What Do These 2018 Business Communication Trends Mean for You?

1. Enterprises are moving to the cloud

According to IDG, 70 percent of enterprises host at least one application in the cloud, and that number is only expected to increase. For those uncertain about the cloud, unified communications tools like videoconferencing are a great place to start. Cloud computing can reduce hefty costs of infrastructure (both implementation and ongoing maintenance), scale up or down with a company as its needs change, and reduce the need for a dedicated support staff. Cloud-based tools can also improve collaboration among team members. In fact, one survey by Cloud Security Alliance revealed that 79 percent of companies regularly receive employee requests for cloud services, especially around collaboration and file sharing.

Takeaway: Explore how a cloud-based tool could simplify communications for your organisation

2. We’re more mobile than ever

Employees are more mobile than ever. We use our phones and tablets to do everything from order a taxi to adjust the air conditioning. Let’s face it…many of us attached at the hip to our phones. Moving forward, phones will help us manage our entire digital meeting lives, as well. These devices are already being used as remote controls to adjust call settings, mute participants, share screens, and more, helping people stay connected from anywhere. But what if they could take away the stress of running from meeting to meeting, not knowing the dial-in number for your next call, or having look up a PIN code? In the future, companies will see a much more streamlined approach to online meetings, and mobile devices play a critical role in that shift.

Takeaway: Make sure your employees can work efficiently from any device

3. Our communication tools are converging

We like things that are simple. Why use five platforms to communicate with coworkers when one or two will suffice? This mentality is driving a huge shift in collaboration platforms, with the worlds of videoconferencing, webconferencing and chat converging to better connect workers. To succeed, collaboration platforms must not only deliver the functionality that employees need, but also the modern, intuitive interface they expect.

Takeaway: Consider how your tools can be used for more than one job

4. Office spaces are adapting to new working styles with huddle rooms

Today, more than 50 percent of the U.S. workforce has the option to telework, and 20-25 percent telework on a regular basis. No longer tied to their desks, employees are working from anywhere – the home office, the coffee shop, airport, or hotel room. Because of this fluctuating time in the office, many companies are adopting a more open, flexible environment with smaller conference rooms for focused work and meetings. These spaces can serve as quiet spaces for concentration, or “huddle rooms” for small groups to meet. As a result, video is extending from traditional large conference rooms to the huddle room to improve collaboration between teams.

Takeaway: Make sure your office is equipped to meet the needs of all workers with dedicated huddle spaces for in-person and virtual meetings

5. More companies are testing out live streaming

Video has become pervasive in our culture today. By 2021, a whopping 82 percent of all consumer internet traffic is expected to come from video, and 13 percent from live video, in particular. Platforms like Facebook Live and Periscope are bringing video to the masses and helping individuals reach a broader audience, and we’re seeing that same trend infiltrate businesses. Fifteen years ago, a company needed to hire a full-scale TV production company to live stream video. Today? All you need is a phone or a webcam. Enterprises are trying out new ways to live stream their meetings, whether for trainings, all-hands, or webinars, and we’ll see the use cases for streaming only continue into 2018.