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5 Ways Cloud UCC Changed the Workforce

For years, organizations talked about how technology will change the workplace. It’s time to stop talking about the collaboration technology of the future – it’s already here.
 
As new generations enter the workforce, they have a new relationship with technology and use it in different ways than previous generations. In the process, they’re forcing organizations to rethink how they approach, evaluate, and deploy new solutions, such as Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS). It’s not enough for technology to improve the efficiency and efficacy of an organization; it needs to produce more fruitful interactions, for both teams and customers.
 
While the enterprise has been impacted by a multitude of changes, below are five main ways cloud communications and collaboration have left their mark on the workforce.
 
1. Best Practices Are Different
The modern era for business is a transformative one. As such, the rules and best practices are dramatically different than they were a decade ago.
 
Over the years, many enterprise leaders implemented a range of tools they "thought" would address their needs. However, these systems often don’t integrate or provide the seamless and enjoyable experiences workers expect.
 
The result is workflow bottlenecks and disjointed conversations where people must repeat information to different parties on different platforms. Mitigating these issues is key to success.
 
2. People Want a Connection
People want to connect, and they want technology that allows them to do so.
 
By 2025, three in four workers will be a Millennial or a member of Gen Z, according to a survey from Manpower Group. Considering that one in three Millennials don’t expect to retire until they’re between 65 and 69 years old, they’re going to be the majority of the workforce for quite some time.
 
Just 33% of workers are engaged in their jobs, and many are willing to leave a job if it doesn’t meet their expectations, according to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace report. That’s particularly true for millennials, as 93% believe the ongoing development of skills is an essential part of their future careers, according to Manpower Group.
 
3. The Device Matters, More Than the Experience
People today change devices and locations as often as they change their shoes, and the best organizations use this to their advantage.
 
The proliferation of Wi-Fi and cellular networks moved the notion of staying connected from a nebulous concept to a way of life. Deloitte research revealed 70% of workers don’t sit behind a desk daily. Workers no longer need to tether themselves to a desk to be productive, and many prefer mobile devices.
 
It’s not just about making the technology match the device; it’s about enabling employees wherever they are. Any solution should meet the needs of the team and the organization not just for today but for the future.
 
4. Real-time Collaboration is Everywhere
Five years ago, live streams were primarily audio or featured poor video quality and limited capabilities. The technology wasn't mature enough to enable the simple production of a video event.
 
Now, anyone can pick up their smartphone, hit record, and broadcast worldwide. Today’s workforce wants the same level of transparency and real-time information sharing in the work environment. From a technology standpoint, employees expect the office experience to mirror their personal lives – a vision IT leaders should support.
 
Video, in particular, has revolutionized the business experience by making both employee/customer-facing interactions more authentic. In the process, it turned our expectations of the work experience upside down.
 
5. More Opportunities to Innovate
Every challenge is an opportunity to innovate and reset the end-user experience. Employee behaviors and preferences are constantly evolving, so IT teams must continually assess and anticipate new trends and be empowered to affect change.
 
As the world becomes more digitally connected and the workforce more disparate in their locations, teams’ expectations have started to blur, and they now have the same expectations in the office as they do at home or on the go.
 
Workers now require their business communications and collaboration experience to provide simple access to features they need, when they want. So, what’s the holdup and how can modern enterprises better prepare for the future of work? While we’ve come a long way in creating unique communication and collaborative experiences, we will need to address seamless experiences, regardless of the device, and continually bring to market innovative solutions for the modern workforce.