The State of Unified Communications in 2021

Author: Irwin Lazar, President and Principal Analyst

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed where and how people work. Today, more than 70% of employees are working remotely, and just 8% of organizations expect a full return to the office once the pandemic ends. While today, most have shifted to work-from-home, the future workforce is likely to consist of a mix of work-from-home, those in the office (full or part-time), as well as those working from temporary locations.

Research shows that the majority of individuals prefer the flexibility and cost savings that come from working remotely, while business leaders realize that allowing remote work may improve productivity rather than hinder it. Business leaders also are beginning to take advantage of cost benefits from reduced real-estate expenses and from hiring outside of expensive locations.

Table of Contents

• Executive Summary
• The New Way of Work has Arrived
• Addressing Remote Work Challenges
• Accelerating the Shift to the Cloud
• Enabling Virtual Worker Collaboration
• Real-World Benefits of Effective Virtual Collaboration
• Choosing the Right Architecture
• Integrating Contact Center
• Conclusion