5 Ways to Use Video Conferencing at Work

An increasing number of companies are implementing video conferencing as standard practice in their business. Software is so versatile that it can be used anywhere from a desktop, to a tablet or smartphone. Employees can conference from anywhere in the world, cutting down greatly on travel expenses and keeping colleagues connected with one another. Here are 5 creative ways video conferencing can be used at work:

1. Train New Employees Remotely

When a new hire comes to the office, they often need to be trained on unfamiliar systems, or how to download their paycheck, how to use Google Docs etc. Often the trainer is overrun with questions via emails, calls, or they have to keep going to the new help's desk to show them what to do. With video conferencing, there is no need for the veteran employee to leave their desk. Screen sharing features allow you to see first hand if they understand your instructions, as well as allow you to model face-to-face the task at hand.

2. Shorten the Interview Process

If you are a company that uses phone screening as the initial part of a face-to-face interview, you can save time with video conferencing. Eliminate this step and get it all done at once, because you can see how confident and secure the candidate is, and how well they handle the medium that is non-traditional. This is especially effective for large offices or call centers that hire many employees at once. Screen sharing software can even let the company test the prospective employee's skills as they watch in real-time.

3. Broadcast Online your Offline Event

If you are producing an event that is taking place in a location that is not accessible for everyone, use video conferencing to broadcast it. This way those clients and remote employees who cannot attend will be able to feel like they are part of the gathering.

4. Create Global Teams

Globalization is making global work teams increasingly the norm. There are even companies that have no brick and mortar home base. Video conferencing allows teams to work remotely, and create virtual meeting spaces from wherever and whenever they want.

5. Offer Clients An Easy Way to Meet Up

It is very difficult in the business world for people to sync up their schedules, as well as for your client to take off chunks of time to meet with you. A better option is to offer them a chance to video conference for meetings or questions that come up. This will make them feel that you care about their time and keep the meeting personal, while you eliminate wasted time.