Empowering Your Hybrid Workforce: Accessibility from Anywhere

As your employees lead a more flexible style of work, working from corporate offices and home offices, they require fluid communication channels- providing accessibility from anywhere. 

What Does Accessibility from Anywhere mean? 

People work together in many different ways.  Collaboration tools like IP telephony for voice calling, web and video conferencing, voice mail, mobility, desktop sharing and instant messaging and presence are essential. 

Accessibility from anywhere provides a seamless user experience across all of your voice, video and collaboration resources, helping people work together more effectively.  Anywhere, on any device. 

Real-time communication from your phone system and conferencing solutions, together with messaging and chat can bridge the distance between your users. With Cisco Unified Communications and Mobile Remote Access, make and receive phone calls, follow-up on voicemail, communicate through instant messaging and join web and video conferences from the office, home or on the road. 

What are considerations for Accessibility from Anywhere? 

- How will the users connect to the collaboration tools while away from the office? 

- What internet service providers are available for the individual users? 

- What devices will be used with the collaboration tools?

Remote access for collaboration can be provided by Cisco AnyConnect VPN, Mobile Remote Access for a VPN-less connection of collaboration endpoints or through a Cisco Virtual Office hardware VPN device. 

Users that are connecting remotely from home or on the road need access to broadband internet to support the delivery of the collaboration resources.  All of the collaboration tools your users will use are available on any device, including laptops, tablets, as well as iPhone or Android smartphones.  These devices can be provided by the business or through a Bring Your Own Device policy.

What are roadblocks for accessibility from anywhere? 

There may be some roadblocks businesses could encounter when providing access to collaboration tools from anywhere.  Some of these roadblocks may include availability of broadband internet, company security policies and acceptable use policies.  Broadband internet availability for your users wherever they are working is a critical roadblock.  Internet service that is slow or has high latency can lead to a poor user experience.  Company security policies may not allow for users remote access to company resources.  Cisco's Mobile Remote Access can be leveraged to allow users safe and secure access to your on-premise collaboration tools without using a VPN. Introducing Bring Your Own Device to users can expand their access to their collaboration tools by making them available from devices they are already using.

The Tools for Accessibility from Anywhere

While your team is remote, you want to provide seamless access to collaboration tools. In the video below David Cantwell shares three options to help your team stay connected. 

Cisco AnyConnect VPN Client 

This is the primary tool to use while accessing business resources remotely

Cisco Mobile Remote Access 

Safe and secure access to on-premise collaboration tools without using a VPN  

Hardware VPN Devices 

This provides a seamless virtual office experience to users

Why is providing Accessibility from anywhere important?