Create Exceptional Customer Experiences with New Contact Center Tools

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The capabilities and scope of the traditional call center have expanded as technology continues to evolve.

Today’s contact center operations can range from a few customer service representatives in a small business to enterprise-level corporations with hundreds of agents spread across multiple regional offices and remote telework locations.

TCI’s contact center experts can get you up to speed on the latest tools, and when you’re ready, our local team can design, deploy, and support your solution.

TCI’s Mitel-powered Customer Experience solutions feature interaction routing, self-service IVR, performance analytics, real-time dashboards, and workforce optimization tools.

We customize arrangements for small and mid-sized businesses and large enterprises…

  • MiContact Center Business – Whether you have a few call center agents or a thousand omnichannel agents, MiContact Center Business puts your customers at the core of your business with scalable solutions for sales, service, support, and more.
  • MiContact Center Enterprise – Transform your voice-only call center into an omnichannel experience center with this flexible, powerful, all-in-one customer interaction management platform.
  • Mitel Workforce Optimization – Gain deeper customer insights to enhance the customer experience while optimizing resources and enhancing performance with Mitel Interaction Recording, Quality Management, Speech Analytics, and Workforce Management solutions.
  • MiContact Center Outbound – Elevate customer engagement with this complete outbound contact management suite that supports all modes of outbound dialing, multi-channel communications, and campaign management.

Unleash Your Sales, Service, and Support Potential

Start a different conversation with your customers when you give them the freedom to interact with you the way they want (voice, text, chat, video) on any device, and give your employees the tools to manage today’s omnichannel customer journeys.

Build a World-Class Customer Center

Don’t just connect with your customers, convince them you care with an omnichannel communications suite featuring workflow designer, speech-enabled IVR, speech analytics, quality and performance management, real-time dashboards, and more.

Ready to improve your customer satisfaction scores, first contact resolution rates, and customer effort scores? Contact us today: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

6 Best Practices for a Stronger Cybersecurity Posture

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How to Fortify Your Digital Fortress

Effective cybersecurity is not a “set it and forget it” panacea but an active, ongoing process. To establish a robust security foundation, your IT team must diligently implement and maintain these critical best practices:

1. Restrict Administrator Privileges

Limit administrator access on user devices. This simple step can thwart many attacks that rely on users inadvertently running malicious software. Without admin rights, users can’t install unauthorized programs, significantly reducing your attack surface.

2. Stay Current with Patches

Keeping software up to date is one of the most cost-effective security measures. Enable auto-updates where possible and prioritize vulnerabilities listed in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog. Remember, many successful attacks exploit known vulnerabilities that have not yet been patched.

3. Implement and Verify Backup Systems

Don’t fall victim to ransomware due to inadequate backups. Regularly schedule backups for all critical systems and, crucially, test both partial and full restorations. Develop a comprehensive backup strategy, including frequency (continuous, hourly, weekly) and a detailed restoration plan.

4. Encrypt Laptop Drives

While smartphones and Chromebooks typically come with built-in encryption, Windows and Mac laptops often require manual configuration. Given the frequency of laptop theft or loss, ensuring your entire fleet has encrypted drives is essential for data protection.

5. Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Don’t rely on user compliance alone. Implement technical controls to mandate MFA across your organization. Regularly audit for non-compliant accounts, paying special attention to new hires and staff who’ve recently changed devices.

6. Prioritize MFA for Admin Accounts

System administrators are prime targets for cybercriminals. Surprisingly, Microsoft reports that only about half of Azure Active Directory global admins use MFA. Make it a non-negotiable policy for all admin accounts to use MFA, as compromised admin credentials can lead to catastrophic breaches.

By consistently applying these practices, you’ll significantly enhance your organization’s cybersecurity posture, making it far more resilient against common attack vectors.

Your organization’s Voice Communications need to be protected too. Make sure your systems are secure. Contact TCI at (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

How Modern Unified Communications Elevate the Hospitality Industry

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As hospitality leaders gear up for the busy summer season, plenty of technological tools are available to streamline operations and provide an overall improved and immersive guest experience.

Whether it’s enabling multimodal technology for frontline workers, AI-powered tools, or hybrid cloud solutions, investing in modern UC solutions is something every property manager should take time to consider.

Enabling Hospitality Staff with Modern Tech

Hospitality thrives on exceeding guest’s needs and expectations, and modern technology infrastructure plays an integral role in attaining that outcome. In today’s environment, guests expect quick, personalized, and effortless communication, which can put a lot of pressure on frontline hospitality employees.

Modern UC solutions allow properties to combine frontline, back office, and vertical workflows, ensuring the entire workforce is on the same page. Whether working on-site or remotely, multimodal technology allows staff to collaborate seamlessly on guest requests through the best medium for the situation – voice, video, chat, SMS, or a combination.

For example, an on-the-go property manager can carry a wireless DECT handset, which offers a reliable signal anywhere on a property. Fully integrated into the property’s communications solution, it ensures secure access to voice calls, interactive messaging, and critical alerts from colleagues at the front desk or an off-site contact center.

Frontline hospitality staff are essential to delivering memorable experiences. They often provide a guest’s first and last impression of a property. By giving them the right communication tools for their job, you empower them to do their best work while boosting the customer experience. This builds a property’s reputation as both a fulfilling place to work and an enjoyable place to stay.

AI and Unified Communications in Hospitality

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a popular topic today, but it is important to look beyond the hype and pinpoint its real-world value. That’s why it is essential to focus on opportunities to deliberately deploy AI to better serve guests. With modern UC solutions, this can be done through simple, integrated experiences built for the hospitality space.

Generative AI (GenAI) chatbots and voice bots can help streamline on-site customer service requests during busy and demanding times by handling simple but time-consuming tasks that would otherwise fall to frontline staff. If the bot cannot resolve the issue, an AI-powered agent assistant can smoothly transfer the call to a live agent along with call notes, ensuring the guest does not need to repeat information.

Besides streamlining workflows, the valuable data collected through AI interactions with customers can enhance the guest experience. For instance, when integrated into contact center platforms, AI can instantly transcribe and summarize calls and provide detailed call trends to supervisors. AI integration can also identify and track caller sentiment, which can be used to train staff for specific situations.

Augmenting UC solutions with AI is about more than finding efficiencies. It’s about quickly tapping into unique guest insights to deliver better personalization, ultimately leading to higher customer satisfaction.

Hybrid Cloud Solutions for Hospitality

For many properties, the decision between relying on legacy on-prem infrastructure that still delivers value and embracing the flexibility of the cloud is a real challenge. That is why hybrid cloud-based solutions are increasingly becoming the chosen route, as they are tailored and scaled to fit specific needs with size and budget in mind.

Hybrid cloud solutions are ideal for hoteliers who are not entirely ready to ditch their legacy infrastructure. They allow security and flexibility and offer a proven mix of private cloud, public cloud, and on-premises solutions. Hybrid cloud solutions are reliable and provide robust security features, data privacy, and regulatory compliance to ensure hospitality organizations protect themselves while streamlining communication. With the proper guidance from a trusted, vertical-focused UC provider, property managers can choose the best path for their needs.

Migrating to the cloud goes beyond a mere destination. It involves implementing solutions that offer maximum flexibility and ensuring that each property has the right communication tools to effectively support its customers, staff, and stakeholders now and in the future.

Let’s talk about new ways to elevate your property and serve guests better in your evolving marketplace. TCI hospitality experts are here to help: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

6 Essential Communications Features for Your Frontline Workers

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Roughly 70 percent of the American workforce is in frontline positions, filling essential customer-facing roles. They’re on the front lines, quite literally, of the industries making the world go round, including:

  • Healthcare
  • Education
  • Manufacturing and construction
  • Retail and customer service
  • Hospitality and food preparation
  • Public safety
  • Fulfillment and delivery

In the past few years, the frontline field has expanded as gig work like ridesharing and food delivery services becomes more prevalent. Frontline employees are more likely to have hourly, shift, or part-time positions, sometimes working multiple jobs to make ends meet.

Communication is central to the success of all frontline workers since many serve as the public’s first point of contact with their organization. Others, like construction or public safety workers, may require reliable communication methods for safety issues.

Equipping these essential employees with modern, intuitive, and durable communication tools enables them to deliver exceptional service, make informed decisions, and stay connected to their coworkers. As the frontline landscape continues to expand and evolve, investments in collaboration and communications solutions are central to supporting these critical roles.

Essential Customized Tools

Effective communication is vital for frontline employees to excel in their dynamic work environments. However, their needs differ significantly from those of traditional, office-based employees.

Communication requirements vary widely from job to job. A clerk in a hotel lobby may use very different tools than a laborer on a manufacturing floor. No matter where they are, frontline workers require solutions that integrate seamlessly into their unique workflows.

The ideal unified communications and collaboration (UCC) solution isn’t just about making calls or sending messages (although it must do that, too) – it should have features that enhance frontline workers’ efficiency, keep them connected, and empower them to do their best work.

These capabilities include:

1. AI-augmented Capabilities – AI can provide critical support for employees in customer service roles. AI-powered chatbots can handle basic client interactions or assist human agents with conversation histories, sentiment analysis, or even suggesting courses of action.

2. Seamless Connectivity – In professions where time is of the essence, like nursing or public safety, the ability to reach the right person can make a big difference. Simplified call trees and emergency response solutions make critical calls faster for healthcare and safety workers.

3. Hardware for Demanding Environments – The frontline workplace demands hardware that is as durable and easy to use. Whether on a warehouse floor, hospital, or construction site, DECT handsets and other devices must be high-performing and long-lasting.

4. Location-agnostic Systems – Frontline workers may not have fixed office locations, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have consistent communication experiences. Providing on-the-go tools for on-site, remote, or mobile employees means they can efficiently work wherever they are.

5. Multimodal Communications – Sometimes, a video call is faster than a text chat. Collaboration and communications software seamlessly switches between video, voice, and text, allowing colleagues to work together efficiently.

6. Industry-specific Integrations – Frontline professionals have particular needs, so it’s essential to have a communications partner who understands the unique requirements of each industry and can tailor their solutions to their customers.

TCI helps you tackle the challenges of frontline work.

Frontline work is constantly evolving. TCI offers flexible, industry-specific unified communications, collaboration, and contact center solutions that grow and develop alongside your business to ensure your workforce always has the latest technology to do their jobs.

When frontline operations require multiple systems, seamless integration is vital to efficient workflows. Need API integrations with your critical business apps? We support your need to create a comprehensive communications ecosystem that gives your employees the information they need when they need it.

We offer market-leading DECT handsets for your essential employees on the go. For instance, Mitel offers a popular, rugged 700d DECT phone series that features extended battery capacity, ambient noise filters, and secure communications. No matter where they are or what they’re doing, your frontline workers will have an efficient workspace at their fingertips.

From secure, high-quality communications and user-friendly collaboration software to durable hardware with easy installation and reliable customer support, TCI has what it takes to support your frontline team.

Give us a call: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

How TCI Makes it Easy to Save on Faster Broadband

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Finding ways to improve high-speed connections for voice and data networking, while cutting costs, is important for the financial health and competitiveness of any business.

The easy way to achieve fast results is to have the TCI team look over your provider’s bills and look for ways to optimize your services.

Our decades of industry experience working with leading carriers, cable companies, cloud providers, and manufacturers give our broadband experts an insider’s view to assist in sourcing best-fit solutions for your business.

As your advocate, we recommend providers offering only the best solutions, support, and pricing to meet your unique needs.

Here’s our proven approach…

  • Undertake a thorough review of your services, invoices, agreements, and providers.
  • Evaluate your spending, find better deals and service arrangements, and uncover savings.
  • Lay out all the alternatives and offer recommendations with a clear projection of your savings.
  • Implement your choices by acting as your agent to place orders with the service providers.
  • Track installation progress and manage escalations.
  • Provide a single point of contact for all your voice, data, and Internet needs.

Improve the financial health and competitiveness of your business by making sure you have the right broadband services, the most responsive support, and the best pricing.

Contact TCI at (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

Team Collaboration – 10 Benefits of Virtual Meetings Over In-Person Meetings

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With the majority of workers now back in their offices or working a hybrid schedule, conventional wisdom says there is nothing better for team collaboration than a face-to-face setting. There are lingering concerns regarding remote work like social isolation, lack of engagement, and challenges with direct supervision.

If you already work on a globally distributed team, you likely find virtual meetings using collaboration tools the norm. Even working locally, with the on-demand gig economy, many professionals find themselves on teams with people they have never met. But still, it works—often very well.

With today’s cloud-based tools, you can easily create a rich team communication experience via high-definition video, audio conferencing, content sharing, and web collaboration—virtually anywhere, on any network or device.

So, here are 10 ways virtual meetings may produce better experiences and results than conventional in-person meetings.

1. More Focus on Business Content

In a virtual setting, the focus is on the business content at hand—what is being discussed and shown—not on the physical presence, appearance, and distracting behaviors of those sitting around us or the environment surrounding or passing by the meeting room.

2. Higher Participation Rates

Your results may vary, but some team members may feel more apt to contribute to the virtual conversation (via voice, text, or content sharing) than a physical meeting. This helps mitigate the focus of ‘all eyes,’ which can be intimidating and yield silence among those less than extroverted.

3. Fewer Logistical Challenges

Virtual meetings require less planning for location and travel logistics, can be set up more quickly, and can take place anywhere without travel costs (not to mention being a greener option).

4. Less Disruption

People can be added and dropped as needed quickly; participants can arrive late or leave early with minimal, if any, disruption to the group. In contrast, it is relatively complex (if not impossible) to physically bring in ad-hoc participants on the fly.

5. Increased Diversity of Ideas

With modern collaboration tools, you have more ready access to collective knowledge, specialized skills, and creativity regardless of where your people are located—even if they are mobile or traveling. Meanwhile, co-located team members may have a more common experience, culture, knowledge, or background, which may seriously limit the diversity of input.

6. Reduced Stress

When your team members don’t have to endure daily commuting to and from the office, their moods may be lighter, and stress levels may be lower. This may lead to happier people coming together to accomplish common goals rather than thinking about traffic jams and crowded transit systems.

7. Dynamic Content Sharing

Traditionally, face-to-face meetings are often limited to predefined content immediately at hand, whereas in a virtual setting, anyone can instantly share relevant content. Dynamically sharing digital content is hard to replicate in a face-to-face team setting.

8. Minimal Side Conversations

The inevitable virtual side conversations via the text chat backchannel are far less disruptive than the physical passing of notes or distracting whispered conversations in a meeting room. How often in face-to-face meetings have we heard someone call out, “People, let’s have one meeting in the room, please!”. With virtual meetings, that problem is largely alleviated.

9. Fewer Germs

Given the cold and flu season, no one has ever caught a bug from attending a virtual meeting. Your workforce may remain healthier and more productive with fewer sick days.

10. No Fighting over Conference Rooms

And… being virtual means you don’t have to find and book that scarce meeting room and ensure enough chairs!

Embracing Virtual Collaboration for Improved Team Performance

For those who have used them, today’s collaboration tools can re-create a face-to-face scenario’s richness, immediacy, and immersive nature—and potentially deliver a lot more on other less apparent dimensions but still have a real impact.

We can now break through the limitations of the conventional “walled” meeting room by seamlessly including those who are mobile, off-site, in other countries, or even on different continents—tapping the collective skills, diversity, expertise, and authority of the greater community.

Plus, teams thrive on relevant content and information that can be shared seamlessly in a virtual setting to enable easier information sharing, faster decision-making, and real-time content collaboration that is difficult to replicate in a traditional meeting room scenario.

TCI designs, deploys, and supports the communications and collaboration tools that will connect your remote, hybrid, and in-person teams. Contact us today: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

TCI Phone Systems and Communications Solutions for the DC Region’s Leading Financial Institutions

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To increase profitability, you need innovative technology solutions that keep existing customers loyal while attracting new business.

TCI’s proven Financial Services Solutions allow you to differentiate yourself from the competition with communications, collaboration, and customer experience (CX) applications that result in better customer and employee interactions.

We Understand the Digital Challenges for Financial Institutions

  • Investment Management – TCI designs, deploys, and supports Financial Services Solutions that will help your organization improve governance and security, fulfill regulatory compliance requirements, and strengthen ID verification to reduce fraud.
  • Credit Unions – By embedding customized communications solutions into your business processes, you can automate manual tasks and enable branch workers to achieve optimal product/service quality and performance.
  • Banks – Grow revenue while reducing operating costs with flexible deployment and payment options that allow you to choose the most cost-effective communications option for your business.

With an increasingly dispersed workforce, plus the need to often call on the expertise of finance specialists like mortgage advisors or insurance brokers, financial services institutions need the tools to deliver quick customer resolutions without causing delays.

A UC platform that pulls together widely used business tools, including desk and mobile phones, messaging, voicemail, audio, and web conferencing, as well as a contact center into one solution is crucial. It speeds up the exchange of information and cross-team collaboration, bringing people together to provide consensus and resolutions for the customer, regardless of location.

TCI has the Right Solutions for Your Financial Institution

  • Financial Services Contact Center Agent Solution – Capture customer information, validate customer identity, provide information with AI-powered voice/chatbots, and route clients who need additional help to experts in your organization for a frictionless client and agent experience.
  • Mortgage and Loan Application Solution for Financial Services – For Financial Services organizations establishing mortgages or general loans and closing applications in a timely manner is critical for business success. The next financial institution is waiting with competitive rates and your applicants will commit when they can lock in the mortgage or loan at the right rate.
  • Deliver Better Customer Experiences – Serve your clients on their preferred channels (phone, email, SMS, Web chat, Virtual Assistant, social media, etc.) while empowering your staff with real-time client information from leading finance applications such as Jack Henry and Fiserv for a personal touch.

Let’s discuss new ways to serve your customers and compete in a rapidly changing marketplace. TCI experts are here to help: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

The Workforce in 2024 and Communications Solutions for the Future of Work

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The flexibility of remote and hybrid work scheduling has permanently changed the work landscape, but the new normal varies widely across different demographics and industries. Employees’ ability and preference to work in person or on-site depends greatly on whether they’re given the support and technology — like unified communications tools — to work seamlessly in any location.

Who’s Working Where?

Despite all the attention around remote work, only about 15 million, or 10%, of Americans worked exclusively from home in March 2024. An additional 14 million worked hybrid schedules, while most employees were fully in-person. Notably, most employees (60%) with remote-capable jobs prefer a hybrid schedule.

Specific industries and positions are more naturally suited to remote work. Knowledge- or computer-based jobs can be done anywhere, while frontline and industrial workers must be on-site. Remote-friendly industries in 2024 are:

  • Computer and IT
  • Marketing
  • Accounting and finance
  • Project management
  • Medical and health
  • Human resources and recruiting
  • Customer service

Due to the nature of these positions, remote and hybrid employees tend to have higher levels of education than workers whose jobs require them to be on-site. They also tend to be older and more established than their peers, drawing higher-than-average salaries.

Younger employees (who entered the workforce during the pandemic) are more likely to want to go to the office. They want to experience the benefits of in-person work, like socialization with coworkers, mentorship, and career opportunities. Meanwhile, Millennials and Gen Xers, who are more likely to have families, prefer the flexibility of hybrid work schedules.

Flexible Locations: Geographic Trends

While some jobs can be carried out anywhere, certain areas offer more support to digital nomads than others. The availability of flexible jobs varies widely depending on the State, with the Northeast and West Coast more likely to offer remote or hybrid work schedules than the South and Midwest.

As the new work model continues to evolve, companies in locations that foster flexibility and support their digital workforces will have a competitive advantage in attracting top talent.

Employees with Disabilities Benefit from Remote Work

Remote work has made the labor market more accessible to employees with disabilities, and the number of workers in this category has increased over the past few years. People with disabilities are 22% more likely to work entirely remotely than their colleagues without disabilities and are slightly more likely to have a hybrid work schedule.

Working from home allows employees with disabilities to focus on their jobs without the added mental and physical labor of navigating commutes or dealing with accessibility issues at the office. However, employers should still ensure employees have all the accommodations they need for equal opportunities at home and in person.

Small Businesses have it Both Ways

The new mode of working has allowed small business owners to address the role the office plays in their operations. Many have relocated to smaller offices or have gone permanently remote altogether. This flexibility allows them to meet with clients in different settings and attract a larger talent pool.

On the other hand, some industries – like smaller banks – are asking their employees to work in person, hoping to foster camaraderie in close quarters. Nearly one-third of small banks require their staff to be in the office full-time, compared to just 4% of banks with 5,000 or more employees. Consequently, employees might leave smaller firms for more flexible schedules at larger lenders.

Communications Solutions for the Future of Work

Four years into the new work landscape, virtual meetings still have some room for improvement. Thirty percent of employees feel virtual meetings are less effective than those held in person, while 52% believe there’s no difference. Only 18% think virtual meetings are more effective.

However, with the right unified communications and collaboration tools to connect remote, hybrid, and on-site employees, the digital workspace can be a powerful place for colleagues to connect and create. An all-in-one collaboration platform with audio web conferencing, video calling, direct messaging, group chat, and file sharing fosters real-time collaboration across locations.

One of the most remote-friendly fields, customer service, benefits from omni-channel contact center platforms. With flexible deployment options and real-time dashboards that work on any device, agents can expertly assist clients from on-premises or virtual locations.

When implemented thoughtfully, these technologies enhance employee productivity, inclusion, and cohesion, ensuring every person can perform at their highest ability from any location.

TCI solutions can connect and empower your remote, hybrid, and in-person teams. Give us a call at (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

Connecting Your Business IT Infrastructure with IaaS – Simplified Connectivity for Your Mobile Devices & Office Endpoints

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Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provided by TCI offers a simplified IT environment managed by our local experts. By opting for IaaS, you can streamline your operations and eliminate the complexities associated with purchasing and maintaining your own IT and network infrastructure.

Flexibility and Customization

You have the flexibility to retain control over specific aspects of your IT environment while entrusting TCI with the management of selected elements through IaaS. We offer end-to-end service, including:

  • Comprehensive setup, implementation, and testing
  • Continuous monitoring and support, including access to a 24×7 help desk
  • Regular upgrades incorporating the latest equipment advancements in network technologies
  • Certified networking expertise

TCI’s seasoned professionals make it easy.

From design and construction to testing, certification, and ongoing support, IaaS encompasses:

  • Managed Wi-Fi solutions for both in-building and campus-wide coverage
  • Data cabling for structured wiring inside and outside your premises
  • LAN/WAN connections and optimization for enhanced broadband performance
  • Seamless integration of mobile devices and office endpoints
  • Management of server rooms, data centers, and UPS systems

Cost-Effective Subscription Model

Instead of a significant upfront capital investment, TCI offers an affordable monthly subscription that covers all your connectivity requirements.

Proven Experience

With 40+ years of certified networking experience, TCI has the technical and project management expertise to support your improved IT infrastructure. Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

Gen Z & Gen Alpha – Tips for Preparing Your Organization for Them

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Gen Zers and Alphas are digital natives — they’ve grown up alongside smartphones and tablets. They’ve always had information and communications tools at their fingertips and are incredibly comfortable experimenting with the latest technology and AI.

Who Are Gen Z and Gen Alpha?

  • Gen Z is defined as those born between 1995 and 2012. The oldest are starting their careers and the youngest are in middle school.
  • Gen Alphas’ birthdays range from 2013 to 2025. The oldest are beginning to pick up summer jobs and the newest members have yet to be born.

By the end of 2024, Gen Z will outnumber boomers in the workforce and are poised to overtake millennials by 2040. By the end of 2025, there will be two billion Alphas worldwide, making them the largest generation in history.

The Impact of Gen Z and Gen Alpha on the Work Landscape

Driven by a sense of purpose, they’re more likely to take control of their careers, frequently switching companies or working multiple part-time roles to get the flexibility they desire.

As more and more members of Gen Z enter the workforce, they struggle to reconcile their expectations of work with those of their employers. Companies have concerns about Gen Z’s experience, professionalism, and work ethic, with 36% of hiring managers admitting to age bias regarding their youngest hires.

Years of remote school and work mean Gen Z may have some catching up to do when it comes to navigating the work landscape. However, professional language and business dress — once office staples — are no longer the status quo in the new workplace. The new approach to work is less traditional and a little more personal. Video conferences have become much more informal over the last few years, and other communication tools like team chats make work seem more like an extension of their everyday lives.

After spending so much time online, Gen Z is looking to gain experience in the physical office. In fact, 74% prefer a hybrid schedule, and only 11% prefer to stay completely remote. They’re looking forward to experiences that can’t be replicated online, like in-person collaboration, mentorship, and office culture.

Despite their managers’ concerns, 64% of Gen Zers say they like their jobs, and 81% believe they’re good workers. A lifetime on social media means they’re the most well-connected generation yet. The future Gen Z (and Alpha to come) workforce will be tightly knit, socially driven, and technologically advanced.

Although leaders may be concerned about hiring Gen Zers and Alphas, they should embrace their strengths. Given the right tools and the room to grow, these new tech-savvy and purpose-driven employees have the potential to propel businesses into the future.

3 Ways to Prepare for the Future Workforce

As Gen Z and Gen Alpha begin their careers, organizations must develop strategies to set them up for success. To attract these younger generations, take advantage of their unique strengths, and turn them into a sophisticated, productive workforce, organizations should take these three steps:

1. Embrace Flexible Work Options – Gen Zers and Alphas value work-life balance and the ability to work on their terms. Businesses can attract and retain top young talent by embracing flexible schedules, remote or hybrid work models, and providing in-person collaboration opportunities.

2. Invest in Digital Tools and AI Integration – Generations Z and Alpha have grown up in a digital-first world, and companies should invest in robust, unified communications and collaboration platforms to meet their technological expectations. Features like AI capabilities, calendar integration, document management, and text-to-speech can enhance remote or hybrid work, streamline digital collaboration, and boost productivity.

3. Promote a Sense of Purpose – Younger generations value work that aligns with their values and has a positive social impact. Companies should focus on cultivating a workplace culture that emphasizes purpose, social responsibility, and opportunities for meaningful contributions.

Tech Savvy and Ready to Get to Work

By embracing tools and approaches that play to the younger generations’ skills and values, organizations can better prepare their newest employees for successful careers and future-proof their operations.

TCI designs, deploys, and supports communications tools and services that will connect your newest employees. Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.