The remote work trend continues to rise in organizations large and small. Half of US workers now enjoy the ability to work remotely for their companies at least some of the time, according to Forbes. The best and brightest employees now know they have the tools and technologies to be just as productive at home or in a coffee shop as they are in the office. And a key element to that is the ability to communicate and collaborate.
How an increasingly mobile workforce has disrupted UCC
Forward-thinking businesses are meeting these workers' demands to enjoy a more balanced and mobile work life. According to a 2019 Workplace Mobility Report, 63% of enterprises say the ability to offer their employees mobility is the most significant factor contributing to their competitive advantage. This rapid shift toward a mobile workforce is accelerating the adoption of unified communication and collaboration (UCC) solutions. When business teams need to stay connected and share information in real-time across different operating systems, devices—and even continents—UCC is often the only technology flexible and powerful enough to get the job done. When Ovum Research surveyed more than 2,000 global IT leaders earlier this year, they found that two-thirds of CIOs today view UCC solutions as critical to their businesses' success.
How UCC technology has adapted to a mobile workforce
Interestingly, this increasing shift toward worker mobility is also placing pressure on UCC service providers to adapt with new technology. Enterprises are demanding more seamlessly integrated collaboration functionality from their UCC solutions - and the best of these providers are delivering. Modern unified communication platforms have taken enormous steps from the first-generation UCC solutions that might have combined only conference calling with video-meeting functionality. These new best-in-class providers now also offer a fully integrated VoIP phone system, business voicemail, webinars, online meetings with HD video conferencing, online fax, and more - all in a single, unified digital environment.
Benefits of a mobile-workforce-friendly UCC solution
So, how does the right UCC solution actually support a mobile workforce? How can communications solutions benefit a business built around mobile, nomadic employees? One clear benefit is that these solutions can keep geographically distributed teams on track as they work on complex projects. Whether team members are collaborating from their desktops or mobile devices, whether they're in the same office or at opposite ends of the world, and whether an instant message will suffice or the conversation demands a video meeting, the right unified communications platform can help these teams work seamlessly in a single environment.
As Ovum's research discovered, enterprise IT leaders also have several other specific business benefits in mind as they migrate to unified communication solutions. The biggest benefits they've noted include:
- Improving operational efficiency
- Improving employee productivity and collaboration
- Increasing customer satisfaction
- Reducing costs
- Increase workplace flexibility
Learn more about trends in unified communication and collaboration by reading the full whitepaper - including 10 imperatives to successful UCC adoption!
