Business has forever been a world of change. If we think of it – change has been the only constant factor given the proliferation of so many technologies since the last couple of decades. While change has occurred in all aspects, the workplace is where some of the most glaring transformations have taken place. Let’s take a look at two of the biggest changes that are set to transform workplaces like never before.

Here comes the first…social media.

Social impacts workplace

The charm of social media is not going to wear off anytime soon. And, while it has oft been accused of being a time-suck and a total distraction, today’s workplace is taking cues from social media itself. However, this is a lot different from consumer social channels like Facebook or Twitter, which are open public platforms.

Enterprise social tools apply the same social media principles to the workplace that people use to share information and kindred interests. These tools enable knowledge exchange, sharing of files, and important data between teams across different departments and locations. Private and shared workspaces allow employees to work efficiently by collaborating with their co-workers.

Mobile Social

Social takes workplace collaboration to the next level

Today’s social-minded millennials prefer social media as a mode of communicating with the world. As such, they like to replicate the ease and benefits of social media communication in their workplace as well. Shortage of a collaborative environment and lack of communication are two aspects that the modern workforce feels challenged with. But why? It is due to the increasingly remote nature of work culture that’s on the rise. Virtual teams located in different geographic areas need to communicate and the need is even stronger in this case. This is why collaboration is a crucial factor today in getting the work done and projects completed without many hiccups. Social tools can address these issues by fostering better collaboration and better teamwork.

Social CRM is one such tool that has been doing rounds for some time now. Pulling and filtering relevant data from the Internet, this tool is helping the workforce strengthen its interactions with the web. Major CRM platforms such as Cisco, Salesforce, Microsoft and SAP are integrating social into their offerings to help make the most of social for business purposes.

Now for the second…mobile.

Mobile transforms communication and collaboration

Workplace flexibility and remote working are two reasons why mobile is swiftly making its way in the workplace. The increased demand for collaboration and seamless communication is slowly earning mobile its place in today’s workspace. New mobile apps and innovations enable sharing of files, documents and data between multiple users while the growth in mobile usage has led to mobile video conferencing, an extremely useful feature that helps virtual teams and remote workers to have meetings, discussions and group chats cost-effectively.

Another trend that’s currently making waves is that of BYOD – bring-your-own-device. This is essentially the concept that allows employees to not only carry their personal mobile devices to work and but also to use their favorite apps and cloud systems in the workplace.

With these transformations in motion, we are advancing towards a future where social and mobile will dominate even greater aspects of business that they are already doing today. And, that future, my friend, is just round the corner.

This post was brought to you by IBM for Midsize Business and opinions are my own. To read more on this topic, visit IBM’s Midsize Insider. Dedicated to providing businesses with expertise, solutions and tools that are specific to small and midsized companies, the Midsize Business program provides businesses with the materials and knowledge they need to become engines of a smarter planet.

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