The world of work is changing rapidly. As the pace of business increases, so does the need to communicate effectively with colleagues across time zones, continents, and even oceans. The internet has changed the way we do business and communicate. It has also created new etiquette, privacy, and security challenges.
In this post, we will look at the following aspects.
- Electronic communication
- Etiquette for Electronic Communication
- Global connectivity
- Information distribution
- Virtual Reality (VR)
- Remote working/ Virtual Teams
- Privacy issues
- Security issues
1. Electronic communication
Let's start with the first topic in the list, electronic communication. Electronic communication has become a part of our daily lives. We use it to send messages, share photos, videos, and more.
It may interest you to know that over 70% of people prefer to communicate using email instead of telephone calls. So if you want to succeed in any job or career, having good skills with written English would be helpful.
As mentioned above, the main advantage of email is its ability to transmit information quickly and easily among recipients. But there are still times when people prefer to speak face-to-face. That's why teleconferencing and videoconferencing are becoming popular. Teleconferencing allows two or more people to meet virtually.
2. Etiquette for Electronic Communication
There are some things to keep in mind when using email or other forms of electronic communication.
- Don't send sensitive information via public email. For example, use your bank's protected messaging system to share information instead of Gmail.
- Always make sure you address emails correctly and check spelling and grammar. You may want to consider using a professional service like Grammarly to check your writing.
- You should also avoid abbreviations like "LOL," "ROTFL," "ROFL," or "WTF?" These can easily be misunderstood.
- When replying to someone else's email, be courteous.
3. Global connectivity
Another aspect of electronic communication is global connectivity. Today, people from all over the globe can connect through the internet. As technology advances, people can be connected anywhere on earth. They can talk face to face, video chat, call, text, or tweet. With the advent of social media and mobile apps, people can connect from anywhere.
This means that you can now reach out to anyone from anywhere in the world. However, this comes with its own set of problems. One problem is that you might have to deal with different time zones.
4. Information Distribution
In today's world, the ability to access information is almost instantaneous. You can get news stories, sports scores, weather reports, stock quotes, and much more online.
The problem that many people face is that they don't know how to look for information or where to find it. Internet is composed of millions upon millions of websites. However, not every website has useful/reliable information to offer.
5. Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is becoming increasingly popular. In the future, virtual reality may become a mainstream form of entertainment and personal computer interface for people worldwide. Virtual reality can be used to create visual environments and experiences that immerse users in another environment or place beyond their physical presence. It uses special hardware called head-mounted displays, which track your movements. These devices are connected to computers running software applications specifically designed for VR headsets like Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Playstation VR, etc. These have been introduced to the public by various companies.
6. Remote working/ Virtual Teams
Because of Covid-19, there has been a massive shift in the way people and companies operate. More and more people prefer to work from home or in remote locations. This includes employees who previously worked in an office setting but do not need to meet up with colleagues at the workplace. Instead, they can communicate remotely through video conferencing tools such as Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, etc. Companies have started offering flexible hours and telecommuting options to accommodate these changes.
7. Privacy Issues
With the use of technology for communication comes the issue of privacy. This could be the privacy and confidentiality of data or personal privacy. For example, when using Facebook, we share our personal details such as our name, phone number, address, interests, likes, dislikes, etc., with other network members. We also make this information available to third parties. This is done to target us based on our preferences and interests.
8. Security Issues
Security issues come into play whenever you use any kind of technology. Cybercrime is on the rise due to the increase in digital transactions. Hackers can take advantage of weak security systems and attack them. They can hack into databases, steal money, credit cards, and even delete files and emails.
Conclusion
Technology would continue to change over time because of new inventions, improvements in existing technologies, or simply the introduction of newer ones. Technology will continue to evolve and change over time. With the advancement of technology, we will be able to solve some of the challenges that we currently face. We should learn to appreciate the benefits that come with each technological innovation.