{"id":14586,"date":"2020-10-16T09:00:09","date_gmt":"2020-10-16T16:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/?p=14586"},"modified":"2020-10-15T12:36:08","modified_gmt":"2020-10-15T19:36:08","slug":"cloud-collaboration-hybrid-workplaces-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/cloud-collaboration-hybrid-workplaces-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Cloud Collaboration and Hybrid Workplaces in the Age of COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The developing COVID-19<\/a> pandemic has forced companies to rethink productivity on a grand scale as telecommuting becomes interwoven into the corporate cultural fabric. As this shift happens, many employers have realized that remote work isn\u2019t a zero-sum game. The safety and convenience of working from home aren\u2019t realized at the output\u2019s expense.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Companies like <\/span>Google are <\/span>keeping employees home<\/span><\/a> through next summer<\/span>, leading many others to follow suit. After all, <\/span>56% of the American workforce<\/span><\/a> holds a position compatible with telecommuting. There are many ways employees can stay productive outside of the office, but is 100% remote work really the end-all, be-all?<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Hybrid Workplace Model<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Job duties aren\u2019t homogenous \u2014 certain roles can thrive remotely, while others require on-site attendance. Additionally, globally-distributed companies have offices in diverse locations, which are either hampered by (or relatively spared by) COVID-19. These factors have influenced players like Microsoft<\/a> to adopt a hybrid model. While employees are welcome to work remotely, many will split their time between the office and their living room couch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Companies with open offices have an entirely new set of responsibilities. Employees must socially distance and wear masks. As a result, team members have become more physically siloed than ever before. Therefore, office attendance doesn\u2019t automatically equate to more face time between employees.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Long gone (for now, at least) are the days where employees could lean over someone\u2019s shoulder to tackle a problem or assess progress. Conferences and crowded town halls have faded into yesteryear. The reality is that cloud applications<\/a> will be pivotal collaboration tools as events unfold heading into 2021.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Embracing Collaborative Software<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Different teams have different priorities and will thus use tailored applications to suit their needs. Project management, IT, and sales team can keep up-to-date using their favorite software. Finally, designers and engineers can flock to programs like <\/span>Fusion 360<\/span><\/a> to enable product development.\u00a0<\/span>Common channels like Skype<\/a>, Zoom<\/a>, and Slack<\/a> will always have general-purpose appeal in connecting entire organizations. However, specialized cloud software can be essential in managing deliverables and linking employees together, no matter what their location is.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Central Tenets of Remote Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Projects typically require numerous resources and files from kickoff to close. This documentation \u2014 especially for technical endeavors \u2014 has immense value to stakeholders across an organization or beyond. As a result, many organizations maintain online repositories. Remote employees need access to those resources yet might not want everyone to view sensitive information.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Smart collaboration tools like Fusion 360<\/a> realize this and thus incorporate <\/span>user management<\/span><\/a> or some form of role-based access control (RBAC) to preserve privacy. Such measures allow employees to stay informed from afar while rivaling on-site security controls.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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So, what collaboration features do capable applications include? Here are some examples for teams, both technical and non-technical:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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