Productivity is being reinvented. As part of the UC Awards 2026, the new Transformation layer recognizes the AI-powered workflows and service management platforms that are quietly becoming indispensable to every high-performing organization.
The urgency around operational efficiency has never been higher. With the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence and low-code automation, organizations face unprecedented opportunities to remove friction from their daily processes. At the same time, deploying these technologies requires platforms that deliver genuine business value rather than elegant but impractical demos.
For enterprise leaders, workflow automation is no longer just an IT initiative; it is an urgent operational requirement. Organizations must now deploy intelligent platforms that optimize service delivery, streamline complex tasks, and drive genuine productivity across distributed teams.
Without a reliable foundation of practical use cases, even the most innovative transformation strategies will fail. This new layer celebrates the technology providers, ensuring that brands can deliver exceptional workplace experiences while driving measurable business outcomes.
Here is a closer look at the four categories within the Transformation layer, including exactly what our judging panel is looking for in a winning submission.
Best AI-Powered Productivity Solution
AI that changes what is possible in a working day.
This category recognizes the AI solution that has moved beyond the demo to genuinely change the shape of the enterprise working day.
What the judges want to see
"Describe a working day with your solution versus without it. What gets done faster? What stops falling through the cracks? What does the employee actually notice? Concrete and specific beats broad and impressive every time."
Who should enter:
Best Workflow / Automation Innovation
Eliminating the friction between how work happens and how it should.
This category celebrates the workflow and automation solution that has most successfully removed the operational friction slowing organizations down.
What the judges want to see
"Show us the before and after. What process did you automate, how complex was it, and what did it cost the organization in time, money, or risk before your solution existed? The judges are looking for measurable transformation, not elegant demos."
Who should enter:
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Workflow automation vendors
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No code and low code platforms
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Process automation specialists
Best Service Management Platform
ITSM evolved for the modern workplace.
This category recognizes the service management platform that has most effectively modernized internal service delivery and the employee support experience.
What the judges want to see
"Tell us what your platform has done to the employee experience of getting IT support. Resolution times, self service rates, satisfaction scores, and the less obvious things, like how your platform has changed the relationship between IT teams and the people they support."
Who should enter:
Best Connectivity / Infrastructure Solution
The infrastructure powering reliable enterprise communications.
This category recognizes the infrastructure, connectivity, or migration solution providing the robust and reliable foundation that modern enterprise communications depend on.
What the judges want to see
"Infrastructure stories are told in reliability, scale, and seamless transitions. Tell us about the complexity you manage behind the scenes. How does your solution ensure uptime, simplify complex migrations, or streamline global number management? The judges want to see the rock solid foundation that makes everything else possible."
Who should enter:
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SIP and connectivity providers
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Migration, user, and number management specialists
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Connectivity and infrastructure specialists
Key Dates & Next Steps
The application window is currently underway. Do not leave your submission to the last minute. Use this time to build a winning, data backed entry.
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(Now): Entries Open. The entry portal is live. Choose your categories, build your submission, and lock in your entry.
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September 30, 2026: Final Deadline. Last chance. Entries close on September 30 at 23:59 BST (15:59 PDT / 18:59 ET). Have your evidence and outcomes lined up well in advance. Entries are acknowledged, exported, and quality checked as preparation for scoring begins.
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October 15, 2026: Shortlist Announced. The judging panel publishes the finalists across every category. Shortlisted entrants gain significant industry visibility ahead of the ceremony.
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November 5, 2026: Awards Ceremony. The winners are announced live at the UC Awards 2026 ceremony. This is the night the workplace technology industry comes together to recognize its best.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a strong entry in the Transformation layer?
The strongest entries focus on measurable outcomes rather than feature lists. Judges want to see how your platform removes operational friction, automates complex workflows, or improves service delivery with clear before and after data.
Can I enter multiple categories within the Transformation layer?
Yes, provided your solution meets the criteria for each. However, ensure that each submission is uniquely tailored to the specific category focus, whether that is AI productivity, workflow automation, or service management.
Is the data shared in my application kept confidential?
Absolutely. All entries are visible only to the independent judging panel and the UC Awards team. Sensitive commercial figures, customer references, and NDA bound materials remain strictly confidential and will never be published without your explicit permission.
