4 minute read

27/11/2017

Six ways to immediately make your business more agile

In a time when collaborative networks and technology are developing faster than we ever thought possible, it has never been more important for businesses to embrace adaptability, flexibility, and a true commitment to teamwork – in other words, it’s time to embrace agile working.

Agile often gets lost in the sea of corporate jargon. Now, it’s being used by companies of all sizes and has become a way of life, moving far beyond the digital sector and into multiple industries.

From start-up businesses with no office space, to corporate giants with a growing workforce – agility is a necessity. But how can these businesses implement a more agile way of working? Technology. It brings people and processes together to support organisational goals.

See how these six technologies could help you create a workplace with all the benefits of agile working.

Make the most of your time with mobile technology and smart devices

Becoming an agile business isn’t necessarily a case of acquiring new technology, it’s about learning how to make the most of your existing tech. Take mobile technology, for instance. In a survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), 60% of employees said technology makes them more productive as it makes working on the go almost effortless. Using their smart phones when commuting to and from the office is the simplest way for your employees to boost their agility and productivity. These mobile devices drastically reduce the “dead time” as they enable users to check their emails, message colleagues and video call clients – everything they would do on their fixed desktop, but on the move.

Video conferencing brings the world to your office

When it seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day to complete your daily tasks, video conferencing is the ultimate time saver. A service, like Vodafone video conferencing is the ideal solution for businesses who need to organise a group discussion but have limited time to do so. With this technology, you can speak directly to your colleagues and clients from any office, anywhere in the world, while removing the time-consuming process of organising a physical meeting. You can also share ideas more efficiently and effectively and be a model to other businesses for agile working.

Remote collaboration makes life easier

Collaboration tools, like Slack and Asana, have digitised the traditional way of communicating with co-workers. They play a significant role in agility strategies as they allow businesses to manage tasks, connect with colleagues, and share files, which together, build a unified workforce. By implementing these tools, you could create a project to-do list, track work-in-progress and never be left in the dark. What’s more, they’re compatible with mobile devices so your employees could work from any location..

Be prepared for anything with cloud services

Like collaboration tools, cloud services also eliminate the location restrictions imposed on businesses. They offer employees the ability to access their software, emails, data and more, from anywhere. Plus, they wrap an extra layer of safety around your business. By storing critical business data in the cloud rather than the physical office, the damage of an on-site mishap is significantly reduced. Cloud computing is key to agile working; it ensures you never fall behind the competition due to a security breach.

Never miss a call with Unified Communications

The term “Unified Communications” (UC) means different things to different people, so it comes as no shock to learn that there’s an air of confusion surrounding it. Gartner defines UC products as “those that facilitate the use of multiple enterprise communication methods”, for example, a virtual landline. This technology is your answer to a more agile way of working as, when your customers call your landline number, it goes direct to your mobile. It enables you to run your business from wherever you need to be, meaning communication never reaches a dead-end.

Stay one step ahead with the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) is reshaping businesses across almost every industry, so much so that by 2020, there will be more than twenty-four billion connected devices in the world. When adopting this technology, start-ups and SMEs shouldn’t be put off by the size of their business. In fact, because of this and the way they operate, it’s much easier for them to do so than larger, more established organisations. They aren’t held back by an existing system that may be difficult to change, or by senior management, who may resist going against tradition. With IoT sensors you can monitor traffic to plan the best route to and from your business meeting, or with an IoT device you could employ your next personal assistant or office maintenance. For many large companies, working with SMEs could be one way in which they onboard IoT and match the agility of their smaller counterparts.

Implementing these six technologies is a sure way to kick-start your business’ transition to a more agile workplace, and to thrive in the ever-changing world of business.