Virtual Workplace Environments - Research Paper Example

 Virtual Workplace Environment: Employees Relation Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Abstract 2 Overview 2 Virtual workplace environment technology background 3 Virtual workplace working scenarios 3 Virtual team 4 Hot desk environment 4 Telecommuting 4 Tele-working 5 Virtual workplace environments Office facilities 7 Virtual workplace environments requirements 7 Transition process system and Virtual workplace environments 8 Advantages of the Virtual workplace environments 9 The need-for more flexibility 9 Reduce costs 10 Increased productivity 10 Increased awareness 10 Quality of life 11 Appropriate technology and the changing business culture 11 Centralization 11 Disadvantages 12 Management difficulties 12 Communication difficulties 13 Social isolation 13 Technical problems 14 Implementation 14 Conclusion 15 Bibliography 15 Abstract This research paper presents the detailed analysis of the virtual workplace environments. This paper presents a detailed overview of this new paradigm of the business and organizational working environment. This research essay will also provide a deep and detailed insight into the virtual workplace environments. This is a new age of technology that has minimized the distances among distantly located workplaces. Now there is a new term of Virtual workplace environment that incorporates the facilities of collaborative working among people those are located at remote locations. Overview Virtual workplace environments in an upcoming term in technology based organizational, business, community, governmental, etc. working atmosphere. Now organizations have no bonds on the far-away locations regarding the working and collaboration. A virtual workplace is a location of work that is not to be found in any one physical areas/location/place. On the other hand, a number of workplaces are technologically associated or connected (by means of the web based link/Internet) devoid of observation to distantly located geographic limitations. People are therefore capable to relate as well as effort by means of one another in a work together situation in spite of of where they are in the world. A virtual place of work reduces needless expenses through incorporating technology procedures, processes, people as well as online processes. Virtual workplace environment technology background With the help of IT technology, which is playing a huge function in the every day processes of organizations nowadays, virtual workplaces are opening to make over the customary office working environment of workspaces as well as office structures. Global organizations have observed a most important augment in commerce in the earlier decade because of the globalization as well as extensive utilize of expertise / technology. In 2008, it is accessed that more than forty one million business workers globally have worked in any case one day per week virtually. Also sixty five percent of virtual team associates have understood they have by no means been concerned in a resourceful team-building conference as well as thirty six percent of the group members had never get together to their fellows confronting each other (Dempster, 2009). After the opening of the internet we have got a massive augment in huge data transfer at distantly placed functioning places. This technology has also affected the organizations and communication subdivision. Now bounds on the distances have vanished. These new means of the data and communications have facilitated to have enhanced dealings communication among business workers and organizational personals (Magid, 2006). Virtual workplace working scenarios As the movement of the virtual workplace environments has grown there are different structures and shapes of the virtual workplace environments have become visible. This section of the paper will discuss a number of these areas and sectors. Individual virtual workplaces differ in how they relate obtainable technology to ease team collaboration. This paper covers the three most important and most popular approaches regarding and team working and collaboration (Dempster, 2009). Virtual team Virtual team is the most modem state of affairs regarding the virtual workplace situation. On the other hand, this technological environment has the teamwork of workers functioning intimately in cooperation and in stable contact but is in point of fact situated in dissimilar fractions of the world. Hot desk environment An additional most admired technology regarding virtual workplace environment is hot desk atmosphere where organizational personnel are not prearranged personal working desks. Here they have allocated to a desk each day, where they are able to right to use the email, internet as well as computer system files. In such working environment workers spend extra time at the customer’s office moderately than at the organization’s office. Here employees do not have a permanent working desk. Telecommuting Telecommuting is a facility or service that presents the ease of access as well as utilization of communications proficiency and facilities like that as the internet, to job and work in an offsite place (Magid, 2006). Tele-working Tele-working is a new-fangled name specified to the virtual workplace environments. In our present-day culture, information has built into a crucial factor for business accomplishment. The demand for information as a "raw material" is on the rise all the time. Irrespective of time or place, on the other hand, information should only be made available to people who are approved to make use of it (Scholtz, 2006). The prerequisite for this is the networking of information systems. This enlargement will be accelerated by the modifications taking place in communication. There has been a succession from inactive to mobile users, with satellites holding the promise of global accessibility (Miroljub et al, 2001). All these exceptional capabilities of extraction and broadcasting of information mean a massive increase in on the whole effectiveness (Mitchell, 2003). At the same time, on the other hand, they enlarge the risk of information declining into the hands of not permitted persons and consequently being altered. Therefore, there is significant users mistrust toward this modem technology and the extensive social consensus required in order to benefit from it has not yet evolved (Christine et al, 2000). Tele-working is a elastic system of working which holds an extensive assortment of work actions, all of which necessitate working tenuously from an employer, or from a traditional place of work. Tele-workers may be employed or self-employed (Scholtz, 2006). Under this collection telecommunications are used to connect those carrying out the work with those commissioning it. Work may be promoted, commissioned, prohibited, examined, and delivered with the help of telecommunication networks and systems (Markby, 2000). Tele-working may be part-time or full-time and encompasses persons that are working at home (e.g. experts and programmers), people carrying out their jobs from home (e.g. sales staff) and people working at local centers such as Tele-cottages or neighborhood offices (Miroljub et al, 2001). Tele-workers come in numerous shapes. A long-distance, full-time Tele-worker spends the majority of his/her time working tenuously from co-workers. The work location for the Tele-worker can be permanent or the Tele-worker could tour between several selected locations in a wandering fashion or the Tele-worker could be a traveler, traveling to a number of locations, both new and in the past visited (Markby, 2000). A short-distance, permanent Tele-worker works driving distance from co-workers except does this on a permanent basis. Another time, the location for this type of worker could be unchanging traveling, or roving. An impermanent Tele-worker works from both short and long distances, and from fixed locations, nomadic locations or roving locations (Mitchell, 2003). Talking about the Tele-workers and work in a virtual office, it is straightforward to fail to remember that further than the organizational innovation and roundabout work restructuring there are people. These people are bound up in such changes, but their concerns and characteristics cannot be modified as effortlessly as an organization downsizes or reconfigures itself (Mitchell, 2003). Individual workers become Tele-workers for an assortment of motives, and for the most part these are considered as positive terms (Scholtz, 2006). The Tele-worker from home, above all, is repeatedly described as a predominantly lucky individual, with a life-style and working life that is to be envied (Miroljub et al, 2001). In this section we have reviewed briefly some of the main issues that need to be understood if this general perception is to be more closely examined. Virtual workplace environments Office facilities The Virtual workplace environments office outline would come together self-contained offices with open areas where collected resources would be offered. Each office unit would present seclusion and a contented working atmosphere (Scholtz, 2006). If apposite, safe and sound storage facilities would be offered for users' files, reference documents, or' other items. Making use of the premises and facilities could be offered through (Miroljub et al, 2001): Telephonic Operator or voice-mail Electronic mail facilities Typing and word processing services Personal computing equipment or docking Communications systems Access to external networks Pre-reserved work suite 'Walk-in' ad hoc access Preeminent company work suite Regular timetables booking A typical Tele-centre would provide Virtual workplace environments requirements Virtual workplace environments is an elastic working practice and at the same time as conceptually it has been in existence for a number of years, it is only just beginning to be recognized in a formal way and to be regarded as another component of a comprehensive personnel strategy. The reasons why it is taking time to turn out to be a common practice are numerous and wide-ranging. A virtual workplace environment fluctuates from many of the other flexible practices mentioned above, in a number of characteristics, e.g. (Christine et al, 2000): It has need of watchful and detailed planning from many parts of the organization, e.g. personnel, IT, communications, facilities management, finance, legal, health safety etc. Carrying out activities at a distance can create supplementary demands on management expertise, predominantly purpose setting, remote supervising and communication. It has need of acknowledgment of the human resources issues linked with staff working remotely, e.g. feelings of remoteness, the need to establish criteria for the selection of appropriate jobs and people. On the other hand, virtual workplace environment is previously practiced in the preponderance of organizations, but in an informal style, and as the exclusion rather than the average. It is usually reserved for those activities, which turn out to be imperative and will not get done in time, if gone to be done in the office, for instance, the vital report for the MD, evaluation reports etc. The remuneration of carrying out these activities at home, with a smaller amount of interruption, are in the main accepted by managers and result in the ability to get the job done, on time and often to a higher quality with less overall effort (Cynthia et al, 2005). Transition process system and Virtual workplace environments This section of the paper will discuss about the accomplishment of the virtual workplace environments in the management and handling of the transition processes for an organization. An organization can integrate virtual workplace environment for following reasons (Miroljub et al, 2001): Top management obligation is compulsory to facilitate the cultural changes which are expected to be required, such as changes in management style, managing for results not by physical presence, changes in work practices and the need for IT and communications support. There are needs to be an energetic champion to constrain through and facilitate the program. A Virtual workplace environment guiding principle and undoubtedly established actions need to be formulated and promulgated. A systematic approach is required towards the watchful planning required in order to make the most of the benefits. There ate needs to be a pilot run in order to test and tune the strategies and actions, assess the force on the organization, personnel and customers and enumerate the benefits wherever possible. Advantages of the Virtual workplace environments The need-for more flexibility The accomplishment of this infrastructure will add more flexible working environment and efficient problem handling, for each corporate crisis that is faced by the business (Berry, 1996). Reduce costs Organizations are seeking to diminish fixed costs-the costs that come off the bottom line of the organization. There is also a restriction to transfer fixed costs to variable costs anywhere this is potential, pushing these costs out to the cost centers where they are incurred (Morant, 2003). This is giving rise to a rush forward in interest, on the part of huge organizations, in third-party sites or neighborhood offices, which can be attributed to precise cost centers (Berry, 1996). The accomplishment of the virtual workplace environments infrastructure would be able to diminish the amount of capital tied up in office facilities and the resources these facilities require for maintenance (Christine et al, 2000). Increased productivity More than ever, there is a stress on organizations to turn out to be more competitive. There is no room for self-satisfaction; every occasion to enlarge staff efficiency must be examined. The huge prospective productivity enhancement of virtual workplace environment workers cannot be neglected. Employers are recognizing that commuting, with the time it devours and stress it causes is not similar in temperament with high productivity of employees (Miroljub et al, 2001). Increased awareness This point is about the better customer handling and management. This accomplishment will boost the on the whole organizational production as well as the superior customer support and handling. Here the customer will be able to obtain most modern technological and efficient facilities for the online transaction and product (plant) searching. By this way there awareness regarding the better services will raise (Miroljub et al, 2001). Quality of life By dropping the workload on the organizational personnel by giving to them all the facilities at the same place will boost their quality of life of the organizational workers. This technology will enhance the employee’s power to handle the system in a better way (Christine et al, 2000). Appropriate technology and the changing business culture We have reached at that stage where the technology to enable virtual workplace environment can be taken for granted. The augmented influence and use of transportable computers has freed executives from their desks. The installation of E-mail systems and other more complicated groupware technology has made work less and less reliant on place (Berry, 1996). Centralization As theorized, the quantity of centralization was originated to be appreciably different between those organizations which are adopting virtual workplace environment and that not adopting virtual workplace environment. A number of reasons for this affiliation were previously expressed (Markby, 2000). Because virtual workplace environment is essentially a decentralized technology, implementation would meet with not as much of resistance in decentralized IT departments. On the other hand, centralized managers may be functioning as "gatekeepers" who prevent innovative ideas or who may be failing to carry out the interface role successfully (Morant, 2003). Centralization was not found to be noteworthy to the combination of virtual workplace environment. As a result, among those who already accepted the virtual workplace environment, centralization did not act as an impediment to the infusion of virtual workplace environment (Miroljub et al, 2001). Disadvantages This section is about the potential disadvantages of this virtual workplace environments technology. Here it will be discussed that how this technology will present some potential disadvantages regarding the effective management and handling of the organizational tasks. As one would be expecting, the forces for more flexible ways of working are counteracted by others which are tempering the approval of virtual workplace environment. It is noticed that major employers were unconvinced of virtual workplace environment and well thought-out it only to have significance when recruitment and retention of staff were of significant importance. Some were reported to feel jaded that so many endeavors have been put into programs which were stopped when labor market situations changed, or which failed through ineffective management (Christine et al, 2000). Management difficulties This section is about the one major difficulty regarding the virtual workplace environment technology which is the effective management of this infrastructure. The accomplishment of virtual workplace environment presents momentous challenges for managers. Management by output rather than by input is the only process of examining and controlling remote virtual workplace environment workers. Managers of virtual workplace environment must be able to entirely hold the ideas of management by objectives. This requires a more exceedingly expert management and in many cases a higher management overhead where virtual workplace environment personnel are concerned (Miroljub et al, 2001). Communication difficulties When taking into consideration the implementation of virtual workplace environment within an organization have to think about the communication system. A communications ‘audit’ will give you an idea about how individuals interact inside the organization and to be victorious, virtual workplace environment must try to be like these communication systems (Markby, 2000). Technology exists to pact with most types of communication: extensive band technology for ‘broadband communication’ and narrow band virtual workplace environment for less difficult communication needs. The decisive concern for the accomplishment of victorious virtual workplace environment is not technology but rather an understanding of the communication system which virtual workplace environment is looking for to imitate (Berry, 1996). Social isolation Social isolation is commonly well thought-out to be the utmost disadvantage of full-time, home-based virtual workplace from the virtual worker’s point of view. The research suggests that virtual workers’ desire for social contact may be a most important constriction in the progress of full-time, home-based virtual workplace particularly for menial, repetitive types of work (Miroljub et al, 2001). Technical problems Technical troubles are frequently quoted by managers as a rationale for not implementing virtual workplace. In a latest survey specially made by the Department of Employment, five percent of non-homework employers look forward to virtual workplace to dace technical problems, whereas less than one percent of practitioners in point of fact come into sight to have experienced such problems (Morant, 2003). Implementation Organizations can put into practice of virtual workplace environment network through an appropriate and planned way of accomplishment. The first step implicated is the market research regarding the search of the more successfully virtual workplace environment system. In this system we will implement the more effectively benchmark. Then after that we should device the plan to modernize the on the whole organizational system through a sequential way. Because we can not discontinue the whole network at once, so we have to implement the system in a step by step way. This implementation may also integrate the testing of each component of the infrastructure. The last stages of this new system will incorporate the cost benefit analysis of the implemented technology. Conclusion This research paper has provided a detailed overview of the virtual workplace environments. This paper has presented a detailed overview of this new paradigm of the business and organizational working environment. It has discussed the verity of virtual workplace environments. It has also discussed the different shapes of virtual communication. The paper includes the main advantages and disadvantages regarding this technology implementation. 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