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Author: Eric Apps, Organimi
Eric Apps is a seasoned technology entrepreneur, lawyer and early pioneer of today’s growing modern workforce methodologies. Eric has owned, operated and held board or senior management positions in several public and private technology companies. Today he is partnered in Aluvion and Organimi, Canadian law and technology firms, where he is an early adopter and advocate of building virtual teams and services to grow his companies. By leveraging the power of new technologies to streamline workflows, while utilizing a virtual network of highly skilled, and highly responsive professionals to develop his companies, Eric is a thought leader and advocate for the growing freelance/gig based economy.
Organimi is a cloud based, easy to use, low cost alternative to traditional software org chart design tools that enables users to easily create and share org charts, photo boards, and directories. The Canadian start-up allows organizations of all sizes, industries, and workforce modernizations to organize how they communicate and collaborate wherever, and however they work.
Drawing on feedback from a growing user community across thousands of organizations including well-known brands such as Airbnb, eBay, and Kayak. Organimi developed V5 to simplify the process of creating an org chart and increase flexibility for modern organizations looking to create direct representations of complex organizations. They have also made it easier to share org charts with members across organizations to increase transparency and limit knowledge gaps.
“We listened and our users wanted more flexibility to accommodate their diverse needs for their organizational structures, so we opened up options to customize the tool to their preferences, simplifying the overall use case regardless of their organizational structure.”
-Eric Apps, Organimi Co-Founder
Organimi’s main users of the platform include: business owners, faith based and not-for-profit organizations, sales reps, account managers, consultants, educational organizations, government departments, agencies and other public sector groups and virtual organizations.
Organimi is free for up to 50 members. Sign up today at https://v5.organimi.com/register
Organimi is a cloud based, simple organizational chart maker. Based out of Toronto and Waterloo, Organimi is charting organizations of the future. The company founders have embraced the changing nature of the modern workforce to create software that is flexible to accommodate different organizational designs.
How to ask your boss that you want to do your work from home?
Is It Time to Take Your Organization Virtual? Here Are the Signs It Is
The on demand skills based economy is here. With today’s top talent adapting to the new climate of the workforce, organizations now must find new ways to engage and retain their staff while bringing in the best talent available as needed to survive and thrive in complex economic times. The workforce has taken their careers and income earning opportunities into their own hands and crave the flexibility that virtual organizations provide. Whether you need to incorporate contract or freelance work into your operations or want to give flexible working arrangement incentives to your existing permanent team, there are many benefits to taking your business virtual.
Below are a few signs it may be time to take your organization virtual.
Your Industry Has Already Shifted
Does the competition incorporate contract and temp work for their teams to execute projects and deliverables? Do they have satellite offices with less overhead dispersed throughout a greater geographic region than you? You may be paying for more office space than is required or missing opportunities for growth by not shifting alongside your competitors that are gaining more market share through virtual teams and contracted project management.
Accessing the Best Ability When You Need It, Cast a Wider Net for Talent
Human capital is and always will be critical for organizations to grow. The top talent of today’s workforce is already embracing the shift of the gig economy for their careers. Contract and freelance work for projects may be one of the only options for reaching some of the most talented professionals that you do not have access to in traditional employment engagements. Leverage the strengths, talents and skills of top performers available to compliment your permanent staff. Changing up your business model to attract and leverage the best talent available for your organization is critical and inevitably necessary. There are specific projects or initiatives that do not require full time engagement, try contracting out this work with the support of your existing team.
There is Flexibility to Be Gained by Both Sides with Less Commitment
A short term project to gauge ongoing working compatibilities allows each side to have less binding ties than an official employment contract. By allowing both sides to test the waters, there is flexibility to expand working relationships or simply part ways conveniently for both parties.
You Already Leverage Collaboration Tools in the Cloud
The cloud is here to stay and the same tools that are used for internal personnel communications and document management, have made their way into the workforce. The same affordable tools already invested in, can be leveraged by personnel logging on from anywhere. Programs such as Office 365, Dropbox, Slack and Google Drive allow teams to collaborate from dispersed locations in different time zones to accomplish tasks and achieve goals remotely. Implementing electronic systems and procedures will be necessary but also provide the necessary guidance and structure to improve operational efficiencies and help designate roles and responsibilities between members of the virtual team.
You Want to Incorporate Work from Home Policies as an Incentive
More and more companies are realizing the benefits of an engaged workforce by offering the flexibility to incorporate part time working from home policies. As with any incentive, it has to be carefully managed so teamwork can be developed through defined deliverables with accountabilities in place. Conference calls, in person meetings, team brainstorming sessions can help teammates engage virtually while allowing them designated time to manage their personal and professional lives more flexibly.
You Need to Scale with Speed Affordably
Small dispersed teams optimally performing are considered a threat in today’s workforce. With the right mix of trust, relationships and business process, virtual teams can deliver unprecedented results with the right controls and check and balances in place. Having a plan in place with defined goals and objectives so the project delivery can be optimized by the virtual team’s performance will be a key to the team’s success.
Your Management Team has the Soft Skills to Manage Virtually
Teamwork and accountability can be fostered through well-defined objectives and project management milestones. Team engagement through regular meetings that encourage brainstorming, strategic discussions, presenting and reporting will help make the virtual team successful. Periodical in person face-to-face meetings and engaging collaboration tools that allow you to share mini bios and personal pictures can help develop comrade from teams that do not regularly work together. Leaders of virtual teams need to have the right balance of soft skills and technical aptitudes to adapt their management style accordingly.
Is it time to take your organization virtual?
About the Author
Eric Apps is a seasoned technology entrepreneur, lawyer and early pioneer of today’s growing modern workforce methodologies. Eric has owned, operated and held board or senior management positions in several public and private technology companies. Today he is partnered in Aluvion and Organimi, Canadian law and technology firms, where he is an early adopter and advocate of building virtual teams and services to grow his companies. By leveraging the power of new technologies to streamline workflows, while utilizing a virtual network of highly skilled, and highly responsive professionals to develop his companies, Eric is a thought leader and advocate for the growing freelance/gig based economy.
The HR Tech Weekly® 
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