Ryan C. LaBrie

Unified communications as an enabler of workplace redesign

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine how advances in unified communications (UC) technologies are enabling radical changes in workplace redesign. Low-cost and readily available technologies allow individuals to participate in work in ways that they could not before. Mobile hardware, networking infrastructure and robust UC platforms are making work less location- and time-dependent. Whereas these technologies provided the catalyst for the reimagining of the workplace in the early to mid-2000s, it was the explosion of BYOD (bring your own device) in recent years that has caused organizations to reconsider innovative workplace usage. Design/methodology/approach – In this case study on the Microsoft Corporation, business motivators for workplace innovation, driven by performance metrics, are examined. Findings – Included in the findings are increased productivity, talent attraction and retention, reduced sick leave, reduced communications costs, reduced IT and administration costs, reduced carbon...