The COVID-19 crisis in 2020 catalyzed a massive shift toward remote work on a scale unheard of until now. December 2020 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicated that 24% of the workforce (35.5 million people) were working from home at that time. 

Multiple surveys taken throughout 2020 have revealed that many employees would like to continue working from home when the pandemic is over. A Pew Research Center survey from December 2020 reported that 54% of people whose jobs can be performed at home would want to work from home all or most of the time after the coronavirus outbreak ends. 

Forty-three percent of U.S. workers said they spent at least some time working remotely in the past year, according to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace report,  and that’s good news for their employers. Remote work increases productivity, decreases operating expenses, and reduces stress for employees. But those benefits depend on software solutions that allow employees to collaborate efficiently and effectively from wherever they are. The top three software solutions for remote team collaboration are Skype for Business, Zoom and Webex. While much of their basic functionality is the same, each tool has specific benefits for specific collaboration goals and use cases. Keep reading to learn more about each solution and to determine which tool is best for you.

Video collaboration in the workplace is more the rule than the exception. For example, 55 percent of organizations use Skype For Business—but not every tool out there will be the right fit for your particular needs and business case. Here are some best practices; to help you pick the right video collaboration tool and get the most out of it.

Even if skinny jeans are “in,” they may not be the best choice for you if you don’t like the way they look and feel. The same logic goes for choosing video and other collaboration technology—just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean it’s necessarily right for your organization. Providing employees with technology-rich meeting and collaboration spaces is important, but the most commonly used video collaboration and conferencing tools might not be what’s best for supporting productivity and user work styles at your organization. Keep reading for some ways to ensure you choose technology that is the right fit for your huddle spaces and conference rooms.