Communication and collaboration have never been more important.

This decade, the world has witnessed a paradigm shift around the way work gets done. And with this shift, cloud communications has now become a strategic asset.

In 2022, 8x8 commissioned a survey of approximately 500 IT and customer experience (CX) professionals. More than half (57%) surveyed said their organization is prioritizing cloud communications technology, and two-thirds (68%) predict that this technology will have a major impact on the way we work in the future. Close to two-thirds (64%) believe it will impact their organization’s customer experience, and more than half of professionals (52%) think cloud communications technology will have the most positive impact on workplace change management.

This leads us to explore the first of four trends that are transforming cloud communications.

1. The work from anywhere movement.

In a recent LinkedIn survey conducted by 8x8, only 2% of more than 1500 respondents said the future of work will be predominantly in-office. Thirty-five percent (35%) said it will be hybrid, while 63% said the future of work is going to be work from anywhere: the office, home, or wherever there’s a computer and an internet connection. What an incredible 360 degree shift from just a few years ago.

And with this work from anywhere movement, we see a second trend.

2. Employee experience is gaining ground on customer experience as an experience-related investment.

Though more and more return-to-office plans are being announced, organizations are facing a new reality where many employees are simply refusing to accept anything but remote or flexible work. Out of 1,000 workers polled in a recent Morning Consult survey, 39% said they'd consider quitting if their employers didn’t give them the flexibility to work from home. That increased to 49% when it came to millennial and Gen Z workers surveyed. For every organization, the new expectation and demand for flexible work is going to impact both employee and customer recruitment, retention, and engagement, as the best talent moves to those companies with the most attractive work-from-anywhere offerings.

With that in mind, here’s trend number three.

3. Cloud communications is becoming a strategic asset.

Adoption is now expected to exceed 70% by 2023, according to Metrigy Research, as organizations of all sizes focus on the long-term technology choices that will enable differentiating and digital-first employee and customer experiences.

With that, this fourth trend can’t be denied.

4. The meteoric rise of Microsoft Teams.

According to a Morgan Stanley CIO survey, more than half (54%) of organizations have standardized on Microsoft Teams, and that number is expected to increase to 75% by 2025. With that reach comes an extensive Microsoft partner ecosystem. At 8x8, more than 200,000 Teams users rely on our company every day to deliver Microsoft Teams voice services consistently.

(To learn more, view the Microsoft Teams Telephony Trends infographic.)

The four trends above are long-lasting and sure to have an impact on every organization, big or small. In an on-demand webinar, 8x8 SVP Meghan Keough sits down with Chris Geryol, IT Infrastructure and Operations Leader at nVent, to discuss his organization’s real-world adaptation to these trends. nVent is a company with more than 130 locations around the globe. From an IT leader’s standpoint, Chris will share his company’s cloud communications journey and how Microsoft Teams and 8x8 are now empowering more than 10,000 nVent employees—from back office, to shop floor, to the contact center—as the company prepares for the future of work.

We hope you’ll join us, especially if you’re interested in direct routing options for Microsoft Teams.

Webinar: 4 Trends Transforming Cloud Communications in 2022 and Beyond

Watch on-demand