Google Workspace has launched new tools and features to help users make the most of their time, collaborate equally, and deliver more impact – wherever they are.
According to Gartner, 90 percent of survey respondents plan to allow employees to work remotely at least part of the time, even after the Covid-19 vaccine is widely adopted. The future of work has many organizations implementing a hybrid work model, or a mix of both at-home and in-office environments, which introduces a new set of productivity challenges.
As a result of work no longer being tied to just a physical place, time and attention are more precious, and building human connection is more crucial than ever. Google Workspace’s latest innovations support flexibility in when and how employees work, enable better management of time and attention, and strengthen participation and collaboration equity, that is, the ability for everyone to contribute equally, regardless of location.
The new additions to Google Workspace will empower all the ways work happens in an ever-changing world. These updates include a frontline worker solution, a set of features to help people find more time and focus, and powerful tools for strengthening collaboration.
To address the challenges of frontline workers using personal devices and apps to get the information they need, Google Workspace will be launching Google Workspace Frontline, an offering built specifically for frontline employees- – from retail associates and nurses to restaurant and construction workers – in the coming weeks. Workspace Frontline is a custom solution that includes communication and collaboration apps like Gmail, Chat, Docs, Drive, and more, as well as business-grade support and security features like advanced endpoint management that help keep a company’s data secure.
Google Workspace also has made it easier for business teams to build custom AppSheet apps directly from Google Sheets and Drive, so that frontline workers can collect data in the field, report safety risks, or manage customer requests, streamlining their work.
As employee working hours, workflows and schedules continue to change and evolve from the traditional workday, teams require calendars that reflect their hybrid realities and tools to help them maximize their time. Google Workspace will be releasing new features to address these needs, including:
Google Workspace with Google Assistant allows users to use their voice to ask Google what’s next on their calendar and quickly join a meeting or send a message. Google Assistant is available for Google Workspace on any mobile device and is in beta for smart speakers and Smart Displays, like Nest Hub. Google Workspace customers can learn how to enable this feature for their users here.
Livestream enhancements, including Q&A, polls, and live captions (in English, Spanish, German, Portuguese, and French) in Google Meet will enable more powerful and inclusive meetings. Meet is also enabling live streaming across multiple Google Workspace domains within the same organization.
Google Workspace also announces new security tools with Assured Controls and expanded Data Regions coverage. Assured Controls will allow customers to make decisions about how to control provider access, while expanded Data Regions coverage helps customers choose where their data is geographically located at rest.
