82 VIEWPOINT Hybrid work is here to stay but digital transformation isn’t easy. Lenovo’s solutions for Microsoft Teams are helping enterprises to provide seamless experiences from anywhere SHANNON MACKAY: LENOVO Smarter technology for smarter collaboration Microsoft Teams now has over 280 million daily active users. The market has spoken, when workers collaborate, it’s frequently not done face to face anymore. Technology is advancing and corporate cultures are shifting to make hybrid work the new normal. It’s no longer a question of whether team members will be allowed to work from anywhere, but how often. And more importantly, how will the enterprise enable it? Lenovo, a long-standing Microsoft partner, is delivering solutions that support one of the most significant trends in the digital transformation of the enterprise – enabling hybrid work with smarter unified communications (UC) technology. Digital transformation has never been easy, but in the case of hybrid work, it’s rarely been as urgent. To meet the realities of managing distributed teams and support workers with the flexibility they demand, companies are increasingly moving to a three-two model, with three days working in the office and two from anywhere. And all this was catalysed by the global Covid-19 pandemic, which tested the limitations of what is possible with UC technology. But how does the enterprise shift to the new model and maintain equity for its employees so that everyone has a seat at the table (even if it is virtual), as well as a voice that can be heard? There’s no single path to achieve these goals. Legacy technology burdens, the scale of office footprints, and budget constraints are realities every enterprise face. Enterprises are looking for inclusive UC solutions that provide a seamless experience from anywhere, while still upholding reliability and security to ensure it works every time. According to the Remote Work Statistics And Trends In 2023 by Forbes, 98 per cent of workers expressed the desire to work remotely, at least part of the time. And 56 per cent of employees would look for a new job if their current company didn’t allow remote work. The enterprise needs UC solutions that work in the office and at home, as well as in other locations. Businesses will seek hyper-flexible, scalable solutions that allow employees to collaborate from anywhere. These solutions should also offer a familiar user experience so that employees can easily join a Teams meeting. Effective collaboration enables diverse teams to learn, problem solve and innovate together. But one in five participants worries about not feeling heard in hybrid meetings, and nearly 50 per cent don’t speak at all. For employees to stay connected, technology must make everyone feel included in the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=