How the Office Environment Will Continue to Change

Even before the ‘new normal’ of WFH, the office environment was changing. Collaboration was starting to take hold, and the open office concept replete with cool wood tables, huddle rooms, latte machines, wide screen TVs, and even play and congregation areas was becoming de rigueur.

And when we all go back to work, this concept could be up for debate. Will it be even more important as people crave the basic interaction they couldn’t get when they were home? We could likely see an acceleration of these trends at some point. In with these open tables, lockers for your “stuff”, no set desk or work phone, working anywhere anytime, and out with stuffy cubicles and closed offices and set office hours.

However, at some point, are the key words. When will this occur? Even when we get the go ahead to go back to work, will it be the same right away? It’s doubtful. Some companies may choose to split up when people come in, so social distancing can still be observed. In the picture above the “old” picture may make a comeback, maybe even with plexiglass dividers or dare I say some kind of office. Every company will handle it differently, but the point is precautions will be in order.

No matter what shape the new offices takes, this type of environment would not be possible without the advances in the business communication system behind all of it – the Unified Communication system. In other words, the once lowly PBX has evolved to become essentially the hub of communications for this new business environment, because the mobile office, instant messaging, and other forms of unified messaging are core to the new enhanced person-to-person communication methods.

And video conferencing and collaboration, what we have with Sangoma Meet, will not just disappear. There will always be remote workers, whether it’s a single person or whether there will be teams split upon coming back to the office. And we’ve all gotten used to the benefits of sharing documents and seeing our remote colleagues. So that is here to stay. Conferencing calls likely become now video conference and collaboration calls.

We will likely continue to see change in the work environment, supported by your Unified Communications system. Sangoma will be there with you.

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