Today’s business environment is often disjointed. Many companies have multiple offices spread all over the globe. This is great for many reasons but it also presents some challenges when it comes to collaborating with other team members. For years I have worked in a remote office and we have used quite a few methods to overcome distance between coworkers. Here are just a few methods which are in use today that can help you stay in touch with your remote team.
Videoconferencing
The ability to have meetings via voice and/or video is an absolute necessity when we talk about collaborating with remote teams. We’re not talking about simple webcams here. Today’s video conferencing systems are advanced and allow for multisite meetings and presentations. These systems can be secured or unsecured depending on your needs. They allow for video, voice, and data transmissions among multiple locations.
Unified Communication
Unified communication means that regardless of the device you are on you have access to everything you need. This means that if you are off site and only have your smartphone you can still participate in meetings and access your email, faxes, and files. The ability to receive a fax anywhere in the world is a huge advantage for remote teams.
Sharepoint Portals
Sharepoint allows your organization to centralize information in a familiar interface similar to Microsoft Office. Effective use of a Sharepoint Portal makes adding, updating, and sharing information quick and painless for remote teams. Sharepoint is a powerful tool that many organizations are not using to it’s fullest potential.