Small businesses, telecommuters, and independent contractors who have given video conferencing a try-out find the tool to be a cost-saving means of connecting team members for improved communication and collaboration. Video conferencing abilities forge a strengthened team environment among contributors no matter where they’re located.
Face-to-face meetings
Face-to-face meetings yield higher impact and substantially better results. They just do. Humans are designed for personal interaction, so naturally we respond more favorably when members can benefit from physical cues.
Keep expenses down
When a face-to-face meeting is critical, video conferencing is efficient in terms of speed and also eliminates travel expenses, which can be expensive not only in terms plane tickets and hotels, but also with regard to hours spent traveling that could be used working.
The work-at-home preference
As a whole, Americans prefer to work from home. Employers who can provide that option have built in a substantial perk. Telecommuting also creates added capacities for retention, providing an avenue for keeping critical team members in place when dynamics and staffing changes might otherwise force other choices. The talent pool is also extended beyond geographic boundaries.
Easing work-life conflict
Studies have shown that those who telecommute report increased satisfaction with excelling in both work and personal life. They tend to be more productive, for starters. Parents, in particular, enjoy this option for a number of reasons, one of which is the potential to reduce or eliminate child care expenses. Fitting everyone into the standard 8–5 pm box can cost companies in many ways; in this context, it enhances natural productivity times that vary from the norm for the greatest contributions.
An added bonus of video conferencing is that it’s a green solution, as travel and the resulting environmental impact is reduced. For companies with sustainability initiatives in place, video conferencing provides another check in the plus column.
