Reap the benefits of professional relationships
When you think of a mentor, you probably envision a person you’d like to emulate—the walking, talking answer to the old interview question “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”—who will generously donate their time and set you on the path to get to where they are now. That’s certainly a nice idea. But think about how much technology has changed in the past 10 years; in 10 more, both you (and your potential mentor) will have entirely different jobs anyway.
Enterprise-sized companies often have formal mentoring programs, but most small businesses don’t. So how can you find a mentor who’ll help you navigate our constantly-changing world? By changing how you think about mentors. Here are some do’s and don’ts that’ll help you get started.
Working Remotely - More than just the technology
Nearly daily, we get requests from clients interested in remote computing. And we keep remote workers working by taking care of their computer technology. However, the actual technology is not the whole story. Being remote or having remote workers presents challenges.
Working remotely is appealing for a lot of reasons: You don’t have to commute, you’re in charge of your daily routine, and you can work for a company you love that just happens to be in a different city. (If you’re a remote worker in Vermont you can even get a cash bonus for being so awesome.) According to research by HR consulting firm Robert Half, 77 percent of employees say they would take a job that allows telecommuting at least some of the time. And since 75 percent of managers say they are open to their employees telecommuting, it’s no surprise that working from home is a commonly-used perk used to attract new hires.
But here’s another interesting stat from the same research: 73 percent of workers would still prefer to work together in groups rather than independently away from the office. That’s a pretty radical contrast to the 12 percent who prefer off-site virtual collaboration and the 5 percent who just want to work autonomously off-site.
Predictions of future office environments
It’s truly challenging to keep up. More is changing in the world of technology than is remaining the same. Our friends at HP (think mainstream computing, rather than bleeding edge companies) takes a look at wearables, what’s going to happen to your office (think of a rudimentary holodeck) AI assistants and translators. Hang on – it’s going to be quite a ride!
Wild things are coming your way
There’s so much changing in the IT world at this very moment—from transitioning to Device as a Service to managing the security of an increasingly mobile workforce—that it’s hard to look beyond next month, much less the next decade. So we did it for you. (You’re welcome.) Here are five burgeoning technologies that we think will radically change the way you work.
HR-monitored wearables
The idea: Not feeling well? Don’t worry about calling in sick—HR will do it for you. The office of the future will use a Device-as-a-Service model that includes wearable tech that your company will use to keep tabs on your health. It could be as simple as a smart watch or as sophisticated as “earables”—in-ear devices that can monitor temperature and heart rate as part of their wide range of features.
Empowering your remote workforce
You probably know at least a few friends working from home these days. The trend is on the upswing, despite what headlines about companies pulling employees back into the office may suggest. Survey guru Gallup swizzled the numbers and found 43 percent of American workers were already part of the remote workforce, a number expected to hit 50 percent by 2020.
It’s thanks to mobile office technology that this swing toward offices without borders is even happening. Former desk jockeys are tapping into smartphones and laptops to access email, group chat apps, remote printing, instant messaging, screen and file sharing, videoconferencing, and VPNs—all from their kitchen tables or their beach houses.
Trends Transforming the Modern Workplace
Advances in technology and shifting workforce demographics are creating a more fluid work environment, redefining what productivity looks like, and empowering individuals to work smarter. With an influx of new talent that values experiences, continued learning, and collaboration over financial compensation, leadership will have to take a forward-looking approach to restructuring the workplace landscape.
Innovative technologies can help all organizations respond to workplace trends and create dynamic environments that incentivize and empower the next generation of employees.
Encouraging and accommodating remote workers
In the modern workforce, out of sight doesn’t mean out of mind. Modern businesses are evolving to better accommodate a wider range of business scenarios and work styles. For example, 43% of Americans reported spending at least some time working remotely – whether from their home offices or the local coffee shop.1
As teams become more widespread, keeping everyone engaged and informed is critical to the success of your organization. To promote teamwork and enhance efficiency, leadership must enable communication and support reliable connection between off and on-site employees.
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