Mouse-free computing is something we’ve just begun to taste. We have touchscreens on many devices including tablets, phones, and e-readers. These allow us to access the Internet; send texts, and emails all without a mouse. So is this the shape of things to come? Can we eventually leave the mouse in the dust and move on to more advanced ways of communicating with our computers?

Gesture sensing

Consumers who own Wii or PlayStation video game systems already have an idea of this. These two game systems offer users the chance to play games and explore the internet through wireless remotes that synch with body movements. Wii players can smack a tennis ball by swinging their hands while they hold a wireless remote. They are able to jog in place, climb a virtual mountain, or shoot menacing robots in the same way. This is called gesture sensing. The tech isn’t quite ready for standard computing yet. However, it isn’t difficult to imagine a future where gesture sensing becomes one of the primary modes of interacting with our computers.

Multi-touch technology

Multi-touch technology is the one other interactive innovation that is being used in a few common devices, namely, tablets, e-readers, and smartphones. This technology allows users to tap icons to open program, pinch or extend their fingers to zoom or minimize the images on their screens. Since this is a relatively new technology it’s still being refined. How do you think this will be utilized in the foreseeable future to allow us easier navigation around our computers?

Voice recognition

Another possible technological advancement that may replace the mouse involves voice recognition. Instead of clicking on a mouse button to open up a program, users can simply tell their computers to open an individual word file or close iTunes. Some of this already exists, most notable is Dragon NaturallySpeaking, which allows users to dictate reports and stories to their word-processing programs. Again, the tech still needs refinement, but a future where we speak to our computers isn’t really that far-fetched.

No matter what new technologies arise or how refined the ones we spoke about get, the odds are that the mouse will not disappear all together. It has served us well, and we know we can easily rely on it.

Our last blog centered around company culture as well as the effect it could have on your brand. Your company’s culture, good or bad, shows up in your brands reputation. We talked about ways to measure the cultural health of your organization, but exactly how do you give your company a cultural transformation?

The first step is to ask yourself a few questions to get a sense of the “feel” you would like your business to have:

• What traits do you want your company’s environment to embody? Originality, respectfulness, acceptance, fun, etc.
• How can you mirror you company values in the culture?
• How is information distributed to employees? Are they left in the dark frequently?
• Do you reward employees and in what ways? 
• Does everybody in the company feel heard? If not, how could you improve this?

These should lead you to more questions. Consider having a brainstorming session with your employees to determine the right answers for your company. Below are some ideas we came up with:

Suggestion/Thought box – This is an easy way to allow people to share thoughts and opinions about the current events within the company. The employee could choose to make the suggestion anonymous or not, and any suggestions or concerns could be addressed in monthly company gatherings.

Empower employees – Give people control over their jobs by treating them like peers rather than peons. You can accomplish this by being more transparent; don’t just communicate when you have successes, let them know when things aren’t going flawlessly. It will create a team full of mutual support.

Flexible hours – You hired your employees because you have confidence in them to do their job. Permitting them to have relatively flexible hours shows you trust them to get their work done well and on time. The respect you give them will be reflected in the respect they give you.

Dress code – Today it is unusual that people are required to don suits and ties on a regular basis.  Giving employees freedom to express themselves using their wardrobe is a simple strategy to make them feel accepted for who they are. To take this one step further, think about themed days: silly hat day, bright clothing day, 80’s day, etc. It’s astounding how beneficial self-expression can be.

Celebrate – Your organization is the sum of everybody in it. Celebrate your team with group activities.  For example, cater lunch for everyone, have a movie or game day, or just throw a party. This can produce more cohesion in your team and promote collaboration.

Here are some things companies have done to give their culture a fun edge:

• Spontaneous Nerf gun wars
• Painting inspirational quotes on the walls
• Hitting a loud gong when there is a success to let the whole company know
• Foosball tournaments
• Lunchtime Yoga
• Lunchtime Crafting Club
• Monday Mad Libs, whoever wishes to contribute, does, and then the completed Mad Lib is emailed to the company