Every business owner knows that one of the keys to boosting productivity is raising employee morale. But there’s more you can do than just having company events or letting staff leave early on select days. Fortunately, with the various advancements in technology, you can still keep employees happy and productive without sacrificing business. One of these strategies includes implementing a remote work policy with the help of your business phone system.
Aside from saving space and equipment, allowing employees to work from home (or remotely) helps them avoid long commutes and break away from the monotony that an office environment can bring. But of course, in order to achieve the desired results, companies and their staff also need to be armed with the right tools. One essential tool is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system.
Discover the various ways that VoIP empowers remote employees (and boosts your business) below:
Save Time and Money on Commuting
According to Citi’s ThankYou Premier Commuter Index, the average American worker travels 45 minutes commuting to and from work and spends an average of $10 per day to do so. That adds up to approximately 200 hours and $2,600 annually!
By using VoIP, employees can free themselves from long and costly commutes and instead work from the comfort and convenience of their own homes. The precious time and money (as well as energy) spent on commuting can be used for doing actual work or other, more fulfilling activities. Employees also don’t have to worry about being late to work because all they have to do is connect via their VoIP phone (or mobile app) to get started.
Collaborate With Ease
VoIP technology doesn’t just make telephone conversations cheaper and more convenient. It also allows companies and their remote employees to improve teamwork and collaboration through the use of special features and tools. Remote employees can hold meetings, keep track of essential information and updates, and share files or other documents without the cost and hassle associated with in-person meetings.
These are all made possible by various VoIP features such as call and video conferencing, integration with various business applications and software (ie. Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Sugar CRM, etc.), call recording, and instant messaging. These collaboration tools (which can be accessed from a single platform) allow employees to work together and get real-time feedback as if they were in the same physical location.
Fewer Distractions
Let’s face it: not all employees thrive in an office environment. For some, the usual office buzz may stifle their ability to focus and productivity. They find that an office environment brings so many distractions (such as conversations with colleagues, non-stop ringing of phones, and even the sound of a paper jam) that can hinder their productivity. These little distractions can be avoided by using a business VoIP phone system.
With VoIP, employees can take advantage of a host of features that can help them silence distractions and focus on the task at hand. These include Do Not Disturb (this feature sends all incoming calls to voicemail so you can work in peace) and Presence (this feature indicates your status to other users, whether you’re idle, ringing, or on a call). Those who are using a softphone or a webphone app can also use set their devices to vibrate mode to notify them of incoming calls instead of being disturbed by incessant ringing.
Final Thoughts
Many businesses are offering remote work opportunities to their employees and are reaping positive results from doing so. But to make the most of those gains, it’s critical to implement a robust VoIP solution that empowers employees and makes the transition from the office to a home/remote location smoother. If you are interested in seeing how Telephone Connections can help contact us for a Free Consultation.