With the monumental rise in remote work in 2020 and 2021, employers have had to face a huge challenge – how can we keep everyone connected if they’re in different locations? The solution: cloud-based communications.
The reality is, the beginning of the pandemic was the first time that millions of employees started working remotely. Before the COVID outbreak began, three-quarters of American workers had never worked from home, and only six percent were primarily remote. By May of 2020, just a few weeks after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic, 35 percent of the workforce started working remotely.
That’s a massive leap. But for companies that were already using cloud communication tools, such as unified communications as a service (UCaaS), video conferencing, and contact center as a service (CCaaS), the transition was a smooth one. Other businesses had to play catch up by implementing new communication tools and migrating to the cloud.
Either way, during the pandemic cloud-based communications solutions took off. Let’s look at the reasons why cloud communications will be a key part of the future of work.
Reason #1 – Cloud Communications Tools Enable Remote Work
The biggest reason why cloud communication tools are critical for businesses in the new normal is the rise of remote work, and subsequently, the work-from-wherever business model.
Remote work will be a part of the future of work, even when we’re years beyond the pandemic. This is because it’s a win-win for everyone.
Employers can save on office costs, access a wider pool of talent, and offer their employees greater flexibility, helping to retain and attract top talent. They get all of this without a dip in productivity.
Employees enjoy the flexibility that comes with the ability to work from home. According to a survey conducted by Digital.com, employees also appreciate the freedom to exercise in the day, take naps, wear what they want, and spend time with their family – while not having to throw away hours every week commuting.
And the biggest draw of a remote-flexible schedule? The ability to be there for their pets! Seventy-five percent of remote workers say caring for a pet is one of the reasons staying home is important to them.
These may seem like small factors. However, being able to carve out a better work-life balance can increase employee happiness and workforce health, which can lead to greater productivity, loyalty, and resilience.
Reason #2 – Cloud Communications Boosts Resilience
Another factor is resilience. After going through massive disruption on a global scale, businesses are taking resilience and agility more seriously.
To thrive in the new business normal, companies need to be ready to respond to change, adapt quickly, and implement better tools or processes without slowing down productivity. However, nearly three-quarters of C-suite executives say they need to completely rethink their operating models to increase resilience as a result of the pandemic.
One of the best ways to boost resilience and adaptability is to put the right technology framework in place – which means switching from on-premises business applications to cloud-based.
When your data is in the cloud, you don’t have to worry about accessing on-premises servers or networks. You also won’t have a gap in analytics if you can’t be in the office, empowering your business to continue making smart business decisions, no matter what’s going on in the world.
Your teams can also function virtually, ensuring seamless connections with customers, clients, and partners. Cloud-based communications enable teams to continue making and receiving calls, meeting with clients, and collaborating, no matter where they are located.
Whether it’s a short-term disruption or a long-term one, businesses are better prepared for change when employees aren’t bound to a certain office space.
#3 – Cloud Technology Gives Businesses a Competitive Edge
And the final reason why cloud communications technology will be a must-have moving forward is competitiveness.
When it comes to technology, businesses that lag behind tend to become less competitive. They don’t have the same tools and features, which means they miss out on the efficiency and user-friendliness of more advanced applications.
New technology almost always creates a competitive advantage.
But with cloud communications, businesses don’t just gain new features. They also realize cost savings, better data security, effortless compliance, and the flexibility benefits that come with enabling a distributed workforce.
This is why digital transformation – the shift of all business data and systems to digital – has been so important for the past several years. And, with the pandemic, this need to transform has accelerated.
Now, it’s absolutely essential for businesses of all sizes to get on board with cloud-based solutions. Otherwise, they risk getting left behind on customer experience, productivity, costsavings, collaboration, and business continuity.
Getting Started with Cloud-Based Communications
Cloud-based communication tools enable teams to stay connected, whether they are in the office, at home, or somewhere else. And they add flexibility into the business model, whether your organization is looking for a way to be more resilient, to hire from a wider talent pool, or to offer more comprehensive services to your customers.
While what the cloud offers is revolutionary, getting started isn’t. Your company doesn’t have to invest a lot of money or overhaul its operations. In fact, with Intermedia, we can take care of all the onboarding and data migration for you. Find out how easy it is to switch to cloud communications today.
The Intermedia Team
Intermedia helps businesses of all sizes connect better – through voice, video conferencing, chat, contact center, business email and productivity, file sharing and backup, security, archiving, and more – from wherever, whenever. And, as a partner-first company, Intermedia goes to work for our channel partners to help them grow their revenue and maximize their success.
February 8, 2022
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