Virtual Workplace

Meister & Mulcahy (2018) suggests that the virtual workplace is the emerging economic technology. Technology is transforming the nature of the work in the world economy. Through technology, people can work anywhere and at a time through some technological devices. Therefore, technology is globalizing the workplace and offers full-time work cycle. The virtual workplace is the application of technology that facilitates decentralization of work activities. People don’t work from the same place.

The other name of the virtual workplace is the gig economy. Just as the virtual workplace, gig economy is a business condition where there are common temporal positions along with the organizations’ contract dubbed with the individual workers for short-lived engagements (Donovan, Bradley & Shimabukuru, 2016). Gig economy or virtual workplace encourages a higher number of temporal workers than regular permanent workers. Most of these workers work online or technologically.

According to Donovan, Bradley & Shimabukuru (2016), the virtual workplace has some advantages or benefits. Some of the standard benefits of virtual workplace include: 1) cost savings; 2) productivity increment; 3) employees’ autonomy and efficiency; and 4) larger pool of candidate and resources. Through virtual workplace, companies create and encourage worker’s flexible work schedule. Most of the employees like the freedom and autonomy in scheduling their programs. This will enhance motivation and commitment among the employees.

Meister & Mulcahy (2018) claim that most of the companies in the world are implementing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). BYOD is a condition where organization workers are applying mobile tablets and devices to execute their duties and responsibilities. The reason as to why contemporary business organizations are implementing BYOD is the nature of the workplace. Technological has digitalized the workplace into the virtual workplace. Therefore, to remain viable and to retain and engage gig economy workers, the company ought to embrace online connections and internet networking like BYOD. The BYOD project saves money, increases employee responsiveness, improves business productivity and holds the company to a cloud-focused business (connected).

Human resource plays a significant role in the virtual workplace/gig economy policy. The human formulates policies and enacts programs that encourage employee autonomy and responsiveness. Additionally, the human resource approves and advocates the importance of technological advancement. Therefore, embrace these policies to ensure employee performance and satisfaction (Kavanagh, Thite & Johnson, 2009).

References

Donovan, S. A., Bradley, D. H., & Shimabukuru, J. O. (2016). What Does the Gig Economy Mean for Workers?.

Kavanagh, M. J., Thite, M., & Johnson, R. D. (2009). The future of HRIS: emerging trends in HRM and IT. Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, California: SAGE Publications Inc, 409-418.

Meister J.C. & Mulcahy K.J. (2018). Future Workplace Experience, ten rules for mastering disruption in recruiting and engaging employees.