The world has changed a lot since the turn of the century. Technology is constantly evolving, and it’s impacting every industry in some way or another. This blog post will discuss five ways that technology has impacted consulting practices as we know them today.
The rise of the knowledge worker
As technology has allowed for more and more information to be stored with a simple click, it’s allowed people who were once stuck in their office all day long (and couldn’t work from home) to now stay at their desks less. It used to be that if you didn’t physically go into your company or organization’s office, you couldn’t complete your work for the day. With today’s technology and communication capabilities, working from home has become a regular part of many daily routines.
More efficient collaboration
As technology has improved, communication with clients or other consultants on projects and work-related matters is now much more accessible. Several different video conference calls allow teams to collaborate even if they’re across the country from each other. In addition to this, chat rooms have become a big part of many people’s day-to-day work lives. While it’s true that technology has made collaboration more manageable, this does not necessarily mean that people are doing a better job of collaborating than they used to do before the internet and smartphones became mainstream. In many cases, these technologies have done nothing more but make it easier for people to be distracted by random things while at work.
Project management and time tracking
One of the most significant changes that technology has had on consulting is making it easier for people to keep track of their work. At the same time, there are many different ways to do this, from simple pen-and-paper timesheets to project management tools like Basecamp or Asana that allow the client and team members to communicate in one central location.
The birth of the freelancer
With so many people working from home these days, it’s become easier for someone to go independent and start their own consulting firm. With platforms like Upwork or Freelancer allowing you to find potential clients in a matter-of-a-few click, it has never been easier for someone to go out on their own and start working for themselves.
Outsourcing
The growth of technology has also made it easier for companies to outsource parts or all of their work. Using platforms like Upwork, clients can find people from around the world who can do their job and someone on-site, which could be at a much more affordable rate than if they were hiring locally in the first place.