The platforms, technology, and meeting room layouts that will optimize your workspace for 2022 and beyond.
While the world continues to strive to head back to the office and bring people back together in 2022, businesses continue to navigate the hybrid work model for their collaborative teams and day-to-day processes. An integral part of this hybrid work model includes serious consideration for tools and technology that benefits employees and encourages communication and collaboration. Transitioning now infrequently used office space to video conferencing hubs, along with upgrading existing aging spaces with new technology that meets current standards, has become pivotal and common. Business leaders understand the need to optimize their workspace for remote and hybrid work as “43% of Canadian CEOs say they expect to have most employees working remotely at least two days per week”, according to KPMG’s CEO Outlook survey (November 2021). Add to that the fact that “66% of leaders say their company is considering redesigning office space for hybrid work,” according to the Work Trend Index Survey (January 2021), and the focus on meeting spaces is a crucial step for businesses. Determining what platform to integrate and the right technology to deploy can seem and often be daunting. This guide aims to make the decision a bit easier and to lay out the options available to you and your business.
Determining what platform to integrate and the right technology to deploy can seem and often be daunting. This guide aims to make the decision a bit easier and to lay out the options available to you and your business.
Signs That It Might Be Time to Upgrade Your Meeting Room
- Wires and Cables are Tangled and Overtaking the Room – Tired of looking at loose and tangled cords in your meeting room? The last thing anyone wants is to have a conference room that is littered with loose cabling and wiring. Not only does it look bad, but it opens the opportunity for a tripping hazard or for someone to catch something with the wire and pull it out. Meeting spaces with countless and messy cables often simply don’t work. Outfitting a meeting room with new AV technology can provide not only a cleaner look with the wires/cables being hidden and managed, but also a room that works reliably.
- The Video Conferencing and Presentation Experience is Hindered by Low-Quality Video and/or Audio – Picture this: You’re sitting in a video meeting, and you can barely hear what the person onscreen is saying and the picture resolution keeps dropping – what a nightmare. Any old web camera or Bluetooth speaker isn’t going to cut it, especially in larger conference rooms. A properly deployed AV system will provide not only a clearer image of far-end participants and presentation content, but will also provide clear and heightened audio intelligibility.
- Meetings Are Regularly Interrupted – “When do you have this room booked until?” “Oh sorry, didn’t know this room was in use.” If you’re hearing these interruptions during meetings often, it’s time to upgrade your meeting room set up. With a variety of room scheduling solutions available, you can now be proactive when it comes to meeting/room scheduling and cut down on the needless interruptions.
- The Whiteboard Goes Unused or Isn’t Properly Utilized – That whiteboard on the side wall of the meeting room doesn’t need to remain an unused eyesore. Gone are the days of having to document annotations via a cell phone camera. Interactive AV solutions, such as the Logitech Scribe, can unlock the full potential of the whiteboard and provide another key tool for your meetings and the participants utilizing them.
Choosing the Right Software Platform
Microsoft Teams – is a hub for office team collaboration. A unified, cloud-based communication platform that enables group chat, online meetings, and video conferencing. Alternatively, teams can collaborate via built in office apps such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. All within Microsoft’s software ‘Office 365’ which includes end to end security.
Zoom – integrates cloud video conferencing, online meetings, and group messaging into one easy-to-use platform. Having unified compatibility between Android, iOS, PC and Mac devices makes the user experience seamless and accessible for all those around the world. Additionally, there is an app for Smartphones and Tablets for those that want to conference remotely or on the go.
Pexip – offers both self-hosted and as-a-service deployment options for enterprise video conferencing, built on the core Pexip Infinity technology. Providing best-in-class interoperability, including Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype for Business and Google Meet interop, video system device registration and a world-class meeting and calling service.
Google Meet – is a video conferencing app suitable for businesses of all sizes. The app allows users to join pre-scheduled meetings from calendar events, choose a link, enter a meeting code, or even dial in from their phones. Google Meet integrates with G Suite versions of Google Calendar and Gmail, while showing the list of participants and scheduled meetings.
Deployment Solutions for The Modern Workplace
Acoustic Paneling
Looking to cut down on the echo in your meeting room? Feeling stressed out by residual noise? Acoustic panels can provide increased privacy and confidentiality, reduces stress from unwanted noise, and optimize the audible experience in the room. Make sure to check on the acoustics of the meeting room before and after the deployment of conferencing technologies to ensure that the room is being fully optimized. Acoustic paneling also provides the opportunity to customize the panels to fit the aesthetic of the meeting room they’re being installed in.
Audio Visual Solutions
While in-person meetings are as simple as finding a room to chat and discuss, audio visual solutions offer the opportunity for businesses to be set up for video conferencing and those meetings that connect with remote employees and clients. Depending on the meeting space, a simple webcam may work for a smaller/huddle room, but for medium to larger meeting rooms a more advanced camera system is the best way to go. The optimal system for a meeting space should provide clear picture as well as clear sound quality and volume for participants.
- Logitech – Logitech continues to add to their impressive portfolio of video conferencing solutions. Boasting products such as the Rally Bar & Rally Bar Mini All-In-One Videobar Systems, Logitech Tap and Tap IP, Scribe (whiteboard camera for collaboration), & Swytch, Logitech video collaboration deployments can enable seamless Microsoft Teams Rooms, Zoom Rooms, Pexip Rooms or Google Room with the touch of a button.
- Barco ClickShare – Teamwork, expedited sharing, and security are the major focal points of the ClickShare product line. The Barco ClickShare CX-Series wireless conferencing solutions are designed to work seamlessly with pre-existing AV peripherals (cameras, microphones, soundbars, etc.) without the hassle of physically connecting them using cables and adapters. Meanwhile, the dongle acts as a direct agnostic link in bringing your own meeting to a “meeting room”.
- Mersive Solstice – Mersive Solstice is a software-based, cloud enabled meeting collaboration platform that is optimized for both local and remote teams. Solstice is a platform that allows teams to connect, create and innovate through dynamic and inclusive meetings that can take place regardless of meeting size, location, and attendee number. Solstice allows simultaneous users to wirelessly share content to the room display and seamlessly translates to remote locations using any video conferencing service.
- Biamp – Biamp offers a variety of solutions for deployment in meeting rooms of all sizes. This includes Parlé Microphones, Devio (all-in-one conferencing solution for huddle rooms), TesiraFORTÉ (digital audio server), Desono Loudspeakers, QT Conference Room Edition (sound masking system to keep conversations private), and much more. Everything needed to upgrade and optimize the meeting room for a businesses’ conferencing needs.
- Bose – The Bose Work collection is here to optimize the meeting experience. Try the Bose Videobar VB1 – an all-in-one videoconferencing solution; or the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 UC – featuring a microphone system that allows you to be ready for meeting at a moment’s notice.
Control Units and Room Scheduling
With the deployment of a video conferencing system comes several AV solutions that will need to be accessed, updated, and controlled. Control units/panels are needed to streamline the experience and provide access to all deployed solutions in one program. The Logitech Tap, for example, can control and update the Logitech cameras, microphones, audio system, and meeting room software.
Providing employees the chance to book/schedule a room ahead of time will cut down on two of the worst meeting experiences – double booking and random interruptions. The Logitech Tap Scheduler is releasing in early 2022 and will allow for a more streamlined process to book rooms while easily showing which rooms are currently in use or available.
Stay tuned for another part in this blog series as we continue to look at ways to update your meeting space in 2022. For more details on the technology and solutions covered in this article, reach out to Limitless AV. We would be happy to discuss your meeting room solutions and the ways we can help you achieve your “new look” workplace.
