Gartner Predicts New Workforce Challenges for 2020; Jabra Responds with Solutions Available Now

NASHUA, N.H., Jan. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Following Gartner, Inc.'s prediction that the nature of work will witness 10 key changes through 2020, Jabra, a world leader in developing innovative hands-free and unified communications solutions, has unveiled a portfolio of products designed to help companies adapt.  In particular, Jabra has assisted younger and progressive companies integrate a set of tools to help fit the new work paradigm of "virtual workplaces," "work swarms," and "spontaneous work."

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"It's impossible to put too much emphasis on the critical nature of an advanced communications infrastructure," said Jabra CEO, Mogens Elsberg. "Over the past few years we have seen a proliferation of virtual offices and a strong need for communication systems that facilitate collaboration.  The ability to set up virtual meetings with ease and immediacy wherever you are, whenever you want, is not just a 'nice-to-have' anymore.  It's a necessity."

The Need for Conferencing

Each of Gartner's predictions requires communication among disparate groups of people, frequently in remote locations and multiple offices, many ad hoc.  Thus, the ability to communicate instantly is crucial.  Jabra is experiencing an increasing demand for its Unified Communications (UC) solutions that facilitate this collaboration via voice, email, presence, IM or conferencing regardless of location or device.  The new Jabra SPEAK™ 410 is a powerful, portable speakerphone with a plug-and-play USB interface that ensures seamless integration.  The speakerphone is small enough to fit into a briefcase and allows users to set up a mobile conference room in a matter of seconds.  As with most products in Jabra's portfolio, the SPEAK 410 is compatible with emerging UC platforms.

A Virtual Meeting in Seven Seconds

According to Gartner, "work swarms" are a new problem-solving model in the workforce categorized by a flurry of collective activity by teams of people who may not know each other or work within the same organization.  Immediacy is of utmost importance with these  groups as they may form quickly to work on an issue and then disband just as rapidly, functioning effectively only when there is an efficient way to link diverse groups in different locations.  In response to this trend, there is a growing demand for communications hardware that can be set up in the blink of an eye.  Jabra has developed the Jabra SPEAK™ 410 as a hardware solution that takes only seven seconds to set up a virtual meeting.  The portable nature of the Jabra SPEAK 410 allows different internal and external personnel to form a meta-organization – or "work swarm" – on an ad hoc basis.  The swarm can immediately solve problems or take advantage of sudden opportunities, and then dissolve once the mission is completed.

"The future will be as full of communications challenges as the present," said Elsberg.  "But one of the keys is facilitating it, and the tools are here."

Additional information is available in the Gartner report "Watchlist: Continuing Changes in the Nature of Work, 2010-2020." Gartner's 10 changes to the world of work in the next 10 years include:

1. De-routinization of Work
2. Work Swarms
3. Weak Links
4. Working With the Collective
5. Work Sketch-Ups
6. Spontaneous Work
7. Simulation and Experimentation
8. Pattern Sensitivity
9. Hyperconnected
10. My Place

The report is available on Gartner's website at www.gartner.com/resId=1331623.

For more information on the Jabra SPEAK™ 410 Series visit www.jabra.com/speak410.

About GN Netcom

Through its Jabra brand, GN Netcom is a world leader in innovative headset solutions. With around 850 employees and sales offices around the world, GN Netcom develops and markets a broad range of wireless headsets and in-car speakerphones for mobile users and both wireless and corded headsets for contact centre and office-based users. GN Netcom is a subsidiary of GN Store Nord A/S.

For further information on the company, please visit www.jabra.com.

© GN Netcom A/S.  All rights reserved. Jabra © is a registered trademark of GN Netcom A/S. All other trademarks included herein are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Jabra