Suppose there’s anything the digital world has taught us during a global lockdown. In that case, we don’t all need to travel over an hour to sit in an office all day.
The Cloud is better than ever at improving workplace productivity, whether you’ve witnessed it or you’re a new business entering the world of enterprise.
Whichever side you’re on, we’ve gathered a list of seven ways the Cloud can improve workplace productivity.
1. Real-Time Collaboration
By utilizing cloud-based connectivity, users can easily access software applications from virtually anywhere around the globe and collaborate. Businesses can extend their workforce beyond their traditional office walls. Meanwhile, users can access work tools that they may not be able to afford otherwise.
When you utilize real-time collaboration features of the Cloud, you’ll find your employee productivity skyrockets. Video calls, live chats, and shared document access allow for real-time communication and collaboration, even when your colleagues are on other sides of the world.
The inconveniences of having to wait until your colleague was back in the office are long gone with real-time collaboration via software such as Google Docs, Onedrive, and Office 365. See this resource on SharePoint migration for more info.
2. Less Paperwork and Paper-Sharing
The Cloud allows users to share information instantly without having to create physical copies of files or emails. A digital warehouse now exists online, and once the files are uploaded online they can be accessed from anywhere at any time without having to print them out or carry them around in real life.
Of course, you’ll save money on paper and the environment. But you’ll find your team has a lot more free time, not having to audit all your paperwork for entire days on end, or trying to find a loose receipt at the bottom of the pile.
3. Scalability for Continual Growth
While the Cloud allows users to work from anywhere and at any time, it also has another use; scalability. You can scale a Cloud computing service to whatever level is needed by the business. It helps ensure that the business doesn’t have to spend excessive amounts of money buying new software.
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is cost-effective as it provides users with just what they need. You no longer need to spend thousands of dollars for one feature and never use the rest. Cloud software allows much more flexibility, and you can adapt to your business’s needs in real-time.
Subscription models work great for businesses in the SaaS space because the initial outlay is much lower. The lack of commitment means that a business can stop using the software without feeling they have wasted their money.
4. Reduced Costs of IT Infrastructure Maintenance and Upgrades
Cloud storage is also cheap compared to buying a new server, a new backup system, or investing in new software licenses when you update your hardware. With the SaaS tools mentioned above and utilizing remote servers, you know the tools you use will always be up to date and the latest and most excellent editions.
You’ll also find that with fewer devices to fix. Your office productivity will rise as your IT team’s time can focus on fixing more pressing internal issues instead.
5. Automation Software Links Everything Together
The rise of cloud-based automation software has given birth to a new generation of automated administration. No longer do you need the same information inputted manually in fifteen places.
You can input information via a single form and get it in the appropriate place for processing. It saves time and costs, as well as reducing errors.
These automation services are typically known as WebHooks and exist in IFTTT, Zapier, and Pabbly Connect. These tools link up with all your existing software accounts and enable them to talk to each other to input the data across every tool in your workflow stack.
6. Improved Security From the Cloud’s Security Automation
Before the Cloud was popular, users needed to store data on their computer hard drives or network storage systems. If a hard drive crashed or a networked file system corrupt, you would lose all data. And, in the recent times of USB drives, losing this data could have resulted in significant data breaches.
Security controls already exist in the Cloud service. Hence, users only pay for what they use and can view all of their data from a single location.
There’s also no need to worry about software viruses or other malware when using the Cloud. Your information’s protected all the more so because it’s not stored on your computer’s hard drive.
Users can use tools stress-free, knowing the company’s security and security breaches are safe in the Cloud. A third-party service provider handles this task for businesses. This reduction in security risk means users can focus on building work instead of worrying about hacking attacks, viruses, and malware.
7. A Larger Talent Pool Means Better Productivity
The Cloud provides a broader base of talent for businesses to scan. If you have remote access to all the software needed, then not only can your office be anywhere in the world, but all a candidate needs is a laptop.
This fact not only means a larger pool of talent to choose from if you aim to reduce your costs, but you can also expand into foreign markets. Once inaccessible, these markets have a labor cost much lower due to the reduced cost of living. Employees can be more productive during business hours because work tools like calendars, contacts lists, spreadsheets,, and word processors are always available.
Workplace Productivity Is Up In The Cloud
Cloud computing has been around for many years. But it’s only in recent times that it’s come to the fore. In particular, the recent global lockdown due to COVID-19 stimulated development in space faster than ever before.
The Cloud provides users with an almost limitless amount of access to files and information, even when they’re not at their desktops or laptops. Improving workplace productivity can’t get much easier than that!
For more top tech tips for your business, keep reading and see what you can find!
