While organizations continue to navigate the complexities of remote work and digital transformation, choosing a scalable yet affordable intranet solution is like walking on a tightrope. Platforms like Office 365 and Google Workspace are often the go-to solutions for mid-size to large-scale organizations. However, the missing piece is, are they actually delivering for the costs incurred? Should your company consider an Office 365 alternative?

Falling back entirely on these giants can also create a significant dependency that may hinder innovation and adaptability. For instance, Microsoft Teams has a cap of 200 channels per team, which can be restrictive for organizations managing complex projects. Other tools, such as G Suite, come with integration challenges leaving teams scrambling for workarounds that disrupt workflows rather than enhance them.

In this blog, let’s examine five reasons why organizations need to consider an Office 365 alternative, even as they evolve to keep pace with dynamic customer demands.

1. Cost-Effectiveness

One of Office 365’s most significant shortcomings is its pricing structure. While initially cost-efficient, the fixed pricing plans can quickly become burdensome as businesses scale or require additional features. For example, companies often pay for user licenses and features they don’t fully utilize, leading to inflated operational costs. Can an alternative to Office 365 bring in a solution?

InfinCE, an Office 365 alternative, operates on a pay-as-you-use model, allowing businesses to only pay for the features they need. Starting at just $5 per user per month, this pricing structure offers remarkable flexibility, enabling organizations to manage their budgets more effectively. As your business grows or your needs change, you won’t be stuck with unnecessary expenses, an attractive prospect for businesses looking to maximize their return on investment.

2. Customization and Flexibility

Office 365 is a tad limiting as it does not offer extensive customization options. Built with a cookie-cutter approach, it does not exactly cater to every organization’s unique business and process workflows. This can lead employees using it to a rabbit hole of frustration, especially for well-established teams that struggle to adapt their processes to retrofit the rigid structure of the application.

InfinCE, on the other hand, offers customizable dashboards that allow users to tailor their digital environment according to their utilities and needs. Businesses can choose from various tools—collaboration boards, file-sharing options, and task management features—to create a workspace that aligns perfectly with their roles and workflows. This level of customization not only enhances productivity but also boosts user satisfaction, as employees can work in a way that suits them best.

Read more: How Intranets Solve Workplace Challenges

3. Enhanced Security

Data security is a serious priority for primarily digital organizations, given the increasing occurrence of data breaches and compliance incidents. Is there an alternative to Office 365 that can guarantee better data security and safety? 

Of course, there is! For businesses prioritizing confidentiality and data ownership, InfinCE, a new-age enterprise cloud suite, addresses related concerns head-on by offering dedicated private servers that ensure sensitive business information is protected from potential breaches associated with public cloud providers. The platform guarantees full data privacy and ownership, allowing businesses to focus on operations without worrying about data leaks or compliance issues.

4. Seamless Collaboration

Remote work thrives on the power of seamless collaboration. Office 365 is built with several collaboration tools. However, the tools do not typically operate in a unifying manner, leaving many users challenged and frustrated. This can hinder effective communication and slow down project progress.

In contrast, InfinCE Digital Workplace Solution offers a well-thought-through framework of collaboration tools to enhance teamwork for the remote and hybrid workforce. Features like video conferencing, real-time notifications, and integrated task management allow teams to collaborate seamlessly, regardless of location. This granular level of integration helps drive productivity by enabling expedited decision-making and enhanced project outcomes.

5. Simplified User Experience

One common complaint about Office 365 is its complexity. With an extensive feature set that can overwhelm users, smaller companies may find it particularly daunting to navigate through all the options available. This complexity can lead to confusion and inefficiency among employees who simply want to finish their work.

InfinCE, an Office 365 alternative, takes a different approach with its unified dashboard that simplifies navigation and usability. Employees can easily access the necessary tools without being overwhelmed by unnecessary features. This streamlined user experience is especially beneficial for smaller organizations looking for efficiency without the clutter. Also, InfinCE’s scalable nature allows businesses to adjust their features dynamically without the complexities associated with traditional licensing models. 

Whether you need to pivot quickly in response to changing market demands or internal requirements, InfinCE provides the flexibility necessary for growth without additional stress. Whether you need an Office 365 alternative depends on your company’s needs and analysis. However, keeping an alternative in hand can always save the day! 

Explore InfinCE today and discover unique opportunities to drive operational efficiency. Request a Free Demo today!

The shift to the cloud and its potential benefits are often underrated in the digital-first workplace. Of course, in recent times, the topic of enterprise cloud suites has moved from just water cooler discussions to becoming a critical part of boardroom discussions. 

Scratching beneath the surface, there is consensus among C-suite leaders that the cloud suite is not just another shiny tool. Well, the proof is in the pudding. 

A Gartner study reports that worldwide end-user spending on public cloud services will reach $678.8 billion in 2024, a spike from $563.6 billion in 2023.

A recent McKinsey survey reports that companies that moved their operations to the cloud experienced a 47% faster time to market. This is a game-changing benefit. How do enterprise cloud suites transform business operations to impact the bottom line?

For one, organizations adopting cloud suites open the horizon to many opportunities – automating workflows, integrating disparate software systems to drive improved collaboration, and enhancing communication and transparency within the organization.

This blog explores how an enterprise cloud suite helps organizations achieve more than operational efficiencies. 

1. Unified Operations for Optimized and Strategic Decision-Making

An enterprise cloud suite consolidates various operational systems—such as communication, project management, collaboration software, productivity tools, and more—into a single unified platform. That leaves employees with the free time to focus more specifically on their KRAs rather than dealing with multiple software that leaves data and communication silos. 

From a business benefit standpoint, this reduces the time spent on navigating and managing different tools, leading to improved decision-making and fewer instances of operational oversight. Studies show businesses using integrated cloud solutions see a 30% reduction in operational costs. InfinCE’s customizable dashboards provide a unified view of organizational goals and productivity metrics, helping remote teams stay aligned and focused. This capability is particularly valuable for organizations that must monitor performance and ensure accountability among distributed teams.

2. Driving Sustainable Growth and Innovation

While streamlining operations is only one function of an enterprise cloud suite’s capabilities, they are also critical growth facilitators. Cloud suites built for enterprises create an ecosystem where growth becomes sustainable. Your existing systems must not be overhauled; they must be integrated. Cloud solutions facilitate that integration, ensuring minimal disruption while amplifying efficiency. The result? A faster time to market, a more agile workforce, and measurable ROI that hits the bottom line in ways traditional methods can’t.

3. Enabling Cost Savings

According to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, organizations can significantly reduce their IT budgets by minimizing costs associated with maintaining software and infrastructure. One of the most fundamental advantages of a cloud suite is significant cost savings. By allowing businesses to move from siloed capital expenditure models to a more flexible and scalable pay-as-you-go approach. Cloud suites built for enterprises also help businesses make financial sense. As businesses allocate their financial resources more strategically, they can bypass hefty upfront investments in hardware maintenance and software licensing. 

4. Offering Flexibility and Scalability 

A 2023 Buffer survey indicates a clear leaning toward remote working; 97% of workers prefer to continue working remotely, at least part-time, for the rest of their careers. This means flexibility is a big draw for employees in today’s gig economy. Enterprise cloud suites enable employees to access applications from any device with an internet connection, fostering collaboration and productivity. This accessibility breaks down geographical barriers, allowing organizations to build a globally distributed workforce. 

For example, InfinCE’s enterprise cloud solution is designed to empower employees by providing a comprehensive suite of tools that prioritize remote collaboration. With distinct collaboration features like video conferencing, instant messaging, collaboration apps, and critical project management tools, InfinCE enables teams to communicate and collaborate effectively regardless of their location.

5. Driving Enhanced Data Security

A report from the Cloud Security Alliance states that 64% of organizations cite security as their primary concern when adopting cloud services. Typically, cloud suites designed for enterprises with advanced security protocols, including end-to-end encryption and stringent access controls, can ensure that sensitive information remains confidential and is only accessible to authorized personnel.

InfinCE’s dedicated virtual server ensures that each customer’s data is isolated on its secure server, minimizing the risk of data exposure in multi-tenant environments.  InfinCE’s private IT infrastructure simplifies data backup and recovery processes. In the event of hardware failure or data loss, organizations can quickly restore their information, minimizing downtime and operational disruptions. Additional security features include advanced user access controls, allowing organizations to define who can access specific data and applications. This granular control enhances security by ensuring that only authorized users can view or manipulate sensitive information.

Conclusion

Enterprise cloud suites are instrumental in helping organizations reach higher-order goals. Whether it means optimizing operational efficiency or integrating disparate systems for improved workplace collaboration. At its core, a well-rounded cloud suite built for enterprises is designed to simplify and elevate your entire business operation, not just pieces of it. Each feature plays a key role in driving efficiency, integrating existing systems, and offering measurable returns on investment—all while positioning your company for sustained growth and innovation.

As an enterprise cloud suite trusted by organizations across verticals and of all sizes, InfinCE is proven to deliver measurable results. With InfinCE, organizations can expect significant returns on investment, including a 25% increase in productivity and a 40% faster time-to-market for new products and services. InfinCE empowers organizations to adapt and innovate in today’s digital-first landscape. With its comprehensive suite of tools, businesses can confidently navigate complexities and unlock their full potential.

Book a demo and discover how InfinCE can transform your organization into an efficient, collaborative, innovative powerhouse. 

A company intranet is a private network accessible only to an organization’s staff. Often, a wide range of information and services from the organization’s internal IT systems are available on the intranet. These can include company policies, training modules, and internal communications. The main purpose of an intranet is to share company information and computing resources among employees, facilitate working in groups, and streamline internal communications.

Why is it Important to Improve Your Company Intranet?

Improving your company intranet is crucial for enhancing communication, increasing employee engagement, fostering collaboration, and streamlining work processes. A well-optimized intranet serves as a central hub for employees to access important information, connect with colleagues, and use necessary tools, thus saving time and improving productivity. Additionally, a modern intranet can play a key role in strengthening company culture and ensuring everyone is aligned with the organization’s goals and values.

Ideas to Improve Your Company Intranet

• User-Friendly Design: Ensure the intranet interface is intuitive and easy to navigate.
• Mobile Accessibility: Make the intranet accessible on various devices, including smartphones and tablets.
• Personalization: Allow users to customize their intranet experience.
• Enhanced Search Capabilities: Implement a powerful search engine to find information quickly.
• Collaboration Tools: Integrate tools for real-time collaboration.
• Feedback Mechanisms: Include options for employees to give feedback about the intranet.
• Regular Updates: Keep the content fresh and relevant.
• Training Resources: Provide resources to help employees make the most of the intranet.
• Security Measures: Ensure robust security to protect sensitive information.
• Analytics: Use analytics to understand how employees are using the intranet and identify areas for improvement.

Do Companies Still Use Intranets?

As opposed to older intranets that have legacy systems in place, modern intranets are more user-friendly, interactive, and integrated with other business tools and systems. They are no longer just a repository of information but a dynamic platform that fosters collaboration, communication, and a connected workplace culture. The adaptability and customizability of current intranets allow them to meet diverse organizational needs, making them a valuable asset for companies of all sizes.

Difference Between Intranets and Employee Apps

The key difference between intranets and employee apps lies in their functionality and accessibility. Intranets are comprehensive platforms providing a wide range of tools and resources, typically accessed via a web browser on a computer. They are designed for more in-depth tasks and information sharing. Employee apps, on the other hand, are more focused on specific functions like communication or task management and are optimized for mobile use, offering greater flexibility and accessibility on the go.

What Does The Intranet of the Future Look Like?

The intranet of the future is set to revolutionize how organizations communicate, collaborate, and operate. It will transcend traditional boundaries, offering a more immersive, interactive, and intelligent platform. This next-generation intranet will integrate cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced data analytics to create a truly dynamic and personalized user experience.

1. Personalization

Future intranets will leverage the latest technologies and tools to deliver highly personalized content and experiences to users. AI and associated technologies can analyze user behavior, preferences, and roles to tailor the information, notifications, and tools each employee sees, enhancing efficiency and reducing information overload. Additionally, AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants could provide instant support and guidance, helping employees navigate the intranet effortlessly and complete tasks more quickly.

2. Advanced Collaboration Tools

The intranet of the future will include advanced collaboration tools that mimic physical interaction, making remote and hybrid work more effective. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) could be integrated to create virtual meeting spaces and interactive training environments. This would enable employees to collaborate in a more engaging and lifelike manner, irrespective of their physical location.

3. Integration with IoT

Integrating IoT with the intranet will allow organizations to harness real-time data from various sources, including sensors and smart devices. This integration could enhance workplace safety, optimize resource use, and provide valuable insights into operational efficiency. For example, IoT devices could automatically adjust lighting and temperature based on occupancy or track inventory levels in real time.

4. Enhanced Security and Privacy

As intranets become more central to organizational operations, security and privacy will become paramount. Future intranets will likely incorporate advanced encryption methods, robust access controls, and continuous monitoring to safeguard sensitive data. Additionally, adherence to global data protection regulations will be crucial.

How InfinCE Fits into the Future

InfinCE, an all-in-one cloud platform, is well-positioned to be a robust foundation for the intranet of the future. Its comprehensive suite of tools and features makes it an ideal choice for organizations looking to enhance productivity and collaboration.

• Customization and Scalability

InfinCE allows for extensive customization, enabling businesses to tailor their intranet to their specific needs and scale it as they grow. This flexibility ensures that organizations can evolve their intranet alongside their evolving business requirements.

• Integrated Collaboration Tools

InfinCE offers a range of collaboration tools, including video conferencing, instant messaging, and project management, which are essential for the modern workplace. This integration facilitates seamless communication and collaboration within teams, aligning with the trends of future intranets.

• Enhanced Security

With its focus on security, InfinCE provides a secure environment for businesses to operate. Its robust security measures protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with various data protection laws, aligning with the anticipated security needs of future intranets.

• Data and Analytics

InfinCE’s capabilities in data and analytics pave the way for more personalized and intelligent intranet experiences. These features can help businesses make data-driven decisions and improve user engagement on their intranet platforms.

In conclusion, the intranet of the future will be a more intelligent, integrated, and interactive platform, and InfinCE is strategically positioned to meet these future demands. Its emphasis on customization, collaboration, security, and advanced technology makes it a promising solution for organizations striving to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Wait no more. Explore InfinCE today. Request for a Free Demo!

If you are considering an employee intranet platform or a team intranet portal, the first thing you need to think about is how workplace communication has evolved over time. Gone are the days when fax machines where whirring or typewriters were used in abundance. Employees today do not essentially follow a linear path to communication. They prefer using a suite of tools and have preferences for each of their communication and collaboration needs.

Employee experience has become as important as customer experience, given how it drives overarching business success. The formula is simple – You keep your employees happy and content, your customers are also going to feel satisfied, and there is going to be less churn.

In this article, we cover all bases – we help you understand the critical role modern intranets play in enhancing productivity, fostering collaboration, and streamlining communication.

Intranets: Then and Now

From Static Repositories to Dynamic Hubs

Intranets have come a long way since their inception in the 1990s. Initially, they were simple web-based platforms designed to facilitate internal communication and document sharing within organizations. Over time, they evolved into more sophisticated systems, but the true transformation came with the advent of contemporary intranets.

Traditional Intranets: In the early days, intranets served as static repositories of information. They were one-way communication tools where organizations could post announcements and share documents. These intranets lacked interactivity and failed to meet the evolving needs of modern workplaces.

Modern intranets, on the other hand, are dynamic, interactive, and tailored to meet the unique needs of today’s businesses. They serve as collaboration hubs, fostering real-time communication, knowledge sharing, and streamlined workflows. Unlike their predecessors, modern intranets are versatile, accommodating remote work and providing a consistent user experience across devices.

How Your Frontline Workers Can Benefit from a Modern Intranet

Frontline workers are the backbone of many industries, from retail and healthcare to manufacturing and logistics. Traditionally, they have been underserved when it comes to communication and access to information. However, the demands on frontline workers have evolved, and so too should the tools that support them.

Frontline workers often face challenges such as limited access to company resources, communication silos, and difficulties in staying updated with company policies and procedures. Inefficient communication and a lack of access to critical information can lead to decreased productivity and reduced job satisfaction.

Empowering Frontline Workers

A modern intranet can bridge these gaps and empower frontline workers. It provides a platform for real-time communication, and access to important documents and training materials. It ensures that everyone in the organization, regardless of their role, has the tools they need to excel.

Features of a Modern Intranet

Modern intranets come equipped with a range of features designed to enhance communication, collaboration, and knowledge management:

1. User-Friendly Interface: Modern intranets prioritize ease of use, offering intuitive interfaces that resemble popular social media platforms. This familiarity encourages user adoption and reduces the learning curve.

2. Integrated Communication Tools: They provide integrated communication tools, including instant messaging, video conferencing, and discussion forums, enabling real-time interaction and fostering a sense of community among employees.

3. Mobile Responsiveness: In today’s mobile-centric world, modern intranets are designed to be mobile-responsive, allowing frontline workers to access information and collaborate from anywhere using their smartphones or tablets.

4. Integration Capabilities: They seamlessly integrate with other software and applications commonly used in the workplace, such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems, inventory management tools, and more. This integration streamlines workflows and increases productivity.

5. Content Management: Modern intranets offer robust content management features, making it easy to organize, share, and update documents and resources. This ensures that frontline workers always have access to the latest information.

How Modern Intranets Impact the Digital Employee Experience

The digital employee experience is a critical factor in employee satisfaction and productivity. Modern intranets play a pivotal role in shaping this experience by:

1. Increasing Engagement: By providing an interactive and engaging platform, modern intranets keep employees connected and motivated. Frontline workers can participate in discussions, share feedback, and contribute to company culture.

2. Streamlining Onboarding: Modern intranets accelerate the onboarding process for new frontline employees. They can access training materials, company policies, and connect with colleagues from day one.

3. Facilitating Knowledge Sharing: Frontline workers often possess valuable insights gained from their hands-on experience. Modern intranets empower them to share this knowledge across the organization, fostering a culture of continuous learning.

4. Improving Accessibility: Accessibility is crucial, especially for frontline workers who may not have access to desktop computers. Modern intranets ensure that vital information is accessible from any device, whether it’s a computer at a desk or a mobile device on the shop floor.

Factors To Help Choose the Right Modern Intranet

Selecting the right modern intranet for your frontline organization requires careful consideration. Here are key factors to guide your decision:

1. Scalability: Ensure that the chosen intranet solution can scale with your organization’s growth. It should accommodate an expanding workforce and evolving needs.

2. Customization: Look for an intranet that allows for customization to meet the specific requirements of your frontline workers. It should adapt to your organization’s unique processes and workflows.

3. Integration: Assess the intranet’s integration capabilities. It should seamlessly integrate with the existing software and systems you rely on to avoid disruptions in your operations.

4. Security: Security is paramount, especially when dealing with sensitive information. Choose an intranet that prioritizes data security, user access controls, and compliance with industry standards.

5. User Training and Support: Consider the availability of training resources and support from the intranet provider. Adequate training ensures that your frontline workers can effectively use the platform.

6. Cost-Efficiency: Evaluate the total cost of ownership, including initial setup costs, ongoing maintenance, and licensing fees. Ensure that the chosen intranet aligns with your budgetary constraints.

InfinCE – A Contemporary Intranet Built with The Modern Employee’s Needs at The Center

In a world where the workplace is evolving at an unprecedented pace, the need for modern intranets has never been more evident. These dynamic platforms serve as the connective tissue that unites organizations, fosters collaboration, and empowers frontline workers.

Whether you’re in need of an employee intranet platform or a team intranet portal, embracing the power of a modern intranet is an essential upgrade for your organization. It’s a transformation that not only enhances communication and collaboration but also elevates the digital employee experience, ensuring that your frontline workers have the tools they need to thrive in the digital age.

InfinCE, as a modern intranet platform, is strategically positioned to address contemporary workplace collaboration challenges through several key features and benefits. Here’s a detailed analysis:

• Centralized Dashboard: InfinCE offers a unified dashboard that integrates various business applications, making it easier for employees to access tools and information from a single point. This centralization enhances productivity by reducing the time spent switching between different apps.
• Customization and Scalability: With InfinCE, businesses can customize their intranet to fit their unique needs. This flexibility allows for the addition of features and integrations as the company grows, ensuring that the platform remains relevant and effective over time.
• Enhanced Collaboration Tools: The platform includes robust tools for communication and collaboration, such as chat, video conferencing, and file sharing. These tools facilitate seamless teamwork, regardless of the physical location of employees, which is crucial in today’s increasingly remote and global work environments.
• Data Security and Compliance: InfinCE prioritizes data security, offering robust encryption and compliance with various data protection regulations. This feature is particularly important for businesses handling sensitive information and needing to comply with legal standards.
• Mobile Accessibility: Recognizing the growing reliance on mobile devices in the workplace, InfinCE ensures that its platform is accessible on smartphones and tablets. This mobile compatibility allows employees to stay connected and productive even when they are away from their desks.
• Analytics and Reporting: The platform provides analytics and reporting tools, enabling businesses to track usage, performance, and engagement. This data is valuable for making informed decisions about workplace strategies and identifying areas for improvement.
• Integration with Existing Systems: InfinCE can be integrated with existing enterprise systems and third-party applications, ensuring a smooth transition and continuity of business processes.

By offering these features, InfinCE addresses key workplace collaboration challenges such as communication barriers, data management, and system integration, making it a strong contender in the contemporary intranet platform market.

Explore InfinCE now and unlock new potentials for your modern workplace. Request for a Free Demo now!

Goals of increased employee productivity and cost savings are a no-brainer in today’s digitally transformed business landscape. As Rodney Zimmel from McKinsey Digital observes, the whole point of digital transformation isn’t exactly to become digital. It’s actually to drive value for the business. And that value comes from understanding clearly how to move from a physical workspace to a hybrid or a digital workplace platform. 

Embracing a digital workplace is crucial for businesses looking to increase productivity, enhance collaboration, and reduce costs. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a key accelerator of the perceptive shift to the digital workplace.

Read More: The Definitive Guide to Perfect Digital Workplace Solution

In this blog, we’ll discuss the 8 key considerations you need to make while you make the much needed transition to a digital workplace. From the benefits to caution areas, to potential pitfalls – we have the rundown.

1. The Covid-19 pandemic as a watershed movement: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for businesses to shift to a digital workplace, leading to improved efficiencies, cost savings, and a more agile workforce. According to a study by PwC, companies that adopt digital workplace technology experience a 67% increase in productivity. Additionally, Gartner estimates that the digital workplace market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 14.6% from 2020 to 2027, reaching $45.7 billion by 2027. Deloitte reports that businesses can save up to $11,000 per employee annually by adopting a digital workplace platform. With the rise of automation and artificial intelligence, businesses need to embrace digital transformation and stay ahead of competition. Failure to do so could result in a loss of market share and diminished profitability.
2. Investment in tools and technologies: To enable a successful digital workplace, businesses must invest in the right tools and technologies. This includes video conferencing, instant messaging, project management software, cloud storage, and more. These tools enable employees to communicate and collaborate, regardless of their location or time zone. Additionally, digital workplace tools and technologies offer companies the opportunity to enhance the employee experience, leading to better retention rates and improved employee satisfaction. Access to online training and development programs, as well as digital resources and tools for wellbeing, help employees to feel valued and supported by their employers. A case in point is Accenture, which has implemented a platform called “Collaboration 2.0.” This platform offers employees a range of tools and services to simplify and enhance collaboration and communication, including instant messaging, video conferencing, and document-sharing capabilities. Accenture has reported increased productivity and employee engagement as a result of Collaboration 2.0.
3. The need for continuous upskilling and training: As businesses shift to digital workplaces, it’s essential to upskill and train employees to use the latest technologies effectively. This can be done through online training, workshops, and mentorship programs. Upskilling employees can also boost morale and improve job satisfaction as employees feel valued and equipped with the skills to succeed in a digital workplace. A key example to highlight this is AT&T, which created a Future Ready Employee initiative aimed at providing ongoing upskilling and reskilling to workers while providing them with new career development paths. As a result, they have improved employee retention by 14% and accelerated digital transformation.
4. Cybersecurity as a crucial tenet: As businesses shift to a digital workplace, cybersecurity becomes a crucial consideration. Cyber threats such as phishing, ransomware, and malware can wreak havoc on a business’s operations, leading to data loss and financial losses. To maintain business continuity, it is important to stay wary of cyber attacks that can bring business operations to a complete halt, causing a loss in productivity and revenue.  Educating employees on cybersecurity best practices and investing in strong cybersecurity measures, such as password management and two-factor authentication, is critical in mitigating these risks.
5. Remote work as a key cost-effective driver: Remote work has become increasingly popular in recent years, with the pandemic intensifying the trend. Remote work offers many benefits, such as cost savings and increased productivity. However, managing a remote team can be challenging, requiring strong communication and collaboration tools and a clear structure for managing tasks and deadlines.
6. Change management: Shifting to a digital workplace requires a shift in thinking and behavior, which can be challenging for some employees. Change management is critical in managing resistance to change and ensuring a smooth transition. This involves involving employees in the process and providing them with the support and training necessary to adapt to the new reality. Training employees to get up to speed with the latest tools and technologies is key to successful implementation of a digital workplace platform. The risk of working in silos is also cut to a great degree if there is a cohesive change management plan that drives key resources toward a co
7. Generative AI and the future of work: The future of work is set to be increasingly digital, with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and virtual reality playing a significant role. Businesses must continue to invest in digital tools and technologies to remain competitive and harness the potential benefits these technologies offer.
8. Processes and best practices: To successfully shift to a digital workplace, businesses must adopt best practices. This includes creating a digital transformation roadmap and involving employees in the process.
   1. Create a clear digital transformation roadmap: Develop a clear roadmap that outlines your goals, timeline, process, and milestones. This will ensure that everyone in your organization understands the direction of the digital transformation.
   2. Involve employees in the process: Employees are key stakeholders in the transformation process, and their involvement is crucial for the success of the project. Get them involved in brainstorming sessions, focus groups, testing, and feedback.
   3. Secure buy-in from leadership: Secure the buy-in from senior leadership to ensure that the transformation receives the necessary resources and support. This will demonstrate the importance of the project and its impact on the organization’s growth.
   4. Evaluate and choose the right digital tools and platforms: Carefully choose the digital tools and platforms that fit your organization’s needs and culture. Ensure that the tools provide the required features and functionality to achieve your goals.
   5. Train and support employees: Ensure that your employees have appropriate training and support throughout the transformation process. Provide training for new tools and processes to improve their adoption and comprehension.
   6. Measure the success of the transition: Regularly review the progress of the transformation using metrics that are relevant to your goals. Assess the results and adjust plans where necessary to achieve intended outcomes.
   7. Ensure data security and privacy: Implement appropriate data security measures to protect data and comply with applicable laws and regulations.
   8. Simplify processes and eliminate redundancies: Use the transformation to simplify processes and eliminate redundancies. This will optimize the use of resources and reduce costs.
   9. Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement: Encourage innovation and continuous improvement in your organization by creating a culture that promotes creativity, experimentation, and learning.
   10. Communicate effectively: Communicate the transformation plans and progress consistently and openly with all stakeholders, partners, and employees. This will ensure that everyone is aware of the efforts and the benefits of the transformation.

In addition to this, the implementation of best practices needs to be reviewed to get a tangible measure of success. Therefore, defining key performance indicators against very specific goals is crucial in ensuring the transition is successful.

Read more: Role of a Digital Workplace Platform in Hybrid Workplace

In conclusion, the shift to a digital workplace is essential for any business looking to remain competitive in an increasingly digital world. The benefits of enhanced collaboration, increased productivity, and cost savings are significant, but the transition requires careful planning, investment in the right tools and technologies, and upskilling and training employees. 

To know more about how InfinCE can take your business to new heights, connect with our experts today!

Even as the pandemic unfolded, physical workspaces have started to become obsolete with remote work growing in popularity. A U.S. Census Bureau data reveals that the number of people primarily working remotely grew from 5.7 percent in 2019 (roughly 9 million people) to 17.9 percent in 2021. An Accenture’s 2021 Future of Work survey shows how a whopping 83 percent of employees indicated preferences for hybrid work, while 63 percent of high-growth companies are already implementing hybrid work models to enhance workplace productivity and nurture a culture of flexibility and openness.

With companies world over implementing remote work policies, how well are you covered? Being able to work remotely is a great way to go if you have the right tools. That said, is investing in a comprehensive remote work platform on your radar?

Let’s help you figure it all out in our detailed guide on remote work software and its uses. 

IN THIS GUIDE

• Defining a remote work platform
• Common myths of a remote work software debunked
• Why is a remote work platform essential for today’s digital workforce?
• What are the benefits of a remote work software?
• What are the challenges involved in implementing a remote work software?
• How does a remote work software drive employee experience?
• Why should InfinCE be your go-to other remote work platforms?
• Conclusion

First things first, let’s explore a few myths that are typically associated when the topic of remote work is discussed. Let’s explore a few.

Defining a Remote Work Platform

A remote work platform is a digital tool or platform that allows individuals or teams to work and collaborate on projects, tasks, and assignments remotely from various locations. They are typically equipped with communication tools, task management, file sharing, and video conferencing.

Common Myths of a Remote Work Software Debunked

1. Remote work brings down productivity of employees: Well, this is a big no. A remote work software is equipped to handle virtual communication and collaboration tasks effectively without compromising on efficiency, thus playing a significant role in driving employee productivity. With optimized workflows cutting down on time-intensive processes, remote work tools help build agile teams that are ready to take on the challenges of a future-ready workplace. As the complexities of the modern workforce increase, the time is now to think about a comprehensive remote work platform that handles the a to z of communication, connectivity, and collaboration and helps employees adapt to the evolving needs of a dynamic business workplace.

2. Remote work can leave room for communication gaps: This is yet another misconception that often gets tagged with remote workplaces. A remote work platform helps remote teammates collaborate effortlessly through sharing files on the go over the cloud, manage projects efficiently, and track progress reports frequently by offering an integrated view of several linked workflows. This ensures that cross-functional teams stay well connected and are not working in isolated silos besides fostering an integrated working environment where team members can track project statuses, leads, define tasks, and set deadlines.

3. Remote work demotivates employees: With workplace demographics continuing to shift, the use of remote collaboration tools is on the rise and for good reason. Particularly fuelled by the growing demands to increase employee productivity and cut costs, remote work platforms act as a source of motivation by reshaping the very outlook of work.

Now that we have debunked some myths, let’s define the elements that constitute a remote work platform and understand the benefits it brings to the corporate table. Precisely, a remote work software entails a robust, technological version (aka a digital workplace) of a physical workspace, that encompasses all the technologies that both employers and employees use to get work done in today’s workplace. Ranging from HR applications, e-mail communication tools, core business applications to  instant messaging and enterprise social media tools and virtual assistants, a comprehensive remote work platform consists of a suite of several applications that are meant to transform the employee experience. 

Why is a Remote Work Platform Essential for Today’s Digital Workforce?

In today’s digital workplace, remote work platforms are essential for organizations to ensure seamless communication, collaboration, and project management. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work platforms for many organizations. Remote work platforms provide a range of benefits to both employers and employees, including increased flexibility, reduced overhead costs, and improved work-life balance.

Remote work platforms enable employees to work collaboratively with their colleagues, thereby fostering teamwork and productivity. By using a remote work platform, employees can work on the same documents, share their ideas and collaborate on projects as if they were working in the same office.

What are the Benefits of a Remote Work Platform?

1. Greater employee retention and talent acquisition: A remote friendly work culture is a perk that any employee appreciates. Given that working remotely gives autonomy and flexibility to employees, there is a good chance that employees would opt for a lower paying job if they could work away from the office. Not just from the employee standpoint, employers also stand to gain with remote work as they get to hire top talent and indirectly save on business costs. 

2. Enhanced communication channels: Today’s digital workforce prefers modern communication channels that allows them to communicate on the go without having to gather in meetings that are all too time-consuming. 

3. Reduced costs: For employers in the digital age, investing in IT infrastructure and physical office workspaces may run into overhead costs in the long run. With fewer people in a physical office setup, organizations can cut down on their real estate footprint, reduce costs to run onsite business operations, including office space, equipment and travel reimbursement.

What are the Typical Challenges Involved in Implementing a Remote Work Software?

1. Steep learning curve: While a remote work software is composed of a bunch of applications serving distinct functions, it’s important for your remote work software to work as a unified platform that helps employees have a delightful employee experience. However, this comes with a certain trade-off. To make the most of remote work, it’s important for employees to be tech-savvy and invest time and energy on getting a grasp of multiple tools, no matter how simple they seem. 

2. Integration issues: It’s important to ensure that your technology teams work in cohesion with your infrastructure management teams to get through the traps of siloed implementations and disparate ownership. 

3. Data security and porting: While employees work with scores of data that gets exchanged across all remote work collaboration tools, it’s imperative to keep a tab on secure data sharing and porting. Switching and porting data between multiple apps leads to significant time losses. For instance, a typical day of a remote worker would involve attending a meeting over a video conference on a separate application while also writing an email via an email tool. So the need to maintain a unified view of data is important. 

How does a Remote Work Software Drive Employee Experience?

In addition to boosting productivity, remote work platforms also drive employee experience. These platforms help employees feel more connected to their colleagues and their organization, even when working remotely. Communication tools such as chat, video conferencing, and messaging platforms facilitate a sense of community and enable workers to build relationships with co-workers and managers.

Remote work software also contributes to work-life balance for employees. They allow workers to work from anywhere, anytime, thereby reducing the stress and time involved in commuting. Additionally, these platforms provide employees with greater autonomy, resulting in improved job satisfaction.

Remote work software is essential for organizations that want to stay competitive and provide the best experience for their employees. By using remote work software, businesses can empower their remote workforce to work collaboratively and productively, regardless of where they are in the world. Moreover, remote work platforms drive employee experience, enable work-life balance, and foster a sense of community among remote workers.

Must-Have Features of a Comprehensive Remote Work Software

We list some must-have features that should comprise an ideal remote work software. While investing in one, be sure to check on them.

1. Collaboration apps: Since collaboration is the lifeblood of remote work, your remote work platform needs to be fully equipped to facilitate video meetings, live chat, and bring up a comprehensive employee directory for quick lookup.

2. Productivity tools: Contextual tools that raise productivity such as spreadsheets, presentations, calendars, and calendars are an absolute must. 

3. Flexible integrations and mobile compatibility: Your remote work platform should be capable of unifying all your existing and future digital systems. This gives you an inherent edge because you are not only able to centralize the technology architecture but also indirectly increase enterprise-level flexibility. This helps businesses to scale up, or down, according to dynamic business needs.

4. Secure cloud file sharing: To support a workforce that’s spread across the globe, your remote work tool should be hosted on the cloud, facilitating employees to to work from any location and from any device, with just a basic connection to the internet. Besides being cloud-based, the tool should also have cloud storage to store all important business files and documents in order to make it easier for employees to access the latest versions of files, whether they are in the office or working from home.

Why should InfinCE be your go-to over other remote work platforms?

The following features make InfinCE truly beneficial for customers and offers them a competitive advantage over other remote work software. 

1. Comprehensive and customizable: InfinCE offers a comprehensive suite of tools and features to facilitate remote work across multiple departments in an organization. The platform can be customized to cater to specific business needs, ensuring a personalized and productive workflow.

2. Affordable and scalable: The pricing of InfinCE is transparent and budget-friendly, with no hidden costs or fees. The platform is scalable and can be adapted according to the size of the organization, making it accessible to small start-ups as well as large enterprises.

3. Secure and reliable: InfinCE is built with enterprise-grade security protocols to ensure data confidentiality and protection. The platform also ensures reliable access to data and applications with 99.9% uptime.

4. User-friendliness: InfinCE is designed to be user-friendly, with a user interface that is easy to navigate and understand. The platform is also compatible across multiple devices, making it convenient for users to work remotely from anywhere in the world.

5. Collaborative and efficient: InfinCE fosters collaboration among team members, making it easier to work together and achieve goals. The platform enables efficient project management, workflow automation, and streamlined communication among team members, resulting in improved productivity and efficiency.

Conclusion

As the modern workplace continues to evolve, and employee expectations shift, organizations that do not embrace the digital workplace risk falling behind. With InfinCE, you can experience seamless, integrated and intuitive collaboration with the perfect remote work software at play! Get in touch with us for a free demo, and we would be glad to chip in!

Despite the soaring popularity of virtual meetings since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers point toward the concern that virtual meetings aren’t as effective as the traditional, in-person meetings. 

“Part of the problem might be that we’re worse at taking turns in virtual conversations than in physical ones.” (Stanford University, 2022)

“The number of meetings grew by 7.4% between June 2020 and December 2021, but the meetings were typically of low quality.” (University of Cambridge Judge Business School, 2022)

Many employees are annoyed with the amount of time lost due to technical issues, delayed meetings, irrelevant agenda, off-topic discussions, unpreparedness, and loud background noises. These challenges, however, cannot deny the fact that virtual meetings are here to stay. Gartner data shows that by 2025, 50% of all enterprise virtual events will be held on the video meeting platforms commonly used by organizations today, proving that video meetings are not likely to disappear from our workplace anytime soon.  

What does it take to run an effective virtual meeting that facilitates collaboration, engagement, and communication between in-office and remote teams? 

Common Challenges in Hosting Virtual Meetings

The use of virtual meetings in workplace can raise several concerns, some of the most commonly cited issues are discussed below:

• It can be difficult to pick up on non-verbal cues such as body language and gestures in virtual meetings. For instance, the meeting host or speaker may not be able to gauge whether other members of the meeting are puzzled, distracted or have lost interest.
• Video meetings can lead to Zoom fatigue, a unique kind of exhaustion that occurs when people participate in video meetings for an extended time period. The constant need to focus on screens, lack of breaks, and the difficulty in understanding non-verbal or social cues lead to fatigue and reduced productivity.
• Technical glitches that you have no control over, such as server or internet connection outages, microphone failure, audio problems, crashing of shared applications, or the trouble of logging into a virtual meeting. 
• Many people prefer face-to-face, in-person interaction instead of virtual team meetings. Remote team members may not get enough time to bond with each other and build formal relationships. The result can be a lack of mutual trust which, in turn, can impact your team’s productivity.
• Scheduling virtual meetings could be a challenge when you want remote teams working from multiple locations and different time zones to join the meeting at a reasonable hour.

Best Practices & Tips to Make Your Video Meetings More Effective

1. Turn your camera on during virtual calls

In a prolonged remote work environment, your employees get only little in-person face time with their colleagues, supervisors, or managers. Keeping the camera on during virtual meetings will make your video conferences more accessible, exciting, and intuitive for participants. 

By observing the facial expressions and body language of the participants during a video call, you can pick up contextual cues that are often lost over audio calls or text-based modes of communication such as chat or email. Encouraging your team members to turn on their cameras during video meetings can make them feel more connected, engaged, and productive.   

2. Use interactive tools to increase engagement

Utilizing interactive tools like polls, surveys, quizzes, and breakout rooms during virtual meetings will allow participants to get involved as if they are all in the same space.

Breakout rooms are one of the most popular features in InfinCE video meeting platform that helps create a dynamic virtual meeting experience. Meeting organizers or hosts can use the breakout rooms to divide participants into smaller groups for focused discussions and effective collaboration. 

InfinCE video meeting software allows you to create and launch polls/ quizzes during a virtual meeting and gather the responses from your participants. You can frame customized questions for your polls and see the results in real-time to make informed decisions or next steps. 

Using the Raise a Hand feature in the InfinCE video meeting platform, a participant can notify the meeting host that they want to discuss a point without disrupting the flow of the meeting. All these tools promote better participation and collaboration and provide valuable feedback to the meeting organizers.

3. Allow short breaks between each meeting

Back-to-back virtual meetings can be stressful and decrease your ability to focus and engage. Participants should be encouraged to step away from their screens and take a short break in between successive meeting schedules. It prevents stress from building up. 

Here are a few tips to make your moments of respite successful:

• View breaks away from your computer will help shift your mind and re-energize before joining the next meeting.
• A short meditation break or a simple physical activity such as a stroll will help you feel refreshed and recharged when you start your next meeting.
• Before scheduling a video call, do check if you really require a meeting to discuss the issue or if it can be solved through email, live chat, or document collaboration. 
• Make your meetings more intentional. Create and share an agenda ahead of time, think about who attends the meeting, start and stop on time, and transition to a five-minute recap at the end of the call. 
• Raise your hand, polls and quizzes, breakout rooms, and other interactive tools are great ways to keep your participants involved and elicit creative and strategic conversations.  

4. Find the right balance between virtual and in-person meetings

Despite returning to normal after the pandemic, virtual calls continue to be a staple of the daily business routines. Though virtual meetings cannot completely replace face-to-face meetings for good, they are likely to remain as a part of our working lives as most businesses adjust to a hybrid way of working. 

Here are a few tips to balance both in-person and virtual meetings:

• Choose the meeting type based on the topic or context. If you’re reaching out to a client for a quick check-in, a virtual meeting would suffice. If you want to discuss a major portfolio change or strategy adjustments, it’s better to meet in-person, if possible.
• Schedule virtual meetings and invite participants ahead of time to best manage your time and theirs, especially when you’re collaborating with remote teams located in different time zones.  
• Gauge the complexity level of the issue you’re going to discuss. If you’re tackling a thorny problem that’s difficult to comprehend or is emotionally complex, it’s better to go for an in-person meeting. 
• Finally, choose the meeting type that would be more inclusive. Consider your participants’ availability (proximity) for an in-person meeting. Check if they have a tight schedule that makes it difficult to find a common time for an in-person meeting. In this case, scheduling a virtual meeting can ensure maximum participation and inclusion.  

The Final Word

In the post-pandemic era, the workplace could mean different things for different people. With the erratic work arrangements across companies, individual teams, and industry segments, workers need video meetings more than ever.

The real challenge for employers now is to foster true collaboration in a hybrid workplace setting by balancing remote and in-office employee experiences – and a video meeting platform is the key to achieving that. 

With InfinCE, your organization can experience all the benefits and features of a modern digital workplace. Enable your team to work together from anywhere, using any device with our comprehensive virtual meeting software. Get started today.

Connect with our experts today or Request a Free Demo!

Unprecedented changes over the last couple of years have dramatically changed the way we work. Combine this with amazing technological advancement and what we have is a rather welcome change – that of mushrooming digital workplace platforms. 

Encompassing all things that employees use to go about their everyday work and collaborative tasks, digital workplace platforms typically help manage internal communications, HR tasks, and other communication needs to ensure smooth functioning of a remote workforce. 

From instant messaging apps to high-end social networks, digital workplace platforms have been gaining popularity for all the right reasons. Key factors that drive this are the market availability of new tools, technologies that are advancing by the day, and employees’  demand for greater freedom and flexibility and of course employers’ goals to offer an improved employee experience. 

In this blog, you can discover how InfinCE’s unique pricing model sets it apart as a go-to digital workplace platform.

The Conventional Pricing Model for Digital Workplace Platforms 

Typically, a conventional pricing model works as a set standard price that is built keeping the average customer in mind, precluding potential custom needs of each customer. It is built with a one-size fits all approach that seeks to address market needs as a whole rather than unique needs of every customer. This makes it economical in terms of pricing as it does not particularly factor in specific buying circumstances of customers. A conventional pricing model for digital workplace platforms does not take into account dynamic price sensitivity, or product market segmentation. 

1. Lack of customizability: A traditional pricing model for digital workplace platforms can come in the way of flexibility. It takes a cookie-cutter approach to problem solving and does not cater to specific business needs of an organization. The guiding principle to remember while you set pricing for a digital workplace platform is to realize that it’s not for yourself, but for your target customers.

2. Not anchored in customer value: A traditional pricing model for digital workplace platforms ranks low on sophistication and therefore ignores important factors such as bundling and differentiation. Since remote work platforms need to be agile, flexible, and easy-to-set up, they need to be priced appropriately.

Read more: Is Remote Work Culture Hindering Your Company Productivity & Growth?

The Benefits of a Unique Pricing Model for Digital Workplace Platforms

1. Flexibility and cost-effectiveness: One of the essentials that you should look for in a digital workplace platform is its ability to be flexible. Competitive pricing that offers a trial version before a customer signs up for a remote work platform for a long period of time is helpful to understand fitment and purpose. This flexibility allows you to avoid lost sales due to high prices or missed opportunities due to low prices.

2. Scalability: Since it is based on real-time value, a unique pricing model helps companies scale up or down quickly as and when their needs change. This pricing strategy allows businesses to adapt very quickly to the changing demands of the business landscape without losing much in the process.

3. Improved ROI: Because of the personalized approach it takes to pricing, a unique pricing model for remote work platform helps increase profits by a significant margin. It is customer-focused and tailored to fit the wants and needs of your specific customer.

Use Cases of Unique Pricing Models for Digital Workplace Platforms

Unique pricing models particularly work for those companies that are looking to make their business operations more agile. Since it is guided by a usage-based model, a unique pricing model helps companies the liberty to pay according to how they prefer to use the remote work software. Some of the companies that have gone this route are tools and technologies. 

Working with a trusted IT services provider that has a unique pricing model helps ensure that end-to-end requirements are taken care of – from equipment maintenance and on-site configurations to training and support for your in-house team.

How to Choose a Digital Workplace Platform with a Unique Pricing Model

Criteria to consider when evaluating different digital workplace platforms: The most important criteria to remember while choosing a digital workplace platform is to see how it ranks on scalability and flexibility. Since modern day business needs are ever-evolving and growing, the digital workplace platform must have a server configuration that suits your business requirements and can be scaled up or down, per your business needs. Secondly, 

Tips for choosing the best platform for your business: Based on your unique needs and business challenges, it is important that you factor in the following parameters while opting for your remote work software’s pricing model.

• Cost-effectiveness
• Flexibility
• Scalability

Read more: Top 10 Digital Workplace Platforms Your Company Can Choose From

Conclusion

Choosing the right pricing strategy is important for a business to scale their IT resources up or down based on their needs, while keeping overhead costs at bay. InfinCE, along with customizable pricing options has features to effectively operate and progress in the digital era. Enabling data security, business continuity with private IT infrastructure, instant communication channels, productivity tools and more, InfinCE makes a perfect partner to stay ahead of the digital curve. Learn more about InfinCE today. Request a free demo!

Productivity leakage is a concern when it comes to remote work.

There’s still a debate on whether to work from home or the office. And to settle this debate, we focus on the productivity levels in each working environment. Productivity can only be measured with the amount of outcome generated by the employee.

It’s a common notion that employees are distracted or less productive when working remotely. A leader constantly worries about deadlines, deliverables, team relationships, employee creative levels, and upscaling employee skills that contribute to the company’s goals. However, a survey conducted by Work Trends Study states 87% of employees say they’re more productive when working remotely or in a hybrid setup. 

But employees, on the other hand, might feel a communication gap and lack motivation when working remotely. Employers must ensure a connected workplace with effective and regular communication, feedback, and employee training. Focusing on these factors alone can help companies tackle the challenges of shifting work culture.

With remote work culture growing, particularly given recent trends with companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and SalesForce all announcing new policies for unlimited working from home, it is crucial to stop and see how this change in dynamics might impact the culture at your company. These nearly invisible changes directly impact employees’ happiness, yet data and analytics are lacking to see how remote and hybrid working impacts things.

Regarding productivity, managers who track it down on baseless metrics like working hours, putting a tracker system, and following up every hour, jinx the work culture. In this blog, let’s try to understand how remote work culture directly impacts productivity, internal relationships, creativity, and collaboration and if it is the future of work!

How is remote work culture impacting work productivity?

While working remotely may increase productivity, decrease stress, eliminate real-estate costs, and lower greenhouse emissions, it may cause several workplace problems. Remote work can hurt a company’s culture in several ways; a lack of social interaction may cause workplace relationships to suffer. For those individuals who strongly prefer working in-person, remote work culture’s de-engagement effects can be as severe as 17% lower productivity to 24% higher turnover.

We covered quite a bit of ground on building good communications and developing a positive corporate culture while working with distributed or remote teams. Developing company culture is not simply done for its own sake; it significantly impacts employee retention, satisfaction, and performance.

You need to understand that long-lasting remote working culture impacts how you are perceived by employees and customers, which will eventually define the success or development of the company. But considering the upside of having a remote work culture, especially the cost advantages, it is not smart to completely turn down this culture shift. The only way to still embrace this shift is by ensuring healthy employer-employee or company-staff relationships. And with technological advances today, nothing is impossible!

Read more: How to Keep Your Remote Teams Connected

How can a digital workplace platform help maintain productivity in remote work culture?

There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to rethink the way they operate. For many, this has meant implementing remote work policies for the first time.
While working remotely has many benefits, some challenges also need to be addressed to ensure that productivity levels are maintained.

One way to do this is by using a digital workplace platform. This platform can help facilitate communication and collaboration between team members and help set and track goals.

It can be tough to cultivate a remote work team culture, but it’s worth it. Here are a few tips to help get you started.

1. Defining team culture in a remote work setting

The best way to create a team culture in a remote work setting is to start with the team’s goals and values. Define what the team wants to achieve and how they want to work together. Once these are established, everyone on the team should be on the same page and understand the culture that is being created. It’s important to be clear about what is and isn’t acceptable behavior and have a set of guidelines that everyone can refer to. This will help ensure that the team culture is maintained and everyone is working towards the same goal.

No one can work in a vacuum. To be productive, people need to feel part of a team. A remote work setting can be a challenge when it comes to creating a team culture.

Here are a few tips to help you get started.

• Define your team’s values and culture: What are the things that are important to your team? What are your core values? Defining your values and culture will help you to create a common understanding among your team members. It will also help you to make decisions when it comes to things like hiring and firing.
• Establish rules and guidelines: To ensure everyone is on the same page, it’s important to establish some rules and guidelines. These can include how often team members should communicate, what type of communication is acceptable, and how to handle conflict.
• Encourage team bonding: Even though team members may be working remotely, it’s important to find ways to encourage team bonding. This can be done through team-building exercises, social media groups, or video chats.
• Celebrate successes: When your team achieves something great, take the time to celebrate! This can be done through team emails, social media posts, or even a team video call.
• Be transparent: When things go wrong, it’s important to be transparent with your team. This includes being honest about why something went wrong, what is being done to fix it, and what the consequences will be. Creating a strong team culture in a remote work setting can be challenging, but it’s definitely worth the effort. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating a team that is productive and happy.

2. Managing conflict in a remote work team culture

To manage conflict in a remote work team culture, it is important to understand the dynamics of the team and the culture in which it operates. Effective conflict management involves understanding the triggers for conflict, the communication channels available, and the team’s culture.

In a remote team, there may be a higher chance of misunderstandings due to the lack of communication or facial expressions. This can be exacerbated when team members are from different cultures. It is important to be aware of the potential triggers for conflict and to have effective communication channels in place.

When managing conflict in a remote team culture, it is important to be aware of cultural norms and expectations. In some cultures, it is acceptable to be more direct in communication, while in others, it is considered rude. It is important to be aware of these differences and to adjust communication styles as needed.

By understanding the dynamics of the team and the culture in which it operates, you can better manage conflict in a remote work team.

3. Encouraging team productivity in a remote work setting

To encourage productivity in a remote work setting, setting up some ground rules and expectations for team members is important. This includes clearly defined working hours, communication methods, and expectations for quality and output. It is also important to foster a positive team environment where team members are supportive of one another and are willing to help out when needed. By establishing a productive remote work environment, team members are more likely to be productive and meet deadlines.

Read more: Modernize and Simplify Your HR processes with a Digital Workplace Platform

How InfinCE makes an apt Digital workplace platform

InfinCE allows you to feel more in control of your data and your work-giving you a greater sense of mastery and purpose. It also helps you feel more connected to your team and organization, fostering a sense of community and collaboration matters.

InfinCE: Interactive, Data-Rich Dashboards to Boost Engagement

As an HR professional, you know that employee engagement is essential to organizational success. But what’s the best way to promote engagement within your organization?

One effective way is to use modern dashboard software to create custom dashboards for employees. By doing so, you can ensure that employees have the information they need to stay aligned with organizational goals.

Not only will this help to promote employee engagement, but it will also help to improve communication and collaboration within your organization. So if you’re looking for a way to boost employee engagement, consider using modern dashboard software to create custom dashboards for employees.

A Comprehensive Employee Directory

Looking for the contact information for your entire employee base? Look no further than the InfinCE comprehensive employee directory. This easy-to-use tool provides all the information you need to connect with your employees, no matter where they work. With multiple modes of collaboration available – live chat, one-on-one video calls, and meetings – your employees will stay connected and productive, even when working remotely.

More Productivity tools with InfinCE

Enhance your organization’s credibility with business emails. Store captured business data on documents, presentations, or spreadsheets in a private drive and ensured selective access through permissions and controls. Create events on InfinCE’s calendar, track tasks, and enhance your workforce efficiency easily!

Conclusion 

Various stats have proved that remote work culture has contributed to productivity but, at the same time, has also increased work stress for employees. However, the advent of remote working tools has helped embrace the work culture shifts and continues to enable the company to empower the upside of remote work culture! 

InfinCE, a powerful digital workplace platform, can help your company improve communication and collaboration and maintain transparency to embrace the remote work culture. It’s easy to use and can be customized to meet your needs. Start a free 30-day trial today and see how it helps your company!

With organizations worldwide adapting to either a hybrid or a remote work structure, the shift to a new work order is difficult if there is no digital workplace platform to streamline operations, especially if the company has a mix of on-site and online employees. Companies need digital solutions to ensure that all employees and stakeholders are on the same page.  

During the pandemic, many companies managed to pivot to remote work, but many of them used existing technology overlays to adapt to a hybrid or online work structure. These piecemeal solutions are inadequate and do not have the intuitive design of a digital workplace solution built especially for digital workplaces and put workers at the center of their design. Companies should choose solutions that digitally transform tasks, unify data, drive productivity, and provide intelligent collaboration apps.

What is a digital workplace? 

A digital workplace is a virtual office space designed to help employees work efficiently and carry out their tasks in remote or hybrid settings. Digital workplaces give employees instant access to resources and help them collaborate better. They streamline company workflows, increase productivity, and boost team morale. Digital workplace solutions also enable an always-connected work environment and a seamless employee experience.

There is a misconception that a digital workplace is simply a group of remote workers. Digital workplaces are all about how you work and are not restricted to location.  

According to Deloitte, a digital workplace can manage tasks from your HR applications and your core business applications to emails, instant chats, enterprise social media tools, and virtual meeting tools.

Deloitte points to one of the key requirements of a good digital workplace solution – one that aligns with the company’s business value and connects worker experience to business outcomes.

Read more: Deliver Engaging Experiences with the InfinCE Digital Workplace

Digital workplaces are gaining traction in the remote work culture – here’s why

With digital workplaces, workplace efficiency has increased, and so has flexibility. Digital workplace solutions also equip companies with exciting new technologies that automate mundane tasks and increase the speed that it takes to complete time-sensitive projects.

With digital tools giving employees all the information they need, including troubleshooting guides and company manuals, customer care reps can service customers better. 

We live in a hyperconnected world where the right digital work experience drives workplace productivity. In its roundup of technology trends, Deloitte states that digital workplaces are gaining popularity because organizations need to use technology to optimize team productivity and collaboration to stay ahead of the curve. In particular, companies can derive incredible benefits from the actionable data generated by these tools and the AI-driven people analytics solutions that can drive superior workflow management solutions. 

A Gartner survey backs this up by reporting that 56% of CEOs attribute increased revenue to digital improvements. Many companies invest in digital workplace solutions because they know that these tools promise measurable returns, which accounts for their growing importance in business.

How Digital Workplace Solutions Make Remote Work Easy And Profitable 

Digital workplace solutions are built to make it easy to work virtually and remotely. They provide powerful enterprise productivity tools that help companies optimize workflows and create an agile workforce. Their tools work in sync with employee workflows, and they help companies adapt to the complexities of the new workforce.  

Digital workplace platforms help remote team members to collaborate easily. Employees can share files, manage cases, track project statuses, and enjoy a single integrated view of multiple workflows. This ensures that all employees and departments are not working in silos and that there is a more transparent, integrated working environment where team members can track project statuses, leads, define tasks, and set deadlines.

Digital workplace platforms provide collaboration tools that employees can use to work across locations and time zones. Digital workplace solutions also automate repetitive tasks, provide an integrated work experience, and increase employee engagement. They have also re-engineered organizational structures and cultures, with workers being more connected with leadership and employees having access to company data. 

Read more: Ensuring Digital Wellbeing With The Right Digital Workplace Platform!

Here’s How You Can Identify The Right Digital Workplace Solution 

When looking for the right digital workplace solution for your company, look for a complete digital workplace toolkit. While many piecemeal digital solutions offer communication tools, it’s the collaboration tools that truly make digital workplace solutions very useful. There is more to digital workplace productivity than ad-hoc digital solutions. Instead, look for a digital workplace orchestration platform that transforms how people work and collaborate. Unlike generic digital workplace tools, digital orchestration platforms are designed to help companies boost efficiency, scale operations, work on continuous innovation, and deliver proactive and intelligent people analytics.

Here are some aspects to consider when choosing the right digital workplace solution for your company.

• Go for personalized and intuitive solutions: Every company is different, so it is important to go with a customizable digital workplace solution that allows you to choose off-the-shelf software or SaaS per your requirements.  
• Look for collaboration tools: Choose a digital workplace platform that provides workgroup chats, group meetings, audio and video conferences, and other collaborative tools. Also, favor a platform with a unified dashboard to manage daily operations seamlessly. 
• Prioritize productivity tools: Go for platforms with important productivity tools like smart email management, simplified multi-app management, calendar management, time tracking, and collaboration channels. Look for tools that can monitor the progress of projects and employee performance. 
• Choose a people-focused digital workplace platform: With remote work, employees and teams need to be constantly engaged and motivated to work and collaborate efficiently. Choose platforms with intra-organizational tools that foster a sense of community and engagement.  

With an orchestration platform like InfinCE, you can simplify your processes and choose only the features you need, thereby controlling infrastructure costs. InfinCE’s modern tools unify data and give you a competitive edge over other companies. Want to increase your profits and drive great business outcomes? InfinCE helped a company like Fingent improve productivity by 20% due to its incredible digital workplace orchestration platform.

Fix a demo session today or talk to our experts to know more about InfinCE.