Since 2015, and the introduction of iPad Pro, the Apple Pencil, and the Smart Keyboard, the line between what a traditional PC (e.g. a laptop or desktop) and a mobile device has never been more fluid and nebulous. Apple has continued to blur that line with OS feature additions such as split-screen multitasking, drag and drop, a true file system via the Files app, and most recently, the introduction of system-wide cursor support in iOS 13.4.
All these little changes add up to much more than the individual components, and increasingly offer more consumer and IT-driven choices than ever before. It has never been easier to work anywhere, at any time, with little more than a 1 pound iPad (.45 KG), a keyboard, and a pointing device. Paired with SaaS products like Office 365, Slack, and Salesforce, traditional workflows which bound individuals to their desks are now mobile, always connected, and more accessible to everyone.
Increased flexibility is never a bad thing. In 2020 we live in a world where office life can be disrupted. Human mobility, and personal interaction itself, can be disrupted. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic, everyone is looking for ways to make their workforce more independent and capable. Empowering yourself and your workforce with the right tools and support is crucial to maintaining productivity and it’s possible to maintain forward momentum if forward-looking tools are implemented in advance.
The entire enterprise space, across all verticals, are being pushed in ways they have never been pushed before and there has never been a better time to evaluate the tools and systems we use to get our work done and stay connected. We have all been forced to ask ourselves “What if I can’t make it to the office?” and “Can my team do X remotely?” If the answer is ‘no’, is that process scalable? Does it help you with your business objectives? Are your tools right-sized for your needs?
Introspection can be overwhelming, but it can also lead to growth. By challenging the status quo and evaluating the everyday tools and processes used to get work done, increased agility and scalability can be found. I personally challenge you to try to do a task with a tool you’ve never used for that purpose before. Maybe that means using your iPad to do something you’ve never thought possible on that device. Maybe it means looking for automation tools that make you seem super-human to your colleagues and clients.
There will always be certain tasks that are slightly easier to do on one device than another, but easy may not always be available, and sometimes availability and access are more valuable than ease of use. As the old adage goes “perfection is the enemy of good.” Always look for the good because perfection is hard to find.
At G Squared we constantly strive to be ahead of the curve and able to see the challenges ahead. To that end, we have implemented cloud-based tools with which our workforce can provide peace-of-mind and continuity of support to our clients. If you are struggling to maintain your organization's productivity and support your team please feel free to contact lake.lucas@gsquaredwireless.com to see how we can help you and your team today.
- Lake Lucas