In our personal lives, we rely on cellular phones, cordless phones and PDAs.  However, many executives have failed to embrace the benefits of wireless technology in the workplace.   Well, it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee.  The wireless office has arrived, and it’s being fueled by new technologies that meet the needs of the increasingly mobile workforce.

Businesses of all sizes are benefiting from wireless local area networks (WLAN), which have proven to significantly increase worker productivity and satisfaction, without increasing costs.  Microsoft recently implemented a wireless network across its  entire campus that it projects will will improve productivity by more than 30 minutes per day per employee.

Configuring and installing wires and cabling to keep your office “connected” and your staff properly “networked” can cost a great deal of time and money.  Furthermore, these wires confine employees to their desks and slow down work processes.   However, with the deployment of a WLAN, which employs air stations or wireless hubs, workers can gain mobility and secure access to the same tools and applications available at their desktops, even if they are in other offices or at remote locations.   In addition, a WLAN eliminates the costs of running cables to individual desks as new employees are hired.  This saves significant time in getting workers up and running quickly.  It can also extend corporate services and information to visiting contract employees.

Furthermore, the addition of voice over WLAN capabilities doesn’t increase costs to a company’s technology base.  Instead, it builds on an existing investment.  And thanks to the packaging of IP-based telephony servers in small platforms, these advanced technologies easily suit the needs of businesses.  In the long term, a voice over WLAN system heightens employees’ productivity and reduces telecom costs – a winning proposition for any company.