The workforce is changing, so companies need to be ready to adapt. Pew Research Center found that millennials are the largest generation in the workforce today, making up 35% of the labor force. In 2017, 56 million millennials were either working or seeking employment.
This new workforce is made up of people who are independent and tech-savvy. Making the most of the millennial workforce means adopting technologies that fit its work style.
The gig economy also affects the workplace. McKinsey Global Institute found that 162 million people in the U.S. and Europe work independently. As the millennial generation ages, it should settle into more stable employment, but its members may still want to retain some independence and flexibility in the way they perform their jobs.
Unified communications (UC) provides the tools that companies need to transform their offices into an environment that the new workforce can embrace and thrive in.
CREATING A COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT
collaborative-environment-with-firstlightUC creates more ways for employees to share information and work on projects. With UC, the workplace becomes more open and collaborative. When employees collaborate, they are more productive and innovative.
UC platforms enable file sharing, so all members of a project team have access to the latest versions of documents that are in progress. No matter where team members are located, they can share ideas using instant messaging and chat.
Web conferencing lets team members get up close and personal without having to travel to the office or spend time cooped up in a conference room. Digital whiteboards facilitate cutting-edge Agile methodology.
ENCOURAGING INDIVIDUALITY
UC not only helps employees work better in groups, but it also helps them work better as individuals. Each employee has a unique work style. Individual employees may favor certain communication tools over others.
Some workers may process visual information better than verbal or written information. Some prefer brainstorming on their own, while others like to spitball ideas in a group. UC provides all the tools that employees need to work in the ways they prefer.
Workers can choose between voice and video. They can spontaneously message coworkers in chat forums or send more formal emails to clients and customers.
BREAKING DOWN CUBICLE WALLS
cubical-walls-breaking-them-downUC makes it possible to combine some of the perks of working in a gig economy with the stability of having a single steady job. Companies can use UC to free their employees from the 9 to 5 workday. Now employees can work from the comfort of their home office or in lively spaces, such as coffee shops or bookstores.
UC enables voicemails to be converted to emails for easy access from a mobile device. Single number reach allows customers, clients, and fellow employees to reach workers no matter where they are located, simply by dialing one number.
UNIFYING THE COMPANY
Today’s companies are geographically dispersed. Branch offices may be located in different regions than the main office. Workers in the field, at work sites, in factories, and in warehouses need to be able to communicate with leadership and other employees.
All employees need access to the same information, no matter where they are located, so that they can make the right decisions. UC ensures that employees receive important messages and have access to the documents they need to work on projects.
UC can unite a dispersed workplace by helping companies achieve better connectivity. With UC, companies can transform their networks to allow for high-quality communication.
When cloud UC is supported by a high-speed, low-latency network, companies can maintain clear and reliable communications between main and branch offices. Audio and video messages are clear, jitter-free, and secure.
TRANSFORMING YOUR WORKPLACE
The workplace of the future is one that takes into account the diverse work styles of its employees. By providing a whole suite of integrated communication tools, UC grants the power of choice to employees. Employees can decide how and where they want to work. When UC transforms a workplace, it can increase employee satisfaction, creating a positive environment for producing great work.
FirstLight is the source of all the UC tools that companies in the New England region need. By partnering with FirstLight, any type of company can gain access to enterprise-level communication resources, such as VoIP, WebEx, instant messaging, and video. Our UC offerings are available in the cloud and are supported by our extensive high-speed fiber optic network.
Ready to transform the way your company does business? Contact FirstLight for more information on the transformative benefits of UC.
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