The way that we all do business has been changed in ways that are only just starting to make sense. The world of the workplace is now a different reality entirely, and the future of any endeavor relies on being able to adapt to this new way of working. Two years ago the idea of having a large team spread all over the country or the world was something that didn’t seem to make sense. After all, communication is the key to success in any amazing workplace. Being able to have a quick meeting under the same roof to discuss goals or react to a crisis seemed to be the right way of doing things. It was the only way of getting things done properly. Those days are gone.
When the Covid-19 Pandemic hit the world it was unexpected, to say the least. We didn’t see it coming. The impact of Coronavirus has been deep and long-lasting. Our perspectives were forcibly shifted to a new world in which folks weren’t commuting to offices but rather using technology in new and inventive ways to solve the problems of modern working. Video conferencing, text messaging and team running software became the norm for so many that it’s hard to see us going back to the way things were. Before the pandemic, only 7 percent of employees were working remotely and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, just under 30 percent of American workers were able to work from home. After Covid struck the US, almost three-quarters of business owners and CEOs said all employees at their company were now working remotely.
This change in the landscape of the workplace is a fundamental shift in the way we see our organizations and how we communicate. Companies with 100 employees have revealed that miscommunication in their business costs an average of $420,000 per year. That is a huge amount when you look at it and it could be saved. Great communication is essential and bad communication results in losses of contracts and customers.
Being able to work from home is something that’s now become normalized. The idea that you can’t be as productive when you aren’t at the office seems to be a thing of the past. Basements, lofts, and garages have been converted to home offices. Folks are able to set their own hours and get things done in a fraction of the time it takes to commute to a shared space. Workers have found that with better internet connections, you can now be hundreds or thousands of miles away, in different time zones, and still create effective and excellent communication between your staff members. This results in teams that are effective and clear-minded in their goals as well as being lean and quick to adapt.
97 percent of workers feel that communication is incredibly important. Almost all of us know inherently that without excellent communication everyday tasks are severely impacted. Research showed that 72 percent of employees will want to continue working in their own spaces rather than go back to the office, even if the organization returns to the way things were preCovid. The means we will see a massive reinvention of the way we do things. Large blocks of offices and employees gathering together under one roof won’t be a certainty in the future. Keeping in touch with colleagues is imperative if you want to be a successful venture of any sort. If you don’t have great communication skills and systems the company fails. Luckily with new technology and the advent of mobile video calling and messaging we are seeing this modern way of working taking over. It’s also getting results. Almost 70 percent of organizations now use Slack or a combination of Zoom and email to stay in touch and make sure their teams are performing their tasks on time and without error.
The bottom line shows that this rings true. It has been shown that when your company or business has well-connected team members the organization grows by at least 20 percent. Making certain that your employees are communicating well could show returns of up to 25 percent. Being profitable means you can set goals for the future and this means longevity for the company. An increase in your bottom line of an extra 25 percent could be the meaning between life and death at the moment for many organizations. You owe it to yourself and your staff members to create a working environment that is positive and helpful. Communication goes a long way and is the catalyst for good practices as well as customer service. Without it, you and your team are totally dead in the water. When great communication is in place you get more done and it’s done with a smile rather than resentment or stress.
This new way of working is not going away any time soon and the faster we get on board with it the better. If you fight against the change you will only end up losing when it comes to business and disruptive influences. Let’s face it, Covid has been the ultimate disrupter, and we have all borne the brunt of the effects. Superior communication skills set you ahead so investing in the new way of communication makes sense at this point. Holding on to a brick-and-mortar establishment that houses your employees is no longer the way to get ahead. Obviously for factories and manufacturing that doesn’t totally hold true but many of the ancillary industries as well as accounting and marketing no longer have to be housed the way they were. Technology has facilitated a boom in online communications and this has enabled many to prosper rather than being forced to eke out an existence or even worse shut their doors. Move with the times before you are left in the dust. Your employees will thank you and your customers will benefit. If the research is right then your bottom line will increase and you should be able to capitalize on a bad situation.