We’ve been here the whole time, you didn’t notice?

The world is turning digital as remote work skyrocketed due to Covid-19. This unprecedented move into the virtual world caught too many organizations and too many people off guard. Tech hasn’t always been ready for a global foray into the unknown…but it has been for a while now. There are several aspects of the technology industry that are booming as companies and individuals realize the potential.

Zoom and Houseparty

Dwarfed by the branding of Apple, Google, and Microsoft, Zoom and Houseparty weren’t household names in the video-chat space until recently. Now you can’t go two days without someone asking for a Zoom party or to “get in the house.” You want to know what that did to Zoom’s valuation? You guessed it, it zoomed to the top (sorry). There are numerous options, that have been around for years, to meet digitally. It’s not a daunting task to meet online anymore. If your grandma and grandpa can figure out how to FaceTime, I’m sure your organization can figure out how to host an online meeting with a client. You’ll save money, time, and brain cells.

Death to your airline status

You remember all those companies that said you can’t work from home? What about the companies that said you dress the way you perform? Or what about how you must meet your clients in person? You know what all those companies have in common now? They’re conducting business virtually. This doesn’t solve the challenges for every industry, there are numerous businesses not built for a digital world. However, the shock of this pandemic has companies second guessing their long-standing beliefs. They realize the companies that moved aggressively into the virtual world years ago are better suited for the future than they are. If you lived on a plane for the last 10 years, your airline status is going to take a hit moving forward. And it’s the best thing that could happen for our families, our environment, and our productivity.

Collaboration made easy

Microsoft Teams usage over the past month has risen 700%. Read that one more time. Seven. Hundred. Percent. That type of increase could cripple a company, but Microsoft only saw a few minor outages as people rushed online. Slack and Teams are just a couple of the productivity and collaboration software platforms out there. They’re all seeing significant increases in user adoption. Do you want to seamlessly collaborate on a document? Do you want to connect with the entire company instantly? Do you want knowledge transfer, data management, and consistent back-ups? These are all features of digital collaboration platforms. There is simply no need to print documents or work in an office to accomplish any of these tasks. If you want best in class collaboration, do it online.

Ok…Maybe you don’t have to play outside

The World Health Organization is suggesting people stay inside and play video games. Did you ever think health and video games would be uttered in the same sentence? If you didn’t, you haven’t been paying attention. Online gaming platforms have seen significant increases in users. Twitch, an online streaming platform, is not only hosting game streams but college classes. Are you going to satisfy physical health while playing video games? Not really. But do you want to leverage your problem solving, communication, adaptability, and social skills? You can do that online. In fact, nearly 2 billion people play some sort of video game. eSports has been trying to crack into the mainstream for decades. You know what’s been playing on ESPN recently? eSports.

Get on(line) or get left out

The world has changed overnight, and technology will be the backbone of how we enter our future. No longer do we have to meet in person all the time. No longer do we need to live on planes. No longer do we have to be in an office to collaborate. And no longer will video games be anti-social. Embrace the online world or be left out.

If you are interested in learning more about this topic, please download our report on virtual negotiation, Negotiation without a table, below.