2020 will undoubtedly be remembered as the year in which companies were forced to completely change the way they worked and had to adapt to working remotely during the Covid-19 situation.

We have already talked on other occasions about the advantages and disadvantages of working from home. Now it is time for you to get to know all the possible options offered by this type of work, so in this post we will tell you what they are so that you can choose the one that best suits your needs.

The pandemic is not the only reason why professionals are opting to work from home. Increasingly, entrepreneurs are opting to take advantage of the possibilities offered by new technologies and are joining this movement.

The ease of working from anywhere in the world, the cost savings (especially transport costs) as well as the possibility of using time more efficiently are the main reasons why many people decide to switch to telecommuting.

Remote working models

In the current scenario, the concept of the office has been reinvented. So before we start talking about the range of possibilities you have to work from home, it is important that you are aware of some of the models that exist today.

Of course, every company is different, but it is true that most experts agree that there are five new models of “remote offices” that are emerging.

100% remote office

This first model is what we know as remote working itself. In this case, the physical office as we imagine it does not exist, so everything is digital and found on telecommuting platforms. The employee performs his or her tasks from home or from coworking spaces.

The main challenge is to overcome the lack of contact between the team, as there is no physical meeting space. Thus, the solution lies in a technology that is both appropriate and robust in order to avoid this problem.

Hybrid model

As the name suggests, this model attempts to find a solution that combines remote working from home with working in a physical office.

For example, a number of days a week (or even a month) can be set aside for coming to the office, while the rest of the days are spent teleworking. You could even split the working day into two, with the morning being face-to-face and the afternoon remote (or vice versa).

This model eliminates the obstacle found in the previous model, as teamwork can be carried out face-to-face in the office, although it has the disadvantage of the costs associated with it.

Remote “plus” model

This model shares some features with the previous one. The difference is that instead of days, full weeks are set in which the employee must come to the office. Normally, one week per month in person and three weeks per month from home, but they can also be alternated.

In this way, no matter where the employees live, they can meet at least once a month without disrupting the work dynamics.

“Hub & Spoke”

This system is similar to the two previous ones, but in this case, it is recommended for companies with small offices distributed in different locations. The work groups or employees coincide punctually to meet certain objectives, but without having to travel long distances.

Importantly, it provides the advantage of working face-to-face in the office that best suits the individual’s location and for as long as they can, while the rest of the time remote work is done from home.

Total flexibility or resultant work

In this model it is not so important how much time is spent on the work and whether it is remote or face-to-face, but what quality it is. Here it is necessary to conclude that each person has different obligations, so it is possible to reconcile work and personal life.

An employee can work 4 hours one day and 8 hours the next, but what is really monitored is that the resulting work is good. For this, trust is an essential factor.

What are the solutions for working remotely?

Now that you know some of the ways to work from home, you should know what kind of solutions are available to choose the one that best suits your needs.

Virtual PBX

Managing business calls while working remotely can be complicated if you are not physically present in the company.

One solution could be to link your personal number to the company number, so that incoming calls are transferred to your own number. However, if you make calls to customers on your personal number, you run the risk of customers contacting you outside your working hours.

In this case, the alternative is the virtual PBX. This allows you to receive and make calls from anywhere and from any device. All you need is an Internet connection.

In addition, you can set up different functions, such as voicemail, personalised messages and office hours, so that work doesn’t take up your free time.

Unified Communication Solutions

These solutions are based on integrated communication channels on a single platform from which it is possible to access all information quickly and without having to connect to the device from which you work in the company.

These services include voice, messaging, audio, video conferencing and data channels. All these elements in one place make it possible to solve a problem more quickly. It also allows team members to communicate efficiently and simply via the same platform.

In addition, these solutions integrate monitoring systems that allow you to find out the availability status of colleagues in order to make internal communication more effective; to find out the status of a partner; and to choose the right time and communication channel.

They are generally used in companies that require agile and effective communication, not only internally but also externally.

At Fonvirtual, we work with WebRTC technology. This technology allows us to manage not only the virtual PBX but also the unified communication channels we have just mentioned on the Internet, without the need to download additional software. As the system is entirely in the cloud, you can access it from any browser, with any device, anywhere in the world.

WebRTC technology greatly facilitates communication, both external and internal, by providing direct, real-time contact. Finally, as it requires no installation, you will be able to reduce costs and enjoy the benefits of working remotely.

If you still have any doubts about which teleworking solution is best for you, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help you.