When looking at trends in communication, what is clear is that communication is continuing to converge around four key trends: 1) facilitating remote workers, 2) integrating VoIP and telephony services into operations, 3) deploying enterprise mobility management and security, and 4) implementing unified communications as a service, or UCaaS.

Let's explore these  business communication trends in more detail.

The first business communication trend revolves around how work has evolved due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the dramatic rise in remote work, digital workplace transformation plans were pushed into overdrive, and companies quickly discovered where there were gaps.

The pandemic has changed the way people work. What was once a privilege generally extended to only select individuals, remote work increasingly has become the norm for many workers today. 

And that means businesses need to think about how they can continue to empower employees to connect with each other and with their customers. Remote workers, for example, need secure access from anywhere at any time, and in a way that streamlines productivity.

A second trend in communication is the integration of VoIP and telephony services into operations. 5G is expected to radically change internet connectivity, while different types of business communications built around VoIP and voice services will experience shorter response times as the new normal. That means improved call quality, faster connections and increased capacities.

The rise of VoIP has some experts predicting the end of telephone numbers as part of the communication stack, but that's likely a long way off yet. Before then, expect interactive voice response (IVR) technology to take shape in unified communications, helping to make the call center more efficient and customer experience more flexible.

A third business communication trend is the deployment of enterprise mobility management while keeping network security in mind. Communications technology has come a long way in only a few decades, particularly mobile communications—imagine how different things would have been had COVID-19 hit in 2005.

But the increase in mobility also means an increase in risk. As the world grows more connected, new doors open to attackers looking to breach your business, and managing risk becomes more important and complex.

According to Willis Towers Watson, three emerging trends will alter the cyber risk management landscape:

• A big increase in remote workers permanently expands the attack surface, which will require new ways of prioritizing and mitigating cyber risk.

• Companies will respond by turning their attention to the human element and build more robust cyber risk cultures.

• HR leaders must take a role in cyber security and join forces with CISO and other tech leaders.

Human-caused cyber incidents could be seen as largely avoidable, so enterprise communications need to be developed and delivered in a safe and secure manner. Business leaders must also embed a culture of security awareness into their organizations, ensuring staff adhere to policies when they're not within the company premises or network.

And the final trend in communication involves unified communications as a service, or UCaaS. Consider how communication channels increasingly have been integrated into a single enterprise service. This single service uses VoIP as the underlying technology, but it offers much more than voice calls.

Under the umbrella of UCaaS, enterprise communications include web, audio, and video conferencing; unified messaging (fax, voicemail, email); instant messaging and presence; team collaboration and more. This single, integrated enterprise communications service stack helps businesses save time and money—there's no need for separate systems, which means no separate equipment outlays. 

And because UCaaS is based in the cloud, users can access enterprise communications systems from anywhere at any time. Plus, putting the full communications stack in the cloud means less physical on-premises space is needed for servers and equipment, which delivers additional cost savings and makes communications technology easier to update more frequently.

UCaaS is well on its way to becoming the standard delivery model for business communications, further helping to underpin other business communications trends, such as increased mobility, more flexible access and better connectivity.

The business environment continues to evolve, making it challenging to determine the latest business communication trends that may be most relevant for your business. In an attempt to stay one step ahead of the curve, smart enterprises continually ask what the latest communications technology looks like. But they also recognize that working with a partner can help to smooth the implementation process, accelerate user adoption, and ensure communications technology is embedded properly into the organization.

See how you could adapt and transform your business with help from Verizon.

The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.