The pandemic, the option to WFM (work from the mountains), and an abundance of co-working spaces have fueled the rise of hybrid work. With the only requirements being a laptop, a decent wifi connection, and maybe a cup of coffee, remote work has proven to be as simple as it sounds. This, coupled with the perks of working from an office, has popularized the concept of a hybrid work model. A well-planned hybrid work system can have several benefits like employee happiness, increased productivity, reduced costs, and a diverse workforce.

The Accenture Future of Work Study found that 83% of workers around the globe prefer a hybrid work model. The study also found that 25% of workers strongly agreed that a key reason to work on-site is to collaborate with colleagues in a face-to-face setting. This finding indicates that there's a gap in virtual communication that makes people prefer in-person communication. This gap could be caused by a multitude of reasons, such as low employee engagement, lack of feedback, inefficient communication tools, misjudgment of tone, and disconnects in employee presence. While the nature of the issues may differ based on factors like the industry, number of employees, and geographic distribution, the solution can be customized with these factors in mind. One solution several companies have adopted is unified communications as a service (UCaaS).

A UCaaS system, which is essentially the convergence of various communication channels in one cloud-based interface, makes the process of enterprise communication smooth and efficient. The communication gap posed in remote work has fueled the prominence of UCaaS over the last few years. A sound UCaaS system solves vital issues faced in virtual communication and promotes a healthy hybrid work environment. This helps make the transition in communication between remote and real life seamless. To get a better idea of how this works, here are some ways UCaaS helps promote a healthy hybrid work environment.

Increased productivity

An efficient UCaaS system allows employees to access all their collaborative tools from a single platform. The reduced time spent on context switching streamlines work, and this helps employees increase their productivity. In a hybrid work system, this bridges the gap between remote and in-person work by improving work efficiency and streamlining the transition.  

Flexibility

The primary idea of a hybrid work system is the flexibility it gives people. An effective UCaaS system complements this and ensures that employees can work regardless of location or schedule.

Employee presence

When you have multiple systems for different business functions, gauging an employee's presence becomes more challenging. For example, a customer service representative working remotely may be on a customer support call on the company's contact center tool. But to another employee looking at the user's profile on the company's communication platform, it may seem like they are not engaged in any work and are free to collaborate. This disconnect in the user presence could pose potential issues. An efficient UCaaS system solves this by unifying the user's presence across platforms.

Security

A crucial threat to a company's business is the breach of its data. A hybrid work model often involves employees connecting company devices to external networks and, in some cases, may even involve their own personal devices. Both of these situations could pose security threats that a sound UCaaS system can solve.

Scalability

With a hybrid work model, the number of remote-working employees can constantly fluctuate. UCaaS is scalable and can keep up with the changes in demand.

Cost effective

UCaaS is built on the ideology of only paying for what's necessary. Instead of expensive capital-intensive solutions, a UCaaS solution can be tailored according to the company's needs, making it much more economical.

Work-life balance

None of the benefits mentioned above are relevant if your company's employees aren't happy and satisfied. A good UCaaS system allows your employees to take charge of their schedules and achieve a better work-life balance. The payoff is clear: happy employees are your biggest ambassadors.

These factors have led to the formation of a sound relationship between hybrid work and UCaaS. Find out how Zoho Cliq, as a UCaaS solution, makes this bond even stronger.