By: Joe Dorsey, Director of Professional AV Technologies
What does the perfect conference room for your office look like? Tackling this question requires acknowledging an obvious and over-discussed, but important truth: the way we work has changed. The COVID-19 pandemic forced a fundamental shift in how we understand the role of the office in the modern work environment. Remote environments, once a fringe consideration, became normal almost overnight. And whatever your position on whether or not it’s a good thing, they don’t seem to be going anywhere.
So how do we deal with a reality in which collaboration has never been more important, but people are working in the same physical space less frequently than ever? The approach must be twofold: create spaces that are appealing and incentivize in-person attendance, but also leverage technology to facilitate seamless hybrid meetings.
The Physical Space: Leaving the Past Behind
Even speaking as a technology director with decades of experience in professional AV, I have to acknowledge that the solution to the novel challenges of collaborating in today’s work environment cannot be found in technology alone. If you can, conjure in your mind the image of a conference room from 30 years ago, only outfitted with cutting-edge collaboration technology and infrastructure from the present day. Do you find the idea of holding meetings in that space particularly exciting?
For most people, the answer is invariably no. And yet, for the majority of offices, this was the reality for much or all of the last three decades. The projector/screen and conference phone might have been replaced by newer and more capable models, but the general shape and aesthetic of the room remained the same (save for perhaps swapping out the solid wood, boat-shaped table for something a bit more modern).
The mid-2010’s fixation with the open-plan office was meant to usher in a new era. As part of this shift, the traditional, stuffy conference room would be largely replaced by small, versatile “huddle spaces” that encouraged laid-back collaboration in an informal-looking setting at a moment’s notice. Now, with those open-plan offices decidedly out of fashion, even huddle rooms need reimagining.
Most experts in the industry agree the paradigm is shifting toward “high-impact spaces,” which integrate thoughtful planning and more modern, inviting aesthetics with professional-grade AV and powerful collaboration technology that provides an elevated, inclusive experience for both in-person and off-site attendees. Market research firm Frost & Sullivan found that roughly two-thirds of organizations plan to incorporate high-impact spaces as part of a broader effort to better support remote work. So, what does the technology look like?
The Technology: More Dynamic Meetings, Less Hassle
For any hybrid collaboration space, clear audio, high-quality displays, and the ability to leverage cloud-based video conferencing platforms like Microsoft Teams or Zoom are basic prerequisites. Users expect infrastructure that allows them to present from any device, so BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) capability that offers easy connectivity is another key element.
However, providing a truly elevated experience requires more.
Intelligent PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom) cameras can automatically respond to audio in order to focus on the person speaking during discussion-based sessions. AI-equipped cameras, when prompted by a gesture, can even track and follow a presenter as they walk around the room. For remote attendees, these functions provide a far more immersive experience than merely seeing a wide shot of the entire room.
Whiteboards, sticky notes, charts and diagrams displayed in the physical room become an interactive part of a remote attendee’s experience, rather than an invitation to tune out because of something they can’t see. Smart displays allow users both in and out of the room to collaborate and annotate on the same documents. For all practical purposes, being remote places no limitations on a user’s ability to participate in the meeting. All of these functionalities add up to an engaging experience, rather than one that has attendees remarking that the meeting “could have been an email.”
But in an age of understaffed and overstretched IT departments, who owns and supports this technology? Therein lies the beauty of offerings like Conference Room as a Service from Tech Electronics. The hardware, maintenance, and future technology refreshes are covered by a nominal recurring fee, affording you the benefits of a state-of-the-art collaboration space without large capital expenditures, or the headache of managing your own technology.
Moving Forward, Revolutionizing Collaboration
In conclusion, the future of office spaces is about creating environments that prioritize collaboration, inclusivity, and engagement. Modern offices are evolving into collaboration centers, seamlessly blending technology and aesthetics to provide an inspiring, equitable, and productive workplace for all employees, whether they are in the office or joining remotely. This transformation is not just about tools; it’s about reimagining the purpose and design of the office to meet the evolving needs of the modern workforce.
