Verizon on the Future of Work and the Role of Unified Communications

The way we work is changing rapidly. With advancements in technology, businesses are embracing digital transformation to stay competitive in a fast-paced world.

Verizon, a global leader in telecommunications, understands the need for a future of work that is agile, connected, and efficient.

The Future of Work

As technology continues to evolve, so does the way we work. The traditional office setup is giving way to a more flexible and connected future. Verizon envisions a future of work that embraces digital transformation and leverages Unified Communications to enhance productivity, collaboration, and efficiency, where employees have the freedom to work from anywhere, at any time.

This vision is based on the idea that work is no longer confined to a physical office space. Instead, it is about empowering employees to work in a way that suits their needs and maximizes their productivity.

In this webinar interview, part of the Future of Work Pioneers Podcast, they speak with Christy Pambianchi, EVP and CHRO of Verizon, to explore how Verizon transformed itself to allow 115k employees to work from home.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Christy not only led a swift response at Verizon but also joined forces with other CHROs from 40+ organizations to launch People+Work Connect, an online platform to connect people to work and work to people.

In this webinar they further dive into Future of Work insights and practices. Sam Hammock, Chief Human Resources Officer at Verizon talks with Tim Banting of Omdia about the challenges Verizon and other companies faced in recent years and the subsequent changes they made to support the evolving workplace.

Unified Communications

Verizon believes that the future of work will be characterized by seamless connectivity, collaboration, and flexibility. With the help of advanced technologies and Unified Communications, employees will be able to communicate and collaborate effectively, regardless of their location.

Unified Communications (UC) is a technology that integrates various communication tools and channels into a single platform. It enables employees to communicate and collaborate in real-time, regardless of their physical location. UC combines voice, video, messaging, and other communication channels into a unified and user-friendly interface.

In the future of work, Unified Communications will play a crucial role in enabling seamless collaboration and enhancing productivity. Here are some key ways UC will contribute:

• Improved Communication: UC allows employees to connect and communicate through various channels, including voice, video, instant messaging, and email. This flexibility ensures that employees can choose the most suitable communication method for their needs, resulting in faster and more effective collaboration.
• Enhanced Collaboration: With UC, employees can collaborate in real-time, regardless of their physical location. They can share files, screens, and ideas instantly, fostering a culture of teamwork and innovation.
• Increased Mobility: UC enables employees to work from anywhere, using any device. This flexibility allows for a better work-life balance and empowers employees to be productive even when they are on the go.
• Streamlined Workflows: By integrating different communication tools into a single platform, UC simplifies workflows and reduces the need for switching between multiple applications. This streamlining of processes saves time and improves efficiency.

The adoption of Unified Communications in the future of work brings several benefits for both businesses and employees:

• Increased Productivity: With UC, employees can communicate and collaborate seamlessly, leading to improved productivity and faster decision-making.
• Cost Savings: By consolidating communication tools into a single platform, businesses can reduce costs associated with multiple subscriptions and maintenance.
• Flexibility and Work-Life Balance: UC enables employees to work from anywhere, at any time, promoting a better work-life balance and increasing job satisfaction.
• Improved Customer Service: With UC, businesses can provide better customer service by enabling employees to access real-time information and collaborate with colleagues to resolve customer issues quickly.
• Business Continuity: In the event of a disruption, such as a natural disaster, UC ensures that employees can continue working remotely, minimizing downtime and maintaining business operations.

Microsoft Teams

Verizon offers Unified Communications solutions based on Microsoft Teams, integrating it with their telephony services to offer a holistic collaboration and calling service. These solutions extend Teams calling outside your organization to enable effective collaboration with partners, vendors and customers, delivering the quality, reliability and security of Verizon’s global voice networks.

Out-of-the-box Teams doesn’t support incoming or outgoing calls outside your legacy phone system, which means you’ve probably had to deploy extra hardware and software, and that increases IT complexity and cost.

Verizon Mobile for Microsoft Teams turns any Verizon business wireless device into a Team’s end point, allowing you to make and receive Teams calls right from your mobile dialer. Verizon VoIP for Operator Connect simplifies global communications because it allows your people to communicate with almost anyone anywhere directly from Teams.

While Verizon Calling with Microsoft Teams integrates Teams calling within complex environments to more than 110 countries. And since one size doesn’t fit all, you can mix and match the three solutions for the calling experience that best suits the unique needs of each user.

Verizon calling solutions for Microsoft Teams allows you to move to the cloud at your chosen pace and future-proof your investment. They integrate easily with other platforms for effective collaboration with partners, vendors and customers, and they deliver the quality, reliability and security of Verizon’s Global voice networks.

Conclusion

Verizon’s vision of the future of work embraces digital transformation and the power of Unified Communications.

By leveraging UC technologies, businesses can create a connected and flexible work environment that enhances productivity, collaboration, and efficiency. The benefits of Unified Communications extend beyond the workplace, empowering employees to work from anywhere, at any time, and achieve a better work-life balance.

As the future of work continues to evolve, Unified Communications will play a vital role in shaping the way we work and connect.