Author: Rose de Fremery
Date published: June 28, 2024
Every government agency, whether federal, state or local, relies on effective collaboration to carry out its mission. This is as true with regard to interagency communication as it is with respect to public communication. Video conferencing for government can simultaneously improve collaboration in both of these critical areas, bringing government closer to citizens with technology that is easy to use, manage and deploy.
Government agencies see great potential in digital transformation, especially when it comes to internal collaboration. A Verizon-Foundry survey of public sector decision-makers found that all government technology executives consider improved workforce collaboration and productivity one of the three key areas of greatest promise where this is concerned.
Having allowed their employees to work from home at the beginning of the pandemic, government agencies have seen how remote and hybrid work can enable continuity of services during extraordinary circumstances. Now, video conferencing solutions such as Webex Meetings and Microsoft Teams make it possible for colleagues across different government agencies to promptly and productively coordinate their everyday work regardless of where they are physically located. Remote and hybrid work can also aid recruitment, giving government agencies access to a larger talent pool than they might otherwise have.
Should the weather snarl commutes or an unexpected emergency prevent government employees from reaching their offices, such virtual collaboration becomes all the more essential—and reliable, easy-to-use video conferencing enables it. Colleagues can securely join a video conference from their homes or using their mobile devices while in transit, discuss what needs to be done and coordinate an immediate response.
Video conferencing for government also supports high-level interagency meetings, enabling a smooth flow of dialogue among agency leaders. Without having to travel to participate in meetings, government leaders are more likely to be able to attend—and their agencies can reduce travel costs. Travel restrictions are less of an obstacle in these instances, as well.
Government agencies are also leveraging video conferencing solutions to improve public communication and enhance constituent engagement. This form of public engagement can be particularly impactful on the state and local levels, for example, when city council hearings are held through video conference. In these cases, a wider range of constituents, such as rural residents and people with disabilities or childcare responsibilities, are able to participate in important decisions affecting their communities. This may not be the case if these meetings were to be held strictly in person. By offering online public consultation in this fashion, state and local government agencies can demonstrate that they are responsive and accountable to their constituents.
Video conferencing for government can support public education and telehealth, as well. Public schools can use video conferencing for hybrid and distance learning, providing a consistent learning experience for students whether they are joining classes in person or from home. Connected learning through video conference also allows students with different learning styles to pursue their education using more accessible tools and methods than are available in traditional in-person classroom settings. Separately, public sector health organizations can use video conferencing technology to deliver timely telehealth services across a large geographic footprint in an effort to improve health outcomes for the populations they serve.
At the state level, government agencies are using video conferencing to provide remote court hearings. First offered during the early days and months of the pandemic as a way of keeping the justice system running as smoothly as possible, this option is now becoming a more standard feature of legal proceedings. Some states are currently in the process of adopting formal frameworks that govern when and how they will permit activities, such as jury selection and hearings, to be held on video conferencing platforms. Some remote participants report more reasonable wait times as a result of this advancement in government technology, even going so far as to note that their cases now are treated with the time and seriousness required.
Government agencies are digitally transforming at a rapid pace. As they do, government technology executives are placing a special priority on improving workforce collaboration and productivity. Video conferencing for government can be especially valuable in exactly this regard because it permits colleagues to collaborate and keep the business of government moving in real time, even during unprecedented situations like a global pandemic or more everyday disruptions like inclement weather.
At the same time, video conferencing tools can also allow government agencies to improve constituent engagement and provide better constituent services. State and local governments can conduct hearings via video conference, public schools can make education more accessible with distance learning, public health organizations can use telehealth to improve health outcomes, and judicial systems can even tap this technology to make judicial proceedings run more smoothly.
A trusted video conferencing platform can help federal, state and local governments improve internal collaboration and public communication in all of these ways and more, elevating operational effectiveness and serving constituents more effectively in the process. With a secure video conferencing solution in place, government agencies can lower costs and bring government closer to the people it serves, improving constituent satisfaction as a result.
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The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.