Although there are many ways for businesses to increase productivity, one of the most important and rapidly growing areas revolves around the cloud. Ranging from various cloud-based applications, storage, and more, the cloud is what many businesses are turning to in order to move forward and ensure that their business is productive and scalable. Some companies might be skeptical about transitioning to the cloud, and although it’s not without its challenges, here are some of the top four ways the cloud can help businesses increase productivity.

Enables flexibility and the ability to adapt quickly

One of the most important things for any business to prioritize is the ability to react quickly and effectively to change. The cloud can be a main component of this core ability, as using a cloud storage facility means that you’ll have access to all your data and information whenever, and more importantly, wherever. Considering current events as a prime example, businesses with many physical assets may have struggled with the transition to remote work due to COVID-19. Utilizing cloud storage means you can access your files from anywhere on a variety of devices such as a laptop, desktop, or mobile device.

Using cloud computing services in this manner means you have the potential to transition to a more “bring your own device” (BOYD) friendly environment. One study shows the BYOD market is set to be valued at more than $350 billion as early as 2022, which is a 1,123% increase compared to its $30 billion valuation in 2014. A BOYD policy has its challenges, but if executed correctly, has the potential to save your company a great deal of money, in addition to its ability to improve efficiency. Companies could significantly decrease spending on devices for employees, and many employees may feel more comfortable and effective on their own devices due to prior knowledge and familiarity with how they operate.

Promotes and aids in collaborative projects

Collaboration in companies has a very “goldilocks” element to it; not enough communication and things fall through the cracks and employees become disoriented and unproductive, too much communication and nothing ever gets done due to the constant stream of meetings and information. The cloud can help businesses become more efficient in their collaboration due to several aspects, the first being the ability to access documents and files from various locations. The requirement for close-proximity is removed from the equation and allows cloud collaboration at a higher level, which means people can remain flexible while not sacrificing any efficiency.

In addition, the cloud allows for multiple users to access and work in the same document, which creates more immediate feedback and provides great opportunities for brainstorming and collaborative work. The feedback or review process is often time consuming, for good reason, but with this aspect being able to be completed in real-time, it eliminates the lag that existed previously. Users are also able to view and interact with other people in the same document, adding suggestions or questions while actively working on the file.

Leading a team while remote comes with many challenges and some of them can be mitigated with the help of the cloud. People can often feel isolated or less of the team while working remotely, however, using the cloud creates more opportunities for people to be involved with projects without needing to be in the room and can help remote employees, who might otherwise feel left out, a way to participate and contribute. Working with colleagues in real-time can help increase productivity in addition to helping people work more efficiently and as part of a team.

Lessens opportunity for data loss

One of the most sought-after solutions that the cloud provides is the elimination of large quantities of physical assets. This can help protect your data due to the fact that with physical data, such as various flash drives and hard drives, there is a greater opportunity for the loss of data. Physical items are prone to be stolen, misplaced, or lost, and this can create many issues for businesses, from loss of important information to more long-term issues such as security threats and damage to reputations.

While using the cloud, your ability to lose data due to corrupted files or deleted information is also significantly reduced. With data stored in the cloud, it is consistently backed up, and the chances of losing your data is extremely low. In the event that something like this happens, many cloud providers also offer a strong data recovery solution. 

The cloud does offer many services regarding data backup and recovery, however, it’s important to be sure that information is safe from external or malicious threats. Although your data might be safe from corrupt files and lost flash drives, it’s crucial to look into adding some identity and access management solutions to ensure your data is safe from potential hackers or thieves and is only being accessed by intended parties.

Creates opportunities for cost savings

The cost savings that the cloud can provide comes in many forms; one of the most interesting to many businesses being the flexibility of the services offered. Many cloud providers have flexible offerings, and businesses can increase or decrease the quantity of services needed based on current events or other calculations. This is very effective for businesses who are scaling quickly or simply want the ability to reel back in their spending in a short amount of time. You can increase or decrease the amount of cloud storage or the level of access to cloud-based applications due to the nature of the cloud not requiring any physical assets or long-term commitments. 

In a similar vein, a great deal of savings can come from the reduction of physical assets required by companies. Many businesses with a great deal of information or computing needs have large data centers and other physical assets that can be very costly to maintain. Many cloud services are held off-site and are maintained and operated by the provider, meaning businesses are not charged for powering or tasked with the repair and upkeep.

Transitioning aspects of your business to the cloud can prove instrumental in helping your business outperform expectations and grow quickly. The cloud enables an additional level of flexibility for unforeseen circumstances and can help expose companies to new ways of thinking. The added benefit of increased ability to collaborate can help teams work more efficiently and manage information in real-time.

Constantly having backups for important information can help reduce the fear of data loss, and preparing for external threats can aid companies in thinking proactively. The potential for cost savings that cloud computing offers is immense and can come from multiple sources, making businesses less dependent on specific benefits from cloud services. The cloud can greatly help businesses increase their efficiency across all aspects of work and can be implemented over time allowing companies to gauge effectiveness and better plan for the future.