Did you know that Australia is home to a large and growing number of remote workers? Per capita, Australia has more online freelance workers than anywhere else, and remote work continues to rise globally, especially in certain industries. In fact, UpWork recently reported that more than US$1billion in remote work is performed every year on its platform alone.
But is this trend just a temporary blip in the midst of rapidly changing technology? Do people need to be in the same place to truly collaborate effectively and help their businesses to thrive?
These are the kinds of questions that Australian employers are asking. Today we’ll tackle these questions and discuss the future of remote working.
Industries Compatible With Remote Working
Some industries are more compatible with remote working than others. According to reports from online work platforms, the fastest-growing categories of online work are currently:
- Graphic design
- Marketing
- Sales
- Customer service
- Writing and translation
- Administration
But these are far from the only areas where remote working is growing. In fact, even the medical industry is beginning to incorporate remote working into their practices. Telehealth and medical video chats can make healthcare more accessible to homebound people, to those who would have to travel great distances to medical clinics and to people whose immune systems are compromised. Video conferencing technology like CommuniCloud powers these efficiencies (and many others).
Reductions in Overheads
More and more startups are embracing remote working because of dramatically reduced overheads. A flexible work environment allows a team to work together from various locations such as from home, cafes, internet kiosks or co-working spaces and can save a tremendous amount of money.
Without the expenses associated with an office (lease, utilities, office furniture, etc.), you have more working capital with which to build your business, hire talent and market your products and services. And fortunately, with today’s video conferencing technologies, you can all stay connected on a daily basis.
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Flexibility and Productivity
Stanford Professor of Economics Nicholas Bloom cites a business in Singapore that had half of their staff work from home four days per week while the other half worked at the office five days per week. This arrangement was part of a two-year study, and the results were astounding.
The remote workers had a “massive, massive” increase in their productivity, mostly because they had fewer distractions while they worked. Additionally, there was less job turnover with the remote workers. The work-from-home contingency was happier and healthier, and these benefits decreased the company’s healthcare expenses. In short, science proved that remote working is good for productivity and general well-being.
The Technology is Here
In the past, remote working could be burdened by slow and inadequate internet connections and sub-par video conferencing programs, making workers feel disconnected or hampered by problematic technology.
But those days are over. With robust and reliable teleconferencing technology like CommuniCloud, it’s now possible for workers to have face-to-face conversations with clients, co-workers and contractors from anywhere. Time zones are not an issue. Distance doesn’t matter.
We invite you to experience a free trial of CommuniCloud so you can see for yourself the future of remote working. Pull your team together for a brainstorming session, or get in touch with clients and customers. Create a webinar to demonstrate the power of your products and services, or interview new candidates to join your team.
However you decide to use video conferencing, know that the future of remote working is bright. With continuously improving tools like CommuniCloud, you’ll be able to work smarter and more efficiently, and you’ll have the capacity to connect your team anytime, anywhere.