Science & Technology
Tue, September 25, 2012
MONARCH BEACH, Calif.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Driven by the rise of mobile devices, the relationship between work and worker has changed. Flexible work arrangements that donat require structured locations or hours are increasingly popular and Plantronics Inc. (NYSE: PLT) is being recognized by InformationWeek as a leading innovator in this trend called asmarter workinga. Plantronics is in this yearas InformationWeek 500, an annual listing of the nationas most innovative users of business technology. The annual list was revealed on September 11, 2012 at a gala awards ceremony at the exclusive InformationWeek 500 Conference which took place at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point, CA.
"This is a testament to the global Information Technology team at Plantronics who have made our smarter working initiative possible. What started as an experiment in new technology and a new way of working, quickly spread to a global deployment requiring infrastructure to support remote working and collaboration"
aThis is a testament to the global Information Technology team at Plantronics who have made our smarter working initiative possible. What started as an experiment in new technology and a new way of working, quickly spread to a global deployment requiring infrastructure to support remote working and collaboration,a said Tom Gill, vice president and CIO at Plantronics. aIam extremely proud of my team for their hard work and dedication ensuring our employees, partners and customers can effectively collaborate across time zones and geographies. This was truly a global effort.a
Prioritizing people over place, smarter working delivers flexible solutions that fit how different people work and make it easier for them to work more effectively and successfully across work environments. For example, to ensure employees are connected and can communicate freely, IT has installed video conference rooms throughout the offices. Every drop-in conference room, focus room and team collaboration room is also equipped with Smart TVs that serve as monitors for projecting during meetings.
By adopting advanced communications and design principles that support office, virtual and mobile work styles equally well, smarter working emphasizes business results over structured office hours and locations. The modern workforce is heading towards more flexible, open workspaces like those at Plantronicsa offices. This environment creates a different set of challenges for Plantronicsa customers so the smarter working initiative has the added benefit of being the companyas largest test lab for its software and hardware solutions. The new environment is also model for smarter working and provides a showcase for customers while saving money at the same time.
Smarter working is also about being a responsible global citizen. When employees can work from different locations, like home, it helps keep more cars off the road, which helps everyone save on commute time and their impact on the environment. Plantronics takes social responsibility seriously and has one of the largest solar panel installations in Santa Cruz County, offsetting nearly 80 percent of the site's utility bill.
Plantronics is a global corporation headquartered in Santa Cruz, California with offices in 20 countries, including major facilities in China, England, Mexico, and the Netherlands. Plantronicsa new workspaces leverage Unified Communications and other technology to enhance collaboration with an increasingly distributed workforce. Plantronicsa smarter working initiative has been extensively covered in media. Examples include [ CIO Magazine ], [ Fast Company ] and [ CBS Interactive (SmartPlanet) ].
aThe InformationWeek 500 has recognized the most innovative users of business technology for 24 years, and this yearas innovations were particularly impressive,a said InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston. aWhat the editors looked for are unconventional approachesa"new technologies, new models, new ways of grabbing business opportunities and solving complex business problems with IT.a
InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation's most innovative users of information technology with its annual 500 listing, and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments, and administrative practices of Americaas best-known companies. Past overall winners include PACCAR Inc., The Vanguard Group, CME Group, National Semiconductor, Con-Way, and Principal Financial Group. The InformationWeek 500 rankings are unique among corporate rankings as it spotlights the power of innovation in information technology, rather than simply identifying the biggest IT spenders.
Additional details on the InformationWeek 500 can be found online at [ www.informationweek.com/iw500/ ].
About Plantronics
Plantronics is a global leader in audio communications for businesses and consumers. We have pioneered new trends in audio technology for over 50 years, creating innovative products that allow peopleto simply communicate. From Unified Communication solutions toBluetooth headsets, we deliver uncompromising quality, an ideal experience, and extraordinary service. Plantronics is used by every company in the Fortune 100, as well as 911 dispatch, air traffic control and the New York Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit[ www.plantronics.com ] or call (800) 544-4660.
About InformationWeek Business Technology Network ([ http://www.informationweek.com ])
The InformationWeek Business Technology Network provides IT executives with unique analysis and tools that parallel their work flowa"from defining and framing objectives through to the evaluation and recommendation of solutions. Anchored by InformationWeek, the multimedia powerhouse that looks across the enterprise, the network scales across the most critical technology categories with online properties such as DarkReading.com (security), NetworkComputing.com (networking and communications) and BYTE (consumer technology). The network also provides focused content for key IT targets, such as CIOs, developers and SMBs, via InformationWeek Global CIO, Dr. Dobb's and InformationWeek SMB, as well as vital vertical industries with InformationWeek Financial Services, Government and Healthcare sites. Content is at the nucleus of our information distribution strategya"IT professionals turn to our experts and communities to stay informed, get advice and research technologies to make strategic business decisions.
Plantronics is a registered trademark of Plantronics, Inc. The Bluetooth trademark is owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of the mark by Plantronics, Inc. is under license.