Computerworld

​Are unified communications driving the workplace of the future?

“Without emerging unified communications technology, workplace evolution and the shift to remote working would not be possible."

Traditional notions of the workplace are quickly changing as emerging technology lets employees work from anywhere with an Internet connection.

For most Kiwi businesses, unified communications sits at the centre of this transformation.

In 2014, research findings reported a 26 per cent increase in open remote job postings compared to the prior year, with hiring managers expecting many more to come over the next five years.

For Ilan Rubin, Managing Director, Wavelink, this change reflects the continuing evolution of the workplace, driven by the rise of the digital office, and unified communications in particular.

“Without emerging unified communications technology, workplace evolution and the shift to remote working would not be possible,” Rubin adds.

“Many enterprise technology solutions, both large and small, now come with at least some mobility capabilities, untethering employees from their desks. Increasingly, enterprise solutions are incorporating elements of unified communications technology to make telecommuting possible.”

Rubin says such technology includes multiple communication channels, including Web-based video and audio, and online collaboration tools, many of which can be integrated into other enterprise software solutions.

“This technology has been one of the major forces underpinning our changing ideas about the office and the workplace,” Rubin adds.

“It really is driving workplace transformation. Unified communications platforms often also have additional security and flexibility, which traditional communications solutions sometimes struggle to provide when organisations implement them to support remote workers.

“This, combined with employees’ rising preference for a bring-your-own-device scenario, is helping to put unified communications firmly at the centre of the evolving office and, ultimately, the workplace of the future.”