Tecnology as a key driver for home office

In recent decades, the dynamics of technological progress have been imposing the need to review the organizational systems of our society. Digital technologies have become essential at work. In an environment with increasing competitiveness, companies face the challenge of exploring all the potential that will be reflected in their productivity.

The Living and Working in Europe 2015-2018 study by Eurofound (Agency for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions), describes nine new forms of employment, that advance a new standard, i.e. identifies new ways of performing work characterized essentially by the use of digital technologies and the possibility that work can be done from anywhere and at any time.

Remote working can save workers valuable time, money and stress, among other benefits. In addition, companies can reduce conflicts, expenses for maintaining the workplace, promote increased efficiency, and also contribute to the reduction of pollution, congestion and  infrastructure maintenance expenses, namely in roads and public transport.

This new approach to work is, to some extent, facilitated and made possible by the evolution and the adoption of technology. The Internet, of course, is the great technological agent that allows information to be transferred and exchanged in real time, thus enabling new business models to emerge. The dynamics allowed by technology is the key to all changes in the labour market.

In this sense, the use of a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a very important resource, not only in the dynamics of remote work, but in all activities that involve the use of the internet. A VPN is a secure and encrypted network, quite common in business environments precisely because it favors the confidentiality of information, allowing workers to access the online service as if they were in the company.

For working with documents and spreadsheets, companies can opt for the cloud storage solutions that allow them to create, edit and share content on the servers.

Google and Microsoft have their own solutions for this, the most popular of which are Google Docs and Office 365.

Videoconferencing and synchronous connection features - integrating devices with major communication channels like Skype for Business, Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google with Hangouts - make conversations more natural and transparent, similar to face-to-face interaction, contributing for a better understanding and a realistic experience. With these tools, managers can hold virtual meetings with their teams to coordinate their tasks, even working from home. These features enable good work performance, even at a distance.

It is important to highlight that the digital transformation begins with the transformation of mentalities. The rules that have been followed in recent years may not be suitable for the next few years and you need to keep a close eye on the developments. After all, change is happening right now and home office is a proof of how technology is changing work relationships.