In the four short years since 2020, the world of work, and the nature of workplace collaboration, have changed profoundly. Professional people around the world operate in a daily communications landscape where the most commonly uttered phrase is often “you’re on mute."
The digital evolution of collaboration
Nearly all today's meetings are digital to some degree. It’s inescapable. Digital collaboration offers more flexibility and enables hybrid working. But it can also be a source of considerable frustration. Think of the client deck that didn’t quite load, or the interviewee that dropped off mid-sentence. It’s plainly evident that collaboration in the contemporary workplace context - both physical and virtual - can no longer succeed without robust and consistent digital collaboration tools.
In fact, a recent study by technology provider, Cisco, found that of nearly 30,000 workers surveyed worldwide, 76.8 per cent identified good technology as a key success driver for hybrid working.
It’s a brand new world of work and outdated, unreliable technology is now unsustainable.
AV technology should lay the foundation for seamless digital collaboration. In those meetings where the majority of attendees are together in the office, the experience of the recipient working from home should be the priority.
But what about technology planning that goes beyond the confines of the meeting room? AV solutions have a major impact on overall building culture and how visiting clients perceive your company.
Going beyond the meeting room
It’s easy to think of AV solutions in only a digital meeting format, but these are elements that directly impact work processes and productivity throughout the office.
When forward thinking organisations start to consider what technology can add to the office space as a whole, that unlocks limitless opportunities and benefits. For example, the rapid advancements in audio capabilities mean that confined sound environments can be created within a single room or space.
This enables a more flexible use of the physical office. Larger common areas can be divided into zones using technology to meet a variety of needs including workshops, socialising, meetings, or focused work.
Sound and visuals can be both an advantage and an obstacle when communicating with clients, partners and teams. The right solutions can create a platform to strengthen customer relations, seal important agreements and build partnerships.
However, it’s impossible to plan for effective AV solutions without considering physical elements and furniture. Acoustics change depending on the layout, room design and furniture material choices, as well as walls, ceilings and floors.
This emphasises the importance of engaging experts in AV and collaboration technology from the outset. They provide the opportunity to coordinate and collaborate closely with interior architects from the very beginning of a renovation or new construction project.
A partner for whole office AV
Kinly’s extensive experience, industry knowhow and insights enable us to design solutions that will stand the test of time. By collaborating with your teams, we design, integrate and support leading-edge AV solutions that work to improve inclusivity, sustainability, wellbeing, and performance.
That’s why we’ve partnered with Cisco. Its new and comprehensive portfolio of simpler, smarter and more practical collaboration solutions are designed to empower employees in the hybrid work era.
Download Kinly and Cisco's Thinking beyond the Meeting Room eGuide to get more insight into how to harness AV technology for the modern workplace.
If you have any questions or need advice about how to integrate the right technology to enhance workforce collaboration and engagement, please get in touch.
