What is a “Virtual Office Platform” and How Can it Help You Work Remotely?

Truth is, when we started collating all the tools and technologies available to facilitate remote work, we discovered solutions and opportunities that we didn’t even know existed!  One of these, was the virtual office platform – what does that even mean, we asked?  Turns out that a virtual office platform can revolutionise how you work – bringing back some of the sorely missed social interaction, emulating the serendipitous drop-in conversations so essential to innovation, and – vitally – helping to perpetuate the culture of your business.  In our latest whitepaper, Remote Work; The CEO Perspective, culture was identified by CEOs as one of the biggest challenges in working remotely.

So, a solution that can help build and protect your company culture whilst working remotely can only be a good thing.  We sought out Matthew Lloyd from Wurkr, one of the top virtual office platform providers and asked for the low-down on how exactly they can be used and what their benefits are. Here’s Matthew:

The Benefits of Virtual Office Platforms for Remote Workers

by Matthew Lloyd

The concept of a virtual office platform is still foreign to a lot of us. Many people are still not 100% sure as to what they entail and what you can do with them. We’re here to help. Here at Wurkr, we have come up with a list of 10 things that you can do within your virtual office platform.

1. Interviews

Interviews are essential to any type of hiring process. In the age of the increasingly digital workplace, why not host your interviews within your own digital office? Thanks to Wurkr, you can invite candidates into your office using a guest log in, allowing them to experience the virtual office platform and conduct an interview as if you were in the same room.

2. Onboarding

Following on from a successful interview, it is important to onboard new team members. Just like you would in a physical office, you can clarify expectations and welcome new employees to the team. You can also easily introduce everyone in the team, by clicking on each room, whilst also helping the new team member acquaint themselves with the platform.

3. Internal Meetings

Meetings are integral to office life! Sometimes they are scheduled but other times they are sporadic and spontaneous. In a virtual office there is no need to book in a conference call for an internal team meeting. Send your team a quick message and ask them to meet you in whichever room you wish. For more private meetings, you can even lock the room to deter anyone else from joining.

4. Client Meetings

As we all know, meetings are not only for team members! Important client meetings can still take place no matter where your clients are based. Send your client an invitation into the office and meet them at reception as you would in a physical office. You can even invite multiple guests at once so that you can have everyone present at your meeting.

5.“Watercooler chats”

It is often noted that video conference calls do not allow for those treasured watercooler chats in the workplace. However, the ability to move rooms and interact with your colleagues individually in your virtual office means that watercooler chats are no longer strictly reserved for the physical office. Teams that may have never met before in person are able to interact as though they are in the same room regardless of their location. Moments like these are integral to a fully functioning working environment as they promote teamwork and employee satisfaction and help you to build and nurture the company culture.

6. Collaborate on projects

With video, audio, messaging and screen-sharing features, collaborating on group projects has never been easier. Groups can easily work together on projects within the same room. There is no need for in-person meetings for group projects. Whether it’s a professional or study related project, Wurkr gives you the tools to get your work done.

7. Ask for help

Asking for help in an office environment is as simple as going up to someone and asking a question. However, these days many remote workers are left nursing unanswered emails concerning issues for which they need urgent assistance. This is not the case in a virtual office. You can simply send a message in the chat or turn your audio and video on to ask a question. Thus, you can have your questions answered in a matter of minutes, allowing you to get back to your work.  Our clients are finding this particularly valuable for new starters, who otherwise miss the hands-on mentoring they would get in the office.

8. Do not Disturb

People chatting in the background can be a major distraction. In a physical open plan office, there is not much scope to escape the noise. With Wurkr you can simply find an empty room and lock it to ensure that your colleagues know not to disturb you whilst you get on with your task.

9. Break time!

Remote Working can often make employees feel pressured to be present and always at their desks. Just like in any office, coffee/tea and lunch breaks are essential, not only to maintain productivity levels but also for your mental health. Let your colleagues know that you’re on a break by simply moving to the break room, then go stick the kettle on and take a few minutes to yourself.

10.Leave the Office!

Many feel as though they work more hours whilst working remotely than they would in a physical office. Leave the guilt behind and switch off at the end of the day! Virtual offices are a great way of securing a work/life balance whilst working remotely. Say goodbye to your colleagues at the end of the day and log out.  By logging out of the office you can leave the workday behind  you and focus on enjoying the rest of your day.

We hope you can now recognise the endless possibilities of things you could do with a virtual office platform and hope you try some of them out yourself as we navigate this new normal.

Work Together From Anywhere with Wurkr. Sign up today for your own virtual office at wurkr.io