The last two decades have seen a dramatic shift in how business is performed with the introduction and adaptation of various technologies. We now have more part-time employees as work-life balance becomes an important factor for professionals. Additionally, there is more need for employees to work shorter hours, supplemented by an upsurge in flexible and dynamic benefits.  
Here, we look at five technological breakthroughs that are revolutionizing the office.
 
1. Cloud Technology 
Cloud-based technology has streamlined the way we work by offering a vast amount of flexibility and security. It gives a lifeline to businesses that struggle with bandwidth and also makes for better collaboration and the sharing of documents by allowing employees to work on the same document from anywhere in the world. This saves time and provides wider scale document control. Additionally, cloud technology’s competitive market means that smaller businesses can be served as well as larger ones.
 
2. Big Data 
The more data a business has at its disposal, the more it can do, as big data can be analyzed for insights that lead to better decisions and strategic business moves.
 
3. Wireless technology 
Wireless networking has changed the office space in quite a visual way by minimizing the need for wires and cables. The technology allows employees to be plugged in and accessing information from anywhere within their workplace. This, in turn, enables teams to work together more collaboratively. 
Faster sharing and faster updates to documents boost productivity. Wireless systems allow workers to do their job better, as they are able to share and update documents from anywhere - not only from domestic locations but global ones too. Lastly, a wireless office leads to a reduction in paperwork and makes for a cleaner office space.
 
4. Video-based technology 
Whether for interviews or cross-office communication, the reliance on video technology is growing fast. Participants can attend a global video conference meeting without leaving their desks. Strong visual communication via a slew of software products enriches the end-user experience. Video training content has begun to eradicate the need for on-site trainers, once the backbone of the office culture, and directly ties in with the development of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in the workplace.
 
5. Virtual and Augmented Reality
VR and AR are two different mediums that complement each other very well. An easy differentiator is that AR works with objects in the real world, while VR operates in an artificial world. From a business perspective, both AR and VR have the ability to tap into the sensory and emotional area of the brain.  
Imagine a conference being held in New York City and those who can’t make it in person, attend via VR. They’d receive an immersive experience whereby they could look around the entire venue and get data pointers as the key speakers address the audience. VR is already being used in video-based training, where one instructor can reach a global class. Closely tied in with this is AR and business cards using AR tech are already in circulation. Projection based augmented reality uses data based on your location and is widely used now by smartphones.
 
These tech breakthroughs are revolutionizing the workplace, allowing us to become more streamlined and collaborative. Productivity is increasing too and employers now require specific digital skillsets to cope with this change. Take a look at our technology jobs today and find your next exciting role.