When the global pandemic sent nearly half the workforce home, video conferencing became the new norm. Video conferencing has brought people and businesses together for years but this past year it has been a lifeline for many. However, what most businesses didn’t realize was how many benefits came with it.
Saves Travel Time and Expenses
The obvious attraction to video conferencing is not having to travel to make your meeting. Saving both time and money by bringing your meeting to you. Commuters have benefited greatly by not having to spend hours in the car driving to work. And as gas prices surge that is a notable saving. Not to mention the cost associated with airplane tickets and hotel bills. Time is money and we are saving more on both ends.
Human Connection and Communication
Human connection has never been valued more. Working from home can feel isolating and lonely at times. Video conferencing has uniquely brought us face to face (sort of). But often, we don’t realize that communication is much more than just words. Body language and voice tone can’t be seen or heard in an e-mail. But through video conferencing, you get the whole package. This is particularly useful for interviewing as well.
Stronger Attendance
Stronger attendance has been noteworthy as people aren’t debilitated by travel, location, and weather conditions. With today’s technology, you can be anywhere to attend a meeting. This allows flexibility which encourages attendance.
Increased Productivity
Video conferencing has increased both productivity and efficiency. Real-time communication makes problem-solving faster and communication clearer. Allowing people to move on to the next task. Having structured start and end times for meetings discourages a lot of unnecessary chit-chats. Further, video recording capabilities are useful for training, record-keeping, and meeting minutes. All of which, can take up a good amount of time.
The Downside
People have to get used to it. With all-new technology it brings change and not all people are comfortable with it. It requires coordination and planning. There can be glitches that make hearing difficult at times. And some people aren’t comfortable in front of a camera. But eventually, that will go away as it becomes the new norm.
