The way we work has changed in recent years, especially with the shift to remote work during the pandemic.
However, as businesses now look to get employees back to the office, there is a growing preference for a hybrid workplace model. A recent survey conducted by consulting firm Accenture confirmed this, with 83% of respondents saying their ideal working environment was a hybrid workplace model.
While this presents a challenge for businesses, the right workplace technology can play a role in overcoming these challenges. Tailored audio-visual (AV) solutions can help re-engage employees, promote wellbeing and enable collaboration between in-office and remote teams.
Below, we’ll explore how workplace tech can improve team performance, collaboration and efficiencies while encouraging and motivating employees to return to the office.
Enhance your workplace with AV technology
To encourage your employees to return to the workplace, it’s essential you create a welcoming and collaborative environment.
Your interior office space and the technology you choose should be carefully considered to inspire creativity and foster seamless communication among teams, regardless of whether they are working from home or in the office.
Although remote work offers flexibility and convenience, a well-designed physical office space that reflects your company’s culture and identity can significantly impact employee satisfaction.
You can capitalise on this by enhancing your office to have flexible breakout areas and rooms that encourage interaction and communication between team members. By integrating technology that optimises work processes, you can improve the overall experience and encourage employees to choose the office as their preferred place to work, collaborate and engage.
To achieve this, you could consider:
- Turning traditional meeting rooms into huddle rooms
- Creating break-out areas to collaborate centrally or for focus time
- Opting for a flexible layout that promotes inclusivity in larger groups
Within each of these spaces, specific AV technology can enhance your workplace and improve productivity. Here are just some of the ways:
● High-quality video conferencing – enabling smooth communication between teams
● Integrated audio or desk microphones – ensure clear communication that keeps everyone engaged
Recently, we designed and implemented innovative and flexible spaces with Blueprint Interiors for Worldline. By strategically incorporating AV technology into their flexible office design, we created spaces that promote creativity and productivity, allowing everyone to contribute their ideas.
How workplace technology benefits staff wellbeing
According to the Office for National Statistics, more than three-quarters (78%) of individuals who worked from home (in some capacity) reported experiencing an improved work-life balance in February 2022.
To prioritise your team’s wellbeing during office visits, your workplace must be equipped with simple and easy-to-use technology.
By implementing uncomplicated tech that requires very little training and allows for immediate usage, you allow your employees to begin collaborating from when they enter the office. A good example of this is one-click join technology, as it lets users connect immediately to meetings without passwords or a meeting link.
By leveraging your AV technology solutions, you can transform your work environment into a more engaging and supportive space, ultimately leading to higher employee satisfaction, improved retention rates and a more productive workforce. You also demonstrate a commitment to your team’s overall wellbeing when you invest in intuitive and efficient tech.
The benefits AV tech can have on your business
Boost collaboration with huddle rooms
Meeting rooms come in all sizes, catering to different needs within the office environment. Among them are more intimate spaces, such as huddle rooms , which allow small groups to break out and collaborate in person or virtually.
To ensure the highest quality meetings in these rooms, optimising your space with advanced AV technology is essential, for example:
- A HD wide-angle camera – ensures each attendee fits in the frame to help maintain eye contact, facial expression and body language to promote a more personal and interactive meeting
- Audio solutions – crystal-clear audio is crucial for productive discussions. Utilising sound totems and table microphones can enhance audio clarity, ensuring that everyone feels both seen and heard
- One-click join possibility – simplify the joining process by removing the need for links by joining your meeting with one click
By incorporating these solutions, your meeting rooms help lead to more positive outcomes in problem-solving and generating new ideas, while allowing for team building and creativity.
The user-friendly nature of each technology ensures that your employees can seamlessly collaborate, without wasting time messing with fiddly technology.
Increase productivity with interactive displays
For productivity, interactive displays play an important role in making presentations more engaging and dynamic.
Investing in interactive displays not only benefits your business, but also empowers your team by promoting collaboration. As they bring your staff together, these displays create an interactive environment that encourages active interaction.
Seamless communication is another advantage of interactive displays, enabling your team to interact simultaneously. This enhances the efficiency of group activities, meeting and collaborative sessions, leading to more effective outcomes.
As interactive displays boast user-friendly interfaces, they require minimal training to operate. They allow your team to quickly adapt and make the most of technology, without wasting valuable time on training sessions.
Improve efficiency by using room and desk booking
A January 2022 survey conducted by Envoy revealed that 63% of employees believe that flexibility in the workplace would make them feel more empowered. Having the flexibility to choose which days to come in, are now just as important as traditional benefits, such as paid time off.
As businesses adopt hybrid-working models, the need for a dedicated desk for each member minimises. However, this can create stress and uncertainty among your team, as they may need clarification on whether they have a place to sit when they visit the office.
To alleviate this, implementing room and desk booking solutions can be a game-changer. These tools allow employees to reserve rooms or desks effortlessly, ensuring they have a designated workspace when they come to the office. By offering such convenience, you make your workplace more appealing and demonstrate care and consideration for your staff’s needs.
It also gives you an overview of how your office space is utilised and whether it is used efficiently.
We personally recommend GoBright to our clients, as it offers users a complete solution, saving time and improving efficiency by reducing unnecessarily empty rooms, interruptions and dual bookings.
How has TecInteractive helped others get staff back in the office?
Recently, we worked with Goodrich Consulting LLP, who sought to improve their workplace for employees and embrace hybrid working.
To allow the Goodrich team to conduct professional, high-quality virtual meetings that would impress clients and improve collaboration between remote and in-office teams, we tailored a technology solution to suit their specific business needs.
We implemented a simple-to-use video conferencing solution, ideally suited for their medium-sized conference rooms and integrated easily with Microsoft Teams.
In our commitment to ensure meeting equity, we installed table microphones so everyone could be heard in the office or working remotely.
Additionally, to make it easier for staff in the office, we incorporated a user-friendly touch console, streamlining connecting to meetings with just one touch, and improving efficiency and accessibility.
To further support Goodrich in maximising the value and usage of their AV products, we supplied them with our ongoing help desk support . Our dedicated team remains readily available to address any queries or concerns, ensuring a smooth and seamless experience for their team.
All of these improvements have helped encourage staff to attend the office, communicate effectively and increased productivity.
Choosing TecInteractive’s AV solutions
At TecInteractive, we take pride in delivering tailored AV solutions that elevate your workplace and help your team be productive and collaborative.
As your trusted independent AV provider, we offer access to a whole market of technology, ensuring a perfect match for your business needs and aspirations.
Our expert AV support team is also at your disposal, remaining on hand for your team in the office. Whether you require guidance, troubleshooting or other assistance, we are just one call away.
Speak to us today about transforming your office workplace to help get your employees back in the office.