Whether it’s information or engineering, technology has revolutionized the business world in more ways than one. While trends in this field will never stop evolving, the simplification of the most basic organizational functions has taken businesses by storm. While the demand for virtual offices represents this trend, there are other exciting virtual technologies that are drawing attention.
While it may have taken some time to get up to speed, the adoption of virtual business practice has shown advantages that are hard to miss. People are no longer required to show up at your workplace to provide their services. Virtual technologies and trends have answered some complex problems by removing geographic limitations, creating access to diverse skill sets, opening up new opportunities, and ensuring profitability.
The practice of running a virtual office space has been around for over a decade. As this technological field continues to develop, a variety of techniques are constantly emerging, presenting to the world what lies beyond the ingenuity of virtual office spaces: the virtual world. This upward trend has led companies to take more advantage of the “virtual” phenomenon and make things simpler and more convenient.
Virtual Roles Trending Today
Virtual teams
Virtual teams work across space, time, and organizational boundaries with links that are strengthened through networks of communication technologies.
However, what makes a virtual team a strong workforce are these simple characteristics:
Variety in Choice: The ability to choose from a variety of talents and individuals not just near your location, but anywhere in the world, based on the exact service they require, increasing your options tenfold.
Easy communication: As organizations build their global teams, software like Microsoft Office 365 and Lync video conferencing make it easy for them to communicate and collaborate.
No geographical constraints: A virtual workforce also bypasses any trace of geographical constraints, giving flexibility to this remote team and ensuring higher productivity.
virtual assistant
Personal assistants (PAs) are no longer required to be tied to their cubicles to perform their tasks. Virtual assistants (VAs) perform the same functions and more.
Independent entities with a precise set of skills, virtual assistants shape their work hours around the convenience of their employers while saving important resources like time and money.
Competition is already fierce among these people from all over the world with dozens of skills in a variety of fields. Websites like Elance and People Per Hour provide the necessary platform where virtual assistants can bid on the tasks of their choice. At the same time, companies receive a detailed view of the skills and experiences of their potential employees, making it easier for them to choose the best talent.
With self-employed VAs working from their home offices, your employer doesn’t need to worry about labor costs, sick leave, compensation, benefits, or payroll taxes. This advantage makes VAs more productive than a regular assistant as they realize that their income is entirely dependent on flawless execution of assigned tasks.
Virtual classrooms
There is no end to learning and that is also true in the business world. Between keeping up with one’s homework and learning new lessons and techniques that come along almost every day, there is sure to be a lot to manage in one life.
Another virtual invention made accessible by technology is the virtual classroom. A combination of classroom training and self-paced e-learning, virtual classrooms also save a lot of time and money.
One of the best examples of virtual learning would be the Microsoft Virtual Academy. With virtual classrooms, one does not need to worry about traveling to a class or reserving in advance to attend a conference. Anyone looking to get a head start on her field need only sign up for her course or live event of choice and log in to “attend” her lessons.
Interactive and immersive, instructors and their students can also communicate in real time through text, audio and video chat. Virtual classrooms allow your students to download lectures and presentations, as well as test themselves with quizzes. Ultimately, this provides more room for improvement.
server virtualization
Server virtualization is the conversion of a single physical server into multiple virtual machines using specially designed software, often controlled by the administrator. As in any field, the maximum use of resources is preferable, server virtualization is another service that offers just that.
An organization, whether large or small, relies on a certain number of servers for its technical functions. Typically, a single server is used for a single application. Technology-based writer Jonathan Strickland claims that if multiple applications can use a minimal amount of processing power, the administrator could merge multiple machines into one server while simultaneously running multiple virtual environments.
This method of consolidation helps companies dramatically reduce the need for physical space. It also eliminates the need to purchase expensive hardware and extensive CAPEX. The reasons for using server virtualization are financial and technical in nature, but this trend also advocates the best possible use of fewer resources.
data virtualization
With data virtualization, one can manage any data by using an application to access, retrieve, or reshape it without having to acquire its original path or physical location. Wayne Eckerson, Director of BI Leadership, relies on TechTarget’s research service to pinpoint some of the top uses for data virtualization.
Data virtualization helps test the effectiveness of a data-driven application before it is physically hardened on data warehouse storage. It helps improve a particular bit of data or applications by acquiring external data from other resources.
When a business urgently needs a data-intensive application anytime, anywhere, instead of purchasing the physical source, developers can use data virtualization software to immediately build the application when needed.
Data virtualization considerably reduces the time spent on data development and support while increasing the speed of access to the information required at all times.
Today, even traditional businesses with a legacy are turning to modern virtual options. The advantages and efficiencies of the virtual world are many, flexible and undeniable, therefore this is what makes it one of the most chosen office solutions for new businesses. Especially for organizations looking to push their boundaries with regards to geographic limitations.