To make hybrid work not a burden but a strength, you need a communication solution that works regardless of location, keeps everything in view and takes data protection seriously.
The workplace is no longer a place
with UC software Into the working world of tomorrow
Our understanding of everyday work has changed dramatically: fixed office hours, mandatory presence and the classic 9-to-5 job are, in many places, a thing of the past. Employees work in the office today, tomorrow from home and the next day on the move – with teams coming togehter in the same room less often than the perfect coffee comes out of the machine.
But even though hybrid work models are already everyday reality in many organisations, it is often unclear what this really means. And what specific demands it places on business communication.
WHAT IS HYBRID WORKING?
Hybrid working describes a working model in which employees switch flexibly between different work locations, for example between the office, working from home or on the move.Unlike classic remote work, where all tasks are carried out outside the office, the hybrid model combines phases of on site with mobile working and thus enables a high degree of flexibility.
For businesses, this means greater employee satisfaction, productivity and loyalty. At the same time, the demands on collaboration are changing fundamentally. When colleagues work in different locations, communication quickly becomes complex: communication spreads across different tools, spontaneous coordination fails due to unclear availability, and sensitive data end up in systems that are not designed for professional use.
The solution: UC software like XPhone Connect. It does not just promises collaboration. It makes it so easy that it naturally becomes part of everyday work – compliant with data protection regulations and seamlessly integrated into the existing infrastructure.
"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."
FORECAST: SHORT TO MEDIUM-TERM VALUE OF HYBRID WORK
Current studies, market developments and social trends all point in the same direction: hybrid working is highly likely to establish itself as the dominant working model in the short to medium term. Not equally in every industry, but particularly where communication, IT and knowledge work are central. Companies that do not align their infrastructure with this will find themselves slowed down operationally and less attractive as employers.
The hybrid standard
- 70% of companies want to maintain or expand hybrid models (McKinsey study, 2024)
- 3 out of 4 employees consider hybrid models to be ideal (studies by Microsoft & Gallup).
- Managers increasingly see hybrid working as part of modern working culture.
Employer attractiveness & skills shortage
- For Gen Z, flexibility (including hybrid working) is a key decision criterion when choosing a job.
- Companies that do not offer a hybrid model are losing relevance in recruiting and employee retention.
Technological stabilisation
- Investments in UC, collaboration and cloud solutions show that hybrid working is not a temporary concept.
- Solutions that work without cloud constraints, support on-premises infrastructure and combine data protection and user-friendliness are particularly in demand.
Legal & social framework conditions
- The EU Commission and national governments (e.g. Germany, France) are discussing a legal right to work from home,
giving hybrid models additional momentum.
- Unions and works councils are calling for clear rules and co-determination – which is further professionalising the debate.
"Thanks to XPhone Connect, we have a complete one-number concept, no matter where we work: you can always be reached at your office extension and all outgoing calls use that same number."
Tools for location-independent communication
What are the prerequisites for teamwork and effective communication with customers and business partners? Is it possible to organise the customer hotline and helpdesk so that employees work from home instead of a central customer care center? Location-independent communication and collaboration are the heart of New Work. With XPhone Connect, you can quickly and easily set up the hybrid workplace for your employees, ensuring efficient work regardless of location. Because XPhone is compatible with numerous telephone systems, you can simply build on your existing infrastructure. Here are the key XPhone functions for smooth communication – internally and externally.
SOFTPHONE
With the Softphone, all you need is a PC, headset and Internet to use all UC functions anywhere – without a hardware phone.
HOTLINE MANAGEMENT
XPhone's hotline management optimally distributes calls to a team. Your benefit: maximum efficiency & optimum service.
PRESENCE MANAGEMENT
See at a glance which colleagues are available, who is in an appointment, on the phone or has activated call forwarding.
More about presence management
MOBILE APP
With the Mobile App for iOS & Android, you communicate on the go just as comfortably as in the office – and always have all your contacts with you.
SYNC WITH MS TEAMS
No more interruptions from second calls: when you are on the phone with XPhone, your presence status is automatically synchronised in MS Teams – and vice versa.
BUSINESS CHAT
The business chat replaces the quick word across the desk. As it is available in the Mobile App, employees keep chating even if they are on the move.
DEVICE-INDEPENDENT TELEPHONY
Whether you are working from home or in a hotel: with XPhone you can use all CTI functions with any landline or mobile phone.
CONTACT INTEGRATION
With XPhone you have access to the same contact data everywhere – stored centrally and securely on your server at all times.
TEAM OVERVIEW
The team overview shows which colleagues are available. Across teams, departments or even locations.
SCREEN-SHARING
Thanks to screen sharing, you can quickly and easily coordinate with colleagues – including teleconferencing or chat if required.
Need telephony for hybrid and remote working?
XPhone is your intuitive on-premises UCC solution for data protection-compliant hybrid working. We will be happy to explain why in a no-obligation call.
Best practice: Remote collaboration done right
Federal City of Bonn: With XPhone to the Modern Workspace
"Our colleagues are running us ragged right now." Stephan Siebert, Head of IT Communications at the Federal City of Bonn, is the one who is being overrun. What his colleagues want so badly from him is the XPhone Connect softphone. Thanks to XPhone, Bonn has been able to send almost 2,000 employees to work from home: "Thanks to the softphone, we have a complete one-number concept. No matter where you work: You can always be reached at your office extension and all outgoing calls use that same number."
In order to make the Softphone available to as many employees as possible, the necessary infrastructure is currently being expanded. "We currently have 10,000 telephones," says Siebert. "We will only need a fraction of these in future."
The case study of the Federal City of Bonn
KTM bike: mobile worldwide thanks to the XPhone app
Location-independent accessibility was one of the key requirements when KTM Fahrrad GmbH was looking for a new telephone system. The manufacturer opted for a combination of a Unify system and the unified communications software XPhone Connect.
"We were downright modest at first and thought that simple call forwarding would do the job," smiles IT Manager Helmut Sperl. But when the UC software was presented, Sperl and his team quickly recognised its potential. One of the functions that particularly piqued their curiosity was the Mobile App. "Our sales team is constantly on the move. Thanks to the app, colleagues can now also be reached at their office extension in Brazil, Finland or Taiwan." In addition, the employees have access to all contact details in the app, while these are stored on the home server in compliance with data protection regulations.
CARBO: Historic springs and New Work
At CARBO Kohlensäurewerke GmbH, every fourth call was lost. While the number of customers increased significantly over the years, the existing organisational structure was no longer able to cope with taking orders over the phone.
Call center solutions were evaluated, but were too expensive, oversized and could not be integrated. CARBO then opted for TeamDesk hotline management, which is part of the UC solution XPhone Connect. Only a single client was needed for telephony, chat, screen sharing and hotline.
A particular advantage is that the hotlines work across all locations. XPhone integrates the Telekom Cloud PBX and Unify system, enabling hotlines to be set up across all 14 locations. In addition, CARBO uses the Softphone in the XPhone Mobile App to get rid of all DECT phones. Today, employees on the factory premises can make calls flexibly via Wi-Fi or mobile telephony.
Work from Anywhere – how does it work?
"Don't call it 'work from home'. We work from anywhere now!" Younger employees and graduates in particular are demanding (even) more flexibility and mobility at work.
But what is easy to implement for businesses on the one hand and for employees on the other? Are there restrictions or hurdles?
Alpay Yilmaz works as a Marketing Manager at the German company Helden Consulting GmbH. He lives remote work on a daily basis. Here he gives insights into his everyday working life, talks about the most important questions surrounding workation and about the freedoms as a digital nomad.
Tips for data protection & IT security when working from home
Wow – and at the same time pretty nasty: remote work is celebrated for its flexibility, but feared for its security risk. This increases when the company network has to be opened for external access.
It is not without reason that home workspaces have increasingly become the focus of cyberattacks in recent years. After all, four walls are not a firewall – and ensuring security in this environment is already a major challenge for businesses.
To integrate remote employees into company communication, tools are often used that take a rather relaxed approach to data protection.
So how can you make sure that flexibility does not come at the expense of security? Here are a few tips:
- Clear definition: what should a secure workplace look like?
- Use of firewall, encryption software, anti-virus programmes etc. for end devices that are technically as secure as possible
- Secure VPN connection
- Separation of work and private devices and data
- Unique user identification, e.g. via multi-factor authentication
- Use of a data protection-compliant communication solution
Flexible communication solution for companies without cloud dependency
Get to know XPhone Connect
XPhone Connect is an on-premises UCC software "Made in Germany". It has been developed, hosted & supported in Germany for more than 25 years. XPhone is therefore optimally aligned to the needs of the European market – but not only. Thanks to its open architecture, the software can be seamlessly integrated into existing telephony and IT landscapes and dovetailed with industry-specific business applications such as CRM and ERP systems. The result is a communications solution that is tailored precisely to your needs and is as individual as your business.
- Hotline management & call groups
XPhone makes it easy to set up internal and external hotlines. Employees can log in from different locations, while working from home or on the move via Mobile App. - Maximum availability
With the team overview and presence management in line with works council requirements, the call center has an overview of all presences and can connect callers in a targeted manner. - Completely mobile
Thanks to Softphone Mobile in the XPhone app, employees can also make calls on the move using their business number. - Save costs
XPhone Connect is compatible with numerous telephone systems so that you can continue to use your IT infrastructure. - Flexibly expandable
XPhone can be flexibly expanded to include additional employees, home workspaces or branches.
- Data protection compliant
XPhone is an on-premises solution. All data (e.g. contacts, chats) is stored on your own server. - Proven solution
XPhone Connect is already used by more than 1.2 million users worldwide. - European developer
With XPhone, you not only benefit from 25 years of UC experience, but also rely on a European software developer that tailors its solution to the needs of the local market. - Perfectly linked
With XPhone, you can access data from the CRM or ERP. Callers are identified on the first ring and relevant data is displayed directly in the client. - Intuitive to use
The UC solution is designed to be uncomplicated and intuitive for both the IT administrator and the user.
Get to know the XPhone features in short video tutorials. These will give you a quick overview of the UC solution. We show you how to use XPhone in your business and how you can easily equip your employees for remote and hybrid working.
Checklist for hybrid working
Setting up remote workspaces is easier said than done. IT administrators have to overcome a number of challenges. These include data protection and server issues as well as the technical equipment for employees. Unified communications solutions for remote work play a key role in enabling employees to work from anywhere and maintaining the team structure – albeit virtually. The UC solution XPhone Connect from C4B combines computer telephony, softphone, business chat, meetings, screen sharing, presence management and hotline management. Many public administrations and companies have succeeded in implementing mobile and hybrid working with the secure UCC software XPhone. To ensure that the changeover from on site to hybrid working also works smoothly for you, we provide you with a checklist of tips for hybrid working.
Do employers have to enable hybrid working by law?
In Germany there is currently no general law obliging employers to offer remote or hybrid working – but social and economic pressure is growing. Numerous studies have shown that working remotely increases both employee satisfaction and productivity. And for employers who want to remain attractive in the future, mandatory presence in the office will have to be reconsidered. Young professionals are already making career choices based on trust, autonomy and company culture – for them, flexibility is no longer optional but a prerequisite when looking for a job.
What internet connection do you need when working from home?
Depending on the employees' tasks, a download rate of 50 Mbit/s and an upload rate of 10 Mbit/s is recommended. This ensures that internet telephony, voice mails and screen sharing function smoothly. For the latter in particular, the upload rate must not be too low; 1 Mbit/s is no longer sufficient.
Is it possible to access all business contacts from home in compliance with data protection regulations?
Contact data is at the heart of all communication. Easy access saves time and nerves every day. XPhone offers a directory service that bundles contacts from various data sources such as Outlook, ERP and CRM systems and makes them available via free text search.
In contrast to conventional cloud products, the data is stored exclusively on your own server. This means that employees can access the contacts from anywhere – even via an app, for example – while they are securely protected from third-party access.
How can you use your office extension while working remotely?
A PC, headset and internet are all you need to make all calls while working from home or remotely. The XPhone Connect telephony software provides you with a Softphone and therefore all telephony functions without a hardware telephone – in HD audio.
No matter where you are, whether in the office, while working from home or a hotel: you can always be reached on your office extension. And only your office number is displayed to the person you are calling. If your employees share a workspace in future, for example because they take turns coming into the office, they can always be reached at their fixed extension number with the Softphone – regardless of their desk.
The XPhone Connect Softphone can be used with almost all end devices. You can find an overview of our supported headsets here: supported headsets
Do you always need a headset for mobile working with telephony software?
Clear answer: No. XPhone even offers you two ways to make calls without a headset:
- You set up a private phone as an end device in XPhone – we call this function AnyDevice. This works without you having to send your private number or incur any costs. This is because your office number is always displayed to the person you are calling (one-number function). The telephone costs are automatically billed via the company. This means you can control any hardware telephone worldwide with XPhone.
- You use the Softphone in the XPhone App. This means that all CTI functions such as toggle, hold or transfer are also available to you on the move.
Whether Softphone Mobile or AnyDevice: a remote workspace can be set up in seconds and at low cost – without any additional investment in expensive infrastructure.
How does hotline operation work outside the office?
It is almost mandatory for employees to make calls from home and manage their working day remotely. The optional extra, however, is when it becomes possible to manage complex hotlines and hunt groups remotely. This is possible with the XPhone tool TeamDesk. It allows you to set up teams across locations and PBX-independently: set up as many hotlines as you like and define distribution strategies, business hours, thresholds & follow-up times for each hotline.
Employees who look after a hotline can use Softphone or AnyDevice just like all other XPhone users and thus work completely location-independently.
How do team members see whether their colleagues are available?
If a glance at the office next door no longer reliably shows whether a colleague is working or on vacation, then a tool has to make this visible. This is where XPhone Connect's presence management comes in. Whether you want to transfer a customer or need a quick response: with the clear presence management, you can see at a glance which colleagues are available, who is in an appointment, who is on the phone or has activated call forwarding. The automatic calendar synchronisation keeps the status up to date. You can also adjust this manually – even on the move via the Mobile App.
In the team overview, you can flexibly arrange the colleagues with whom you work particularly closely. A quick glance is all it takes to know whether a call is worthwhile or whether chat or email is the better option. If you need feedback from a colleague who is currently not at their desk, you can activate the "Info when available" function. This lets you know immediately when your colleague is available for you.
How do you promote teamwork when working from home?
Whether you are searching for a file, the computer is not cooperation or you do not understand how to use a program: a quick question to colleages is often enough to solve small problems in everyday office life. But colleagues are spread across the city and working from home, it becomes more difficult. To strengthen teamwork and make mutual support possible, there are useful tools for virtual collaboration. A central element is the Business chat, which every team should open in the morning – whether to discuss general topics or simply to wish each other a good morning. Features such as screen sharing replace the glance over a colleague's shoulder to solve problems quickly. With meeting functions, the team can confer and exchange information on a presentation as usual.
We use Microsoft Teams for video meetings. Can this be usefully combined with XPhone?
If Microsoft Teams and telephony do not know each other, the video meeting rings a bell. XPhone provides a remedy here: thanks to bidirectional telephony and presence synchronisation with Microsoft Teams, both clients recognise when calls are being made in the other. Incoming calls can be automatically forwarded to voicemail or a colleague during a Teams meeting. Conversely, no Teams calls are received while an employee is on the phone via XPhone.