Remote work and reliance on personal devices have seeded a frustration felt by employees and employers alike: Why doesn’t our business technology deliver the experience and satisfaction that consumer tech does? Why can’t I instantly access all my work-related data, files, and apps, as well as connect with my work colleagues as easily as I do with friends?

When 2020 ushered in unexpected remote work mandates, these pains only became exasperated. With some 62 percentof US employees working from home, IT can no longer treat remote work as the exception. In fact, collaboration and communication tools are the most in-demand apps for remote workers. Just look at Microsoft Teams, which has soared to over 115 million active daily users in 2020, up from 13 million in 2019.