The importance of electronic signature software for the hybrid workforce

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an abrupt shift in the workplace when it forced millions of Americans to work solely or mainly from home. Now, the country is entering a new era of blending remote work with in-office work – the hybrid workforce.

Reliance on technology and software increased ten-fold during the prime of the pandemic. Businesses are now looking for the best tools that can maximize the effectiveness of their remote and in-office workforces.

We’re moving to a hybrid workforce

According to a survey done by the Pew Research Center, 71% of workers are currently working from home for most of their time. More than half, when given the choice, would choose to keep working remotely even after the pandemic.

Google is one of the many major businesses that will be reimagining and implementing a hybrid workplace. They stated that this system is meant to accommodate all of their employees and their perspectives on productivity in the workplace.

Google’s plans include a more flexible workweek where employees will spend approximately three days in the office and two days wherever they see fit, more choices for where you can work including global offices and remote, and reset days to help employees recharge.

Benefits of a hybrid workforce

There are many potential benefits of a hybrid workforce. One advantage is increased productivity.

When given the flexibility, employees can choose to avoid obstacles like lengthy commutes, and work in an environment that is more optimal for them. In addition, employees can choose the times of day that they are most productive – whether in the morning, afternoon, or night. This flexibility is also valuable for those who work in different time zones, as people are more able to adjust schedules.

Having a hybrid workplace also means that businesses can reduce their office footprint. Fewer employees in the office means smaller spaces can be used, which cuts down on rent and office supplies costs.

Businesses will have to adapt to new ways of working

Businesses will have to adapt their operations for the hybrid workforce. Offices will not be used at capacity, and schedules will be harder to balance. Overall, it’ll be difficult to seamlessly blend remote and in-office workers without compromising productivity.

Electronic signatures & the hybrid workplace

A process that will be especially difficult in a hybrid workplace is obtaining in-person signatures. This is simply due to the fact that you cannot get an in-person signature from someone who is not physically near you.

In-person signatures will thus create entry points for delays. It will impact different functions in different ways. For example, the document execution process can prevent customer deals from being closed. This is where electronic signature software like signNow can eliminate this problem.

Why electronic signatures are better than in-person signatures

There are many benefits that electronic signatures provide. This includes saving money and time through increased efficiency and improved document management. These benefits are particularly important in a hybrid workplace.

Traditional handwritten signatures are more time-consuming than electronic signatures because they have to be sent by mail or physically printed. Electronic signatures can be signed anywhere as long as each recipient has a device and an internet connection.

Handwritten signatures also require resources like paper and ink, which are costly. Electronic signatures require no extra resources.

Also, as one’s business scales up, so does the amount of paperwork needed to be managed. Physical documents can be difficult to keep track of, are harder to search through, and expensive to store.

Storing documents electronically is cheap and scalable. It is also easy to use a solution like signNow to look for specific information. Finally, electronic signature tools make it easy for authorized parties to access and collaborate on documents and makes them harder to lose.

signNow offers these features & more!

signNow offers key features that help save you time, money, and improve your document workflow. This includes templates, a robust document editor, multiple methods for document sending, and document storage. These features all positively contribute to greater productivity and collaboration between colleagues.

Templates

It would be burdensome to have to recreate documents that you use consistently and frequently. With signNow, you can create templates of your most heavily-used documents.

Templates save you time and keep your content consistent. signNow lets you create templates for over 15 different document types – including PDFs, Word, Powerpoint, and Excel sheets.

Document Editor

signNow includes a document editor that lets you drag & drop nine different fields, including legally binding signatures. signNow also offers extra features that are not available in other solutions which are useful for document editing. This includes field snapping, which helps you align and structure fields on a document, and smart fields that autofill with information.

Document Sending

With a hybrid workplace, having document sending flexibility gives businesses the best chance of making sure their documents reach the intended destination without delay. One of signNow’s advantages is that it lets you send your documents using a wide range of methods.

This includes email for mass signature, and in-person through kiosk mode. All of these options make receiving signatures a flexible and efficient process. Those who are working remotely and those working in the office can use any of these methods to easily collaborate and send documents to one another for signature, regardless of their physical locations.

Document Storage

Having effective document storage is imperative with document management. This is especially true for hybrid companies that no longer have a full team in a single physical office. Poor document storage can disrupt the flow of your business and your employees, which reduces productivity.

signNow offers effective document storage, as well as organizational features not found in other e-signature solutions. This includes a search bar, the ability to create groups or folders, and the ability to organize documents by status, name, and date.

Start using signNow today!

Are you ready to optimize your document workflow and overall business practices for your hybrid workforce? Sign up for a free signNow trial to take advantage of its advanced features for document management!