A third of Australia’s workforce has been ‘working from home’ since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down everything. This is according to the study by Roy Morgan, published in late June 2020, which shows over 4.3 million people (32% of working Australians) are now working from home.
Meanwhile, a CDW 2017 Digital Workplace Solutions Report showed that 53% of employees feel more productive when they use digital workplace solutions such as Unified Communications.
Even before the pandemic, we encounter the acronym—BYOD which means Bring-Your-Own-Device, which is now a policy that allows employees to use smartphones and other mobile devices in the workplace. Now that many are working from home, many employees are working using their own devices. Though this is good at some standpoint, there is some drawback to this option.
Problems arise when companies failed to have an integrated system for communication. If this is the case, many things will go into disarray. One of these problems is the crisscrossing of devices. Lost important messages. Tasks missed its deadline. Goals will not be met. Or worst others may compete with the same task, without them knowing. This is time and effort not spent well.
But with a Unified Communications-enabled workplace, this will be a thing of the past.
Having a Unified Communications, you can even receive phone calls from any device, whether it be your phone or tablet or computer. Plus, you can also switch devices seamlessly.
Remember Unified Communications (UC) is there to help you collaborate with your other officemates and other personnel from another department. A good Unified Communications can maximize the amount of work anyone can do, even if you are not sharing the same physical space.
One of the best ways to have all these features and more is to have Unified Communications Microsoft Teams.
Convinced? Now that you know you need a Unified Communications as a service, here are some things to reconsider in putting up a home workspace. This will cover some physical aspects of the setup.
1. Dedicate a Specific Location to be Your Designated Workplace
You got to put yourself in a zone, where you can concentrate on work. A place where you can do most of the work done. Emphasis on the word “most.” this is because you are at home and you may still want some house chores done, on the side of course. Or your children who need some help studying. Or you got some elders with you that also need your attention. And if you have a dedicated work area, other members of the household will know that you mean business if you stay in this place. Do this and no one will bother you unless it is important, and it is life and death situation. This area can also be your quiet place during the non-office hour.
2. Make the Necessary Connections
Ensure that the place you chose is near all the amenities. You are close to an electrical outlet; you still have WIFI coverage; be near to a light source, artificial and natural light, and you got a printer if you need it. Make it as close to an office setting as possible.
3. Ready your Equipment
You should have all the equipment you will need, whether it is just a lonely laptop, or you have a dual-screen operation set up with your desktop or you got your laptop as a key component then you got a tablet as backup and your smartphone as your main communicator. You do you. Just get what you need.
4. Consider Access to the Nearest Restroom
Like in the office settings, as well as in a work from the home scenario you will go to the dunny too. Consider the distance of your designated workplace to the nearest toilet. Have it on the same floor. Remember you still need to be productive and spend your time doing quality work.
5. Get Comfortable
Make sure that you are comfortable with the workstation that you choose. The temperature should be optimal for your liking. Besides being a well-lighted area, a good relaxing colour will be ideal. Or decorate it if you must.
6. Own the Space
Give an authoritative presence that you own that spot and being there you mean business. Let anyone from your household know that once you are in that spot you are in full office mindset mode.
Conclusion:
We should take a cue from large conglomerates who considered leaving the office space and take work from the home approach at the onset of the pandemic.
Many major multinational corporations are doing it now, among them are Mastercard, American Express and Visa Inc., as Reuters reported it before the summer last year.
Unified communications for business can also save companies’ money on travel and office space expenses. Before it cost to meet with clients in person, simple teleconferencing will now suffice.
Again, all businesses ought to take a hint from big businesses, having unified communications for business has its benefits and wisdom behind it.
