Many companies have abandoned the need for physical offices in modern times. Experts say that employees being able to work remotely is a 180-degree change from a perk to becoming a business necessity.
“Who says there will be an office at all?”Tom Austin is vice president of Gartner, a Stamford-based technology research company. “Already we work from Starbucks, in the car and at our kids’ softball games.”
But, Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer isn’t the only one who doesn’t like this idea. In-house memos were sent out last year by Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!, stating that employees had to come into the office. This is despite studies showing that home-based workers are more productive and have lower real property costs. They also have better employee morale which results in less turnover. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 6 million Americans work at home.
Switch (Switch) is another tool that helps to accelerate this transformation in business.www.switch.coGoogleApps users will now have a business phone system that can replace their old phones with new software designed to allow mobility.
“Switch makes sense for anyone who realizes their business phone system that serves a desk is broken,”Craig Walker, the founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based business.
Switch, Walker’s latest project, focuses on modernizing traditional phone calls — starting with companies using Google Apps.
Google Apps users can easily be imported into Switch. This allows companies to get up-and-running in minutes. Users can log in with their Google Apps account to have instant access to the company directory. Switch provides access to the latest Gmail messages and upcoming Calendar events while on a call.
“Switch puts the power of the phone back into the hands of the user with your work number on your own device, enabling you to stay connected and productive from wherever your work and life take you,”He says.
Pricing for all companies is $15 per employee per month, which includes unlimited domestic calls and texting and a free company phone number. Visit www.smartcompany.com for more information. www.switch.coOr call 844-9 SWITCH.
