Unified Communications as a service (UCaaS) brings greater flexibility and ease of use to business communication. It moves traditional on-premise communication systems to the cloud so that organizations can implement, manage, and upgrade them more efficiently. For instance, Gartner predicts that 75 percent of enterprises will stop using desk phones by 2024, up from just 30 percent in 2020. UCaaS is uniquely suited to WFH precisely due to its flexibility and low cost footprint.
UCaaS is a cloud-based communication system that combines voice, video, chat, and file sharing (along with other value-added services) on one platform that operates on a monthly subscription model.
UCaaS solutions can be modular, which means that enterprises pick and choose the service component and communication channels most relevant to them. They are also remotely managed, which reduces the need for in-house configurations and maintenance by the customer company. As a result, it is suitable for companies and work environments of every size, allowing SMBs to deploy a basic solution at low costs. At the same time, large enterprises can scale and adopt as many features as they need.
UCaaS is ideal for WFH setups for three reasons:
● It is cloud-based and can be accessed from any location. ● It is remotely managed and can be supported by IT without visiting employee homes. ● It is modular so that different employees get access to different features, depending on their roles.
There are several ways organizations can maximize the benefits of UCaaS when providing employees with WFH facilities:
UCaaS vendors typically have data centers around the globe and can support users in any location while maintaining centralized visibility. This means that an employee two blocks from the HQ and another employee sitting on the opposite side of the globe will enjoy the same communication and collaboration services. Organizations should maximize this benefit by hiring outside of their local regions. UCaaS can support WFH setups in any part of the world, making it possible for employers to gain from a wilder talent pool.
Security is one of the top concerns when implementing a WFH setup. Employees can use UCaaS on a personal device, connect through public Wi-Fi, share passwords with family members, and so on. Organizations should protect UCaaS systems against these risks by implementing multi-factor authentication, secure endpoint access, and malware protection for employee devices. User awareness training should also be a top priority.
5G is now increasingly available in mature economies like the US and the UK. While the network infrastructure is still nascent, hundreds of cities and towns have 5G connectivity, which significantly improves the UCaaS experience. This is particularly useful for business leaders, team leaders, contact center managers, and other employees in decision-making roles. 5G-powered UCaaS helps them stay connected with multiple teams and stakeholders across the day so that they can orchestrate workflows with ease.
