WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 25, 2018 – The world now stands on the edge of a modern precipice. No longer are we living and working in an industrial age, but we’re now entering the new, digital revolution. Digitization and globalization are changing the way people live and work on a fundamental level. Businesses aren’t tied to a single, geographic location to source and recruit talent. Instead, the world is now any enterprising company’s oyster. In the last few years, we’ve seen unprecedented growth in the remote workforce. This change is set to continue apace, with the numbers of remote employees projected to eclipse the static workforce by 2020.

In just two short years, half of all workers will clock-in remotely. The drivers at the helm of this workplace revolution are technology and globalization. Below, we’ll explore how technology and globalization are driving the growth of the remote workforce and how VoIP technology can help companies leverage the power of globalization.

1. Technology and globalization

With the rise in internet and smartphone technology, businesses have seen their potential talent pool expand exponentially. Companies aren’t beholden to finding and recruiting workers based strictly on a geographic area. Instead, companies have more choices than ever before to fill their ranks with talented workers.

Workers in the digital age have different expectations, wants, and needs from their employers. They want flexibility and more autonomy in the workplace. Both the needs of the worker and the company can be accommodated with technology, which has been democratized. Anyone with a laptop, a smartphone, and a Wi-Fi connection can work from anywhere in the world at any time.

However, these innovations, while they may be convenient for the worker and the employee, have a downside. Without the right technological systems in place, companies have a difficult time coordinating between remote workers and company headquarters. While technology is a big driver in swelling the ranks of the remote workforce, it’s also streamlining the processes if companies are wise enough to take advantage of these systems.

2. Businesses are reliant on personal phone use.

Businesses, especially smaller startups and mid-sized organizations, are incredibly reliant on employee’s personal cell phones. While personal cell phones can help to facilitate tasks and communication, they aren’t the most reliable way to do business. Some of the most significant downsides associated with personal cell phone use for work are:

• Potential loss of customers
• Can be unreliable
• Not scalable

Relying on personal cell phones to conduct crucial work-related tasks can costs businesses customers and money. Trustworthy, dependable employees who use their cell phones to communicate with clients can pose a serious risk to a company’s bottom line. Customers can become attached to the employee, and therefore, the employee’s phone number. If the employee were to leave the company, there’s a possibility that he might take those clients with him. While it may seem convenient on its face, using employee’s personal cell phones comes with a host of risks and downsides.

But fortunately, there is an easy way to solve this modern-day conundrum.

Why is VoIP technology the answer for businesses?

Business large and small can all take advantage of cloud-based phone systems and VoIP technology. Also, hosted PBX systems enable companies to avoid the installation, operation, and maintenance costs associated with VoIP systems. A VoIP service provider like ULTATEL can host the PBX for them. A hosted PBX gives companies quick access to their phone system’s features, such as faxes, automated greetings, conferences, and voicemail.

When companies make the switch from personal cell phones to VoIP technology, they are skyrocketing themselves into the modern era. Utilizing VoIP and cloud-based services brings secure, streamlined communication and processes across their atomized, remote workforce. Employees are able to better communicate across all levels of the organization. The greatest benefits of switching to a cloud-based phone system include:

• Reliability
• Security
• Recoverability
• Scalability

Cloud-based phone systems give companies and their workforce the ability to access the company’s infrastructure in one convenient, secure hub. It’s much easier to coordinate dealings and tasks across the company through a cloud-based system, instead of cell phones. Cell phones don’t give companies the ability to recover lost information. Startups that are trying to recruit new talent can differentiate themselves by offering convenient and safe cloud-based phone systems to their remote workers, instead of having those workers rely on personal cell phones.

The times have changed drastically in the business world. If companies wish to remain viable and secure top talent from the remote workforce, they will need to utilize cloud-based phone systems and VoIP technology.

Amr Ibrahim is Chief Executive Officer of ULTATEL. He has a demonstrated history of working in the telecommunications, software development and technology industries. Ibrahim is a strong business development professional with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) focused in Management from Florida Institute of Technology.