Making Hybrid Work Successful with the Latest UC Capabilities

A recent survey shows that nearly 7 in 10 workers prefer the option of a hybrid work model, meaning companies that are laser-focused on the Return-To-Work movement without flexibility are losing out on top talent. Navigating this shifting work dynamic can be challenging, but today’s workplaces must evolve to meet the demands of the modern workforce.

An organization’s UC technology can play an important role in this evolution. Modern UC solutions go well beyond voice telephony and, by incorporating omnichannel communication and emerging technologies like AI, are smart investments that allow employers and employees to stay ahead of the curve. When implemented wisely, they can streamline day-to-day operations and make the hybrid work model seamless without compromising the experience and effectiveness of employees.

4 Challenges in Migrating to a Hybrid Work Model

1.   One of the biggest challenges organizations often face when embracing hybrid work is finding the proper way to ensure navigation across a mix of collaboration apps and tools. This has usually meant looking at public cloud deployments. However, that isn’t the only option and, in many cases, may not be the best approach.

2.   Market research by Frost & Sullivan shows that by 2027, more than three-quarters of organizations will be operating hybrid (a blend of cloud and premises-based) telephony environments. That can mean collaboration and conferencing in the public cloud, telephony, and vertical solutions on-premises or in hosted or private clouds. While not all workloads can be migrated to the cloud, TCI can help you find a customized mix that will work for your specific needs to ensure seamless interoperability between specific tools, simplifying daily work for your employees.

3.   Another challenge for the hybrid working model is that remote workers often feel disconnected in these environments. Business leaders can leverage technology to bring remote and in-person teams closer together. The right communication solutions can provide a consistent experience that serves your entire workforce.

4.   You’ll also need to look closer at how your teams handle the security of business data and define processes for protecting communication privacy for individuals. Compliance can be a concern in regulated industries like finance, government and healthcare, so you’ll want to ensure your tools comply with applicable regulations. TCI offers a range of compliant solutions.

Tech Solutions: 5G, AI, Communication Tools

Get up to speed on new technologies that can impact hybrid work and the ability to work from anywhere. To retain top talent, get familiar with the advantages of technologies like 5G, AI, and new communication tools to make hybrid work successful in your organization.

• 5G offers enhanced mobility at faster speeds with low latency. This, coupled with support for IoT devices such as a paramedic’s radio, location sensors on hospital equipment and patient monitoring devices, make it an excellent investment for those looking to explore the hybrid world.
• Of course, AI is already being embraced across industries as it streamlines and automates routine processes and helps workers communicate. Natural Language Processing (NLP), a machine learning technology, can help with meeting transcription, translation, and summarization to streamline the development of post-meeting materials such as action items and meeting minutes. NLP can also improve video conferencing, document sharing, and more.
• Different communication tools such as team workspaces, collaboration platforms, desktop sharing, specialized vertical devices, and instant messages help keep distributed teams connected. Look for communications technology that offers a single experience across multiple devices, so it is easy for employees to switch between work environments without any hassle.

Creating a Seamless Transition

With the continued normalization of hybrid work, there will be a growing emphasis on the interoperability of UC systems. It will be crucial for all workers to have access to technology that works in tandem with their in-office tools so they can work anytime, anywhere. This is especially true for verticals like healthcare and hospitality. For example, bedside infotainment terminals in hospitals can allow patients to communicate directly with nurses and doctors, even if they are off-site. AI virtual assistants can help during and after a call to recap decisions, follow up on action items, and summarize results.

Other critical capabilities for hybrid workers involve equalizing the remote user experience in meetings with the team in an office conference space. This can be achieved by bringing immersive experience capabilities to conference calls, including augmented reality and AI-supported meeting moderation, to increase meeting effectiveness and remote user engagement.

The Power of Next-Gen UC Solutions

In today’s hybrid work environment, having the right UC solutions makes all the difference. With features that offer integration with other technologies like office suites, project management, and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platforms, modern UC solutions aided by AI and immersive experience tech are set to revolutionize how we work.

By investing in such solutions, you can catalyze more efficient work and foster seamless connections between employees and employers, ultimately reducing stress and boosting productivity and engagement.

Contact your local TCI team today to learn how to engage and empower your hybrid workforce with today’s UC technology: (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.