According to a recent analysis by Deloitte, the workforce is becoming more diverse. That doesn’t mean there isn’t still much work to be done to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace, which additional analysis shows can significantly increase productivity. But it does mean that it’s time businesses provide their employees with new communications tools that meet the needs of a more diverse workforce.

It’s Time to Diversify Unified Communications

Let’s look at the number of millennial and post-millennial workers that make up the workforce. This age group makes up a third of the workforce today, and will make up nearly 75% of the workforce by 2025. Many of these younger workers grew up swiping touchscreens and having the latest technologies at their fingertips. Avaya research indicates these workers expect to have this same experience in their work communications.

I don’t think many would argue that the iPhone dramatically changed the way we communicate. One reason the iPhone has been so successful, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook, is that it embraced the diversity of both people and communications. Most of us now use our iPhone or Android mobile phones constantly as we go about our day. These devices are fantastic for mobile communications. But one place they do not work well is the business communications desktop. They are just not designed for this.

Years ago, Avaya initially attempted to address this issue by introducing a docking station for mobile devices. The concept sounded right at the time—it was a way to enable BYOD to work for the business desktop. But further Avaya research indicated there was more to this equation. Employees needed a device that was purpose built to combine the best of the traditional business desk phone experience with that of the consumer mobile device experience.

Reason #4: Avaya Vantage™ is a Diverse Communications Solution for Your Diverse Workforce

One insight from our research was the need for “flow”—the concept that we must provide the diverse workforce with tools to better maintain the flow of their day-to-day experiences. We need to simultaneously increase productivity, creativity, and health. This requires that we embrace and promote the diversity of individuals in the tools we give them to communicate.

The Avaya Vantage™ device supports diversity, and Avaya has it right. Only it really isn’t just a device—it is an experience, as you may understand if you have followed the recent #AvayaDesktopExperience series of social media postings. The Avaya Vantage lets individuals personalize their business communications so they can enjoy the same apps they use on their mobile devices to augment their work and life flows. To cater to individual device preferences, Avaya Vantage has nine different form factors, including the new touch keypad option.