If you’re not sure whether to move to the cloud or not, you may be weighing many pros and cons. One of the most important things to think about is the return on investment (ROI), which depends a lot on the question, “Will cloud computing make employees more productive?”

Many companies have found that cloud computing can help improve employee productivity in many ways, such as by making communication easier, cutting down on downtime, and making it easier for employees to work together.

However, before we get into the numerous advantages of cloud computing, it’s important to understand the various cloud models that are already in use by organizations.

Here are some brief descriptions of three of the most well-known cloud models – SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS.

  1. SaaS: Software as a Service (SaaS) apps like Microsoft 365, Google Suite, Salesforce, Dropbox, and others are well-known to most of us. Almost 77% of businesses and organizations around the world now use SaaS. These apps are easy to use from anywhere with an Internet connection. IT staff don’t have to download and install apps on each computer, and the best part is that the SaaS vendor takes care of all the technical details.
  2. PaaS: PaaS, which stands for “Platform as a Service,” lets software developers use cloud components, or a “framework,” to make their own apps. This platform is delivered over the web so that developers can focus on making their apps instead of worrying about hardware infrastructure or operating systems. Google App Engine, Windows Azure, AWS Elastic Beanstalk, and others are well-known examples.
  3. IaaS: IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) gives you the infrastructure for cloud computing by using virtualization technology. You can think of this as a “virtual data center” in the cloud. This lets IT administrators have full control over their cloud environment without having to physically maintain the infrastructure, like servers, operating systems, and storage. Among the numerous examples are companies like Rackspace, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft Azure.

Now that you have a high-level idea of the three most well-known cloud models, let’s move on to the many ways cloud computing can help make employees more productive!

Facilitates Employee Collaboration

One of the more well-known benefits is that it helps employees work together better. With cloud technologies, employees can work together and talk to coworkers in real-time, no matter where they are. Platforms like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Webex, Zoom and a lot of others make it easier than ever to connect.

Many of these platforms also have places to store documents, which makes it easy to find and share information with your team. Cisco did a study that found that companies can increase their productivity by as much as 400% by using these kinds of collaboration technologies.

Supports “Bring Your Own Device” Practices

In the U.S., 87 percent of companies now depend on employees using their smartphones to access mobile business apps and services. The “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) trend is made possible by cloud computing. This helps employees be more responsive and productive by giving them access to cloud-based apps and services at home or on the go.

Optimizes the Use of In-House IT Resources

Most cloud applications, especially SaaS, take care of day-to-day maintenance, freeing up in-house IT resources to work on more important and strategic projects. Depending on the application, there may still be some work to do, but this can be done in-house or by a Managed Service Provider (MSP).  

Adapts to Market Condition

Cloud computing gives businesses access to the most up-to-date tools and the ability to grow or shrink as needed. This means that businesses can respond quickly to changes in the market without having to spend a lot of money. Employees can be more productive if they have the tools they need to do their jobs well and have access to the newest and best technology.

Integrates with Existing Systems

Most platforms for cloud computing are made to work with other software applications. This means that employees can switch between tools without having to manually move information from one to the next, which can take a long time and lead to mistakes. There are times when integration work needs to be done. You can’t always just plug something in and forget about it.

Attracts Talents and Facilitates Outsourcing

Since cloud apps and services give employees the freedom to work from anywhere and on any device, employers can hire the right people from anywhere in the world to get the most work done. Also, being able to share information in real-time makes it possible to hire people in places where wages are lower, which can increase profits. 

Reduces Downtime Due to IT Issues

Cloud service providers have teams that work to make sure their apps and services run as smoothly as possible, and they have the resources to fix problems right away if they happen. This helps cut down on downtime, which would make employees less productive.

Minimizes Downtime Caused by Security Breaches

Security breaches, like ransomware attacks that stop employees from accessing data and files, can cause expensive downtime that hurts productivity. Trustworthy cloud service providers have security teams that make sure their systems are backed up and protected against cyber-attacks so that service doesn’t get interrupted for no reason.

Improves the Ability to Manage and Share Data

Cloud computing makes it easier for companies to deal with “Big Data.” For example, employees can quickly sort and look at a lot of unstructured data. Also, data and analytics can be shared in real-time across the whole organization to help make decisions, cut down on duplicate work, and reduce mistakes.

Conclusion:

With that being said, one should shift to cloud applications and related services as soon as possible. By using these services you can tap into the true potential of cloud computing. Thus, in the process, you can improve your employee productivity as well.

We at AppleTech have the experience and expertise of developing cloud applications and can help you out in explaining the full potential of cloud computing. Reach out to us today.