Technology for the hybrid workplace
Fastracking workplace productivity
The Covid pandemic has affected and influenced technology investments on a grand scale over the last two years. Organisations scrambled to equip home workers with technology that enabled them to be productive during the enforced work from home restrictions. Then, as restrictions eased, employees returned back to the office and organisations deployed technology to empower room based collaboration, helping to drive a new way of working. As a result, hybrid working is now firmly established as ‘the new norm’ right across the UK.
The expectations of employees have shifted too with more and more people expecting to have hybrid working options as part of their employment package. Coupled with rising recruitment challenges, many employers are looking to facilitate hybrid working to retain and attract new talent to their organisation.
So, what solutions look set to fastrack workplace productivity this year?
Microsoft Team Rooms and Zoom Rooms
As employees re-enter the workplace they are looking for ways to use the collaboration tools they have so successfully used at home, but in a larger meeting space. Microsoft Team Rooms and Zoom Rooms can transform any meeting space into a professional, feature-rich, video-enabled collaboration environment, enhancing the meeting experience for all participants.
As a retrofit to an existing AV system or as a new installation, these certified solutions transform meeting spaces into a hub of natural communication and highly effective collaboration. The growing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) featured in some systems is further enhancing the user experience, creating a more lifelike in-person meeting.
Video interoperability
The breathtaking adoption of Microsoft Teams and Zoom during the pandemic broke all records, making videocommunciations truly pervasive. This has presented challenges for organisations who have previously invested in traditional room based videoconferencing systems. These new platforms, and traditional H.323 VC systems are not compatible with each other and this causes huge problems, particularly for users because they now have to decide which platform they are going to use and which room they can use it in for each meeting.
At an organisational level it restricts the capabilities of previous investments, reduces room availability and impacts on ROI. With Pexip CVI and Zoom Conference Room Connector organisations can use multiple devices regardless of platform to unify their videoconferencing and communication devices.
Bring your own meeting and content.
It is commonplace now for individuals to use their own device in the meeting room, meaning these spaces need to be designed to facilitate this. Bring your own device (BOYD) and bring your own meeting (BYOM) solutions enable laptops to be used as effective and productive collaboration hubs in the meeting room.
With solutions such as the award-winning Barco clickshare conference, meeting participants simply click and connect wirelessly, removing the need for multiple wired cable connections. By utilising in-room technology such as large screens, videoconferencing systems, microphones and speakers the quality and productivity of the meeting experience is totally transformed.
Acoustic conditioning
With most meeting rooms now equipped with video and audio collaboration technology there is a clear requirement to improve the acoustic properties within these environments.
Traditional meeting spaces typically don’t lend themselves to high quality acoustics as the hard surfaces of tables, windows and walls negatively impact the sound through excessive reverberation within the room. This can make it very difficult and tiring for participants to follow vibrant and free-flowing conversations.
With appropriate non-invasive acoustic treatments, rooms can be transformed into high-quality, professional studio-type environments.
Digital signage and content distribution
Deployed in high numbers by many organsations, digital signage solutions can help manage traffic flow through buildings and provide real-time information to facility users.
Keeping facilities users engaged when in the workplace is becoming a key goal for workplace managers. Digital signage provides a flexible, dynamic canvas for relaying company content such as news, information, health and wellbeing initiatives and they help build and reinforce a positive connection between the business and the employee, which in turn can help staff retention.
Visavvi has been helping businesses and organisations of all sizes to transform meeting spaces for over five decades. If you have a current or future project let us know below.
