Many organizations are stuck in the "we have always done it like this" way of working: the staff spends 2-3 hours every day commuting to and from work to sit in front of a computer or on the phone. I think future generations will smile (or cry) when they think of how many organizations required staff to be in the office to work in a digital world when we have lots of technologies to support virtual work. A friend of mine spends 2 hours every day commuting to/from work, and she has now worked for her employer for 10 years. This means that she has spent 2 hours x 5 days x 48 weeks x 10 years = 4800 hours commuting, or 1.6 years! This is time that could have been spent working or relaxing with her family.
Below are a few simple tools that I have used the last years to supplement (and in some projects almost replaced) my usage of email and phones.
Skype
I use Skype to ping and call colleagues and partners, but also have conference calls and share presentations and documents with screen sharing.
![](/sites/default/files/Skype.jpg)
Google Docs
I often use Google spreadsheets, word processing, and sites to share and collaborate on documents with friends and colleagues.
![](/sites/default/files/GoogleDocs.jpg)
Yammer
My organization uses Yammer to improve internal communication and transparency. Colleagues share ideas and inform the rest of the organization about projects and new initiatives.
![](/sites/default/files/Yammer.jpg)
Google Reader
I use Google RSS Reader to be notified about new content, articles, and comments. This is supplemented by Google Alerts that notifies me about other relevant content.
![](/sites/default/files/GoogleReader.jpg)
TweetDeck
I use Twitter hash tags to keep up-to-date with industry trends and perspectives. Many people look at Twitter as a time waster, but I think I learn a lot about relevant stuff that I may not have found on my own.
![](/sites/default/files/TweetDeck.jpg)
There are many other relevant tools out there, but I thought I would share some of the tools I use the most to collaborate with colleagues and industry contacts. Learn about other tools by visiting the free Enterprise 2.0 Buyers Guide.
#Skype #twitter #Knowledgeworker #AIIM #Google #VirtualOffice #TweetDeck #enterprise2.0 #Yammer