anywhere by any employee who has an account and password.
Tips
- With sports events taking place across America, it’s only natural for employees to want time to watch their favorite teams play. Rather than having disgruntled employees working in the office all week, you can kill two birds with one stone
- Allow your employees to enjoy their sports, while at the same time keeping them connected to your company, so that important matters can be attended to when needed.
- With the above tips, you should be able to create a mobile workstation for your employees to use to maintain productivity and connectivity simultaneously.
