Communication in a Virtual Corporate World: How to be Great at Technology

by | May 12, 2020 | Virtual Corporate World, Working Spaces

how to be great at technology
A lot of companies these days are finding ways to connect with their employees, coworkers, and clients through virtual video and communication technologies like Zoom, Slack, Skype, Microsoft Teams – and with mixed results. While these tools are incredibly helpful in keeping teams together at a time of social distancing, they must be used properly and effectively in order to maintain a similar culture like the one your company built in the office.

We’ve successfully implemented technology solutions to keep our staff at 4 different office locations connected – and here are our takeaways on why every organization should focus on technology right now.

Technology today will influence the near future

It’s been as long as 6 weeks for some companies to have implemented a work-from-home or remote workforce policy, and we are already seeing workers adapt and become more comfortable in this setting.

While most of us are waiting for COVID-19 to pass so we can resume working physically in an office setting, the use of technology today will influence how we work in the very near future.

Be Agile

While an office or physical workspace may invite more opportunities for collaboration and internal communication, being agile with technology is an important part of thriving in a work-from-home scenario.

“The coronavirus, as with any kind of major catastrophe or crisis in the world, provides ripple effects that will be noticed years down the line,” says Tim Carrol, General Manager at Working Spaces. Tim’s Masters thesis explored the ways in which corporations could create and maintain their culture in a virtual world – and his expertise in this matter holds particularly true at a time of global disruption.

“The concept of Agile virtual working might have big impacts on how we work in the very near future. As people are getting more comfortable with these technologies, it might eliminate a lot of those flying out for one meeting, kind of meetings, because now more people are used to connecting virtually,” he explains.

Test Everything First

Successfully leading a Google hangouts presentation with your stakeholders might sound easy enough – don’t you just make an invite and send it over? Yes and no – if you don’t want to experience any hiccups at the risk of looking unprofessional, go over this checklist to make sure your presentation goes as planned:

  • Locate a well-lit location in your home office with minimal distractions and sounds in the background. If possible, face a window or use a ring-light to ensure effective lighting.
  • Let your family know that you are in a meeting and not to be disturbed.
  • Sign in 5 minutes before the meeting in case any participants have technical difficulties that you can assist with.
  • Test the audio and video beforehand to make sure that everything is working correctly.

Embrace Interruptions

A big part of getting technology right is understanding that interruptions are going to be a way of life. If your child or fur baby runs into the Zoom meeting – don’t be ashamed of the moment – embrace it. Everyone is in the same position and this is just a new normal in our virtual working environment.

Virtual work is a reminder that we’re all in this together. Technology is a tool for us to remain connected and keep the flow of communication open. Working Spaces is no stranger to using technology to stay connected – it’s what we do. With four offices spread across three states, we’ve adapted accordingly over the years to make sure that every team member at each office was on the same page. For more information about thriving in a virtual world, contact us today.