When many think about remote work and online collaboration, Internet and download speeds are often primary topics of conversation. However, upload speed is also crucial in a variety of surprising ways, including maintaining efficiency, improving brainstorming sessions, and fostering positive interactions between coworkers. Let’s review some primary ways upload speed matters when working remotely.
Video Conferencing
Video conferencing has become a vital part of remote work, whether it involves one-on-one collaboration or a meeting with multiple individuals. There’s no time for lagging when there needs to be clear communication between all parties involved.
The last thing anyone involved wants is to have issues hearing each other and effectively relaying pertinent information. Anyone who’s showing presentations, such as slideshows, also needs to be able to do so without encountering upload speed issues, and everyone involved in the meeting needs to be able to see the same information clearly at all times.
The same goes for any presentation, including for important customers or prospective clients. A connectivity issue can cause choppy performance for your slide deck or video call, potentially causing you to lose important opportunities. Once the impression becomes negative, it’s very hard to turn it around into a positive one. When slides stall, voices break up, and video turns fuzzy, it makes you look less prepared than you are. Reliable bandwidth keeps your ideas clear, your presentation professional, and your reputation intact.
Sharing Files
Sharing files is incredibly important when you’re not all under the same roof but you need to be looking at the same data. Upload speed is necessary to swap files easily without any delays or disruptions. This is particularly important when sharing time-sensitive information and even more so when everyone is on a tight schedule and needs to complete essential tasks once the meeting ends.
Large files may be particularly challenging to share when the upload speed isn’t what it should be. It creates painfully slow interactions when team members are trying to ensure they’re on the same page by looking at the same files in front of them. They then have to wait until everyone else catches up before anyone can move forward.
Real-Time Collaboration
When everyone relies on each other for real-time collaboration, horrible upload speeds can dampen the process. This isn’t something anyone wants to encounter when the team is on a roll and has a good flow of information going. Frustrating delays and technical issues can halt the train of thought of one or more people and cause problems with everything from productivity to free-flowing brainstorming sessions. Collaborators need to be able to view and/or edit files at the same time without a problem.
Instant feedback may also be affected. It’s not helpful if the receiver can’t upload the proper information corresponding to the input they’re getting, nor is it beneficial if the person who wants to give the feedback can’t open the appropriate documentation. Communication during remote work sessions needs to be of the highest quality to ensure everyone is at the same point without waiting for others, information can be exchanged freely, and there are no disruptions to productivity, especially during the workday.
Avoiding Delays
One of the biggest problems with lousy upload speeds is that it can cut into time spent doing other things. For example, if a meeting is at the end of the day and needs to be completed in its entirety, upload speeds might cause delays and extend the workday. This could be particularly problematic for the work process and interactions between coworkers who want to end their workday and enjoy their free time, but the upload speeds of one or more people are preventing them from doing that.
Upload speeds may also cause delays throughout the main part of the workday. Anyone who has encountered a delay during their workday, especially if it’s earlier on, understands how it can have a domino effect. For instance, if someone’s poor upload speed delays a meeting, someone else might have their schedule affected. With a day that’s jam-packed with other meetings, one ending late can cause a ripple effect that causes issues for the rest of their work schedule.
Before you start doing remote work, it’s essential to contact your Internet provider and ensure you have a high-speed residential Internet plan that is competitive in your area. This will prevent many issues, such as unintentionally creating friction between yourself and your coworkers and causing communication issues during important meetings.
Don’t let bad upload speeds negatively impact your workday. Contact GVEC Internet today for more information about home Wi-Fi optimization throughout South Central Texas. Technical troubleshooting is available 24/7, so we can help you have a productive workday no matter what shift you’re working.
