{"id":15835,"date":"2021-02-22T07:30:57","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T07:30:57","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=15835"},"modified":"2023-01-16T16:56:20","modified_gmt":"2023-01-16T16:56:20","slug":"10-best-online-workspaces-and-how-they-can-be-used-to-support-a-hybrid-workforce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/10-best-online-workspaces-and-how-they-can-be-used-to-support-a-hybrid-workforce\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Best Online Workspaces and How They Can be Used to Support a Hybrid Workforce"},"content":{"rendered":"

More and more companies are moving to a hybrid working model, with some employees working remotely and some remaining onsite. Since the lockdown <\/span>over half<\/span><\/a> of the UK\u2019s workforce has been working from home in some form or another.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hybrid working has been around for some time, especially in the tech industry. Employees whose work can be done from anywhere have pushed for options that allow them to reduce their commute, and maintain other commitments around their workday. Pre-pandemic, Statista\u2019s data shows that <\/span>4.61m people<\/span><\/a> worked from home in 2019, with 8.06m part-time workers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even with this in mind, there has been a huge shift to <\/span>remote working<\/span><\/a> due to the coronavirus pandemic.\u00a0 Companies are finding it difficult to decide when or how often staff should visit the office, adapting their approach according to government advice which changes all the time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea of putting 7000 people in a building may be a thing of the past.\u201d\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Jes Staley, <\/span>head of Barclays<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

For the time being, hybrid working is a current reality – and many companies are suggesting that a hybrid model will be the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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What are online workspaces?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As the name suggests, online workspaces are virtual centralised environments that can be accessed via the internet by groups of users that require access to the same content. They provide a place for employees to <\/span>collaborate and communicate<\/span><\/a> both with each other and with clients. Online workspaces offer a way to manage any number of projects efficiently at the same time or asynchronously<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over recent years online workspaces have increased in numbers<\/a>. Like video conferencing apps, they’ve improved, offering more effective tools, better customer support, safe file storage and faster data availability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Workspace widgets have become invaluable for businesses regardless of their industry. They can eliminate geographic barriers, enable hybrid working, and help employees work \u2018on the go\u2019. Regardless of their device or location, employees can share files, exchange ideas, and get their work done.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are two types of workspace: public and private. Public workspaces are available for everyone within the organisation to join whereas private workspaces cannot be accessed without an invite – so members must be granted permission before joining.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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What are the key features of an online workspace?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

1. Availability of real-time activity streams<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Workspaces can provide live activity streams that can be seen by all members of a workspace in real-time. Team members can see who had made a change, to which content, and when the content was changed. For example, everyone can immediately see if a team member has uploaded a new version of a report or added an event to the calendar.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Collaboration and communication\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Using powerful collaboration features, entire departments can access an online workspace. And These allow team members to share their opinions, information and updates with others, <\/span>synchronously<\/span><\/a> from anywhere and at any time. Workspaces are the perfect place to share announcements, contribute to team discussions, and ensure everyone is up to date on projects’ progress. Means of communication include video calls, team messaging, and company-wide threads.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Document management<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Online workspaces are the ideal places to get documents signed off quickly and efficiently. They\u2019re also important for keeping track of feedback and making updates transparent between team members. Files can be locked (version-controlled) whilst changes are being made, so everyone always has access to the latest version of a file.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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4. Project management<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Just as they are on a company intranet, everyone can be kept in the loop about department tasks and events in a virtual workspace. Projects can be assigned either to the individual or team members as a whole. It\u2019s also possible to set up workspaces for individual projects, such as designing a new product and business-wide communications. You should expect:<\/span><\/p>\n