Doing Hybrid Right with The Proper Digital Workplace Solutions 

Crestron's Sam Kennedy shares his take on Digital Workplace challenges and solutions 

3
Sponsored Post
Doing Hybrid Right with The Proper Digital Workplace Solutions
CollaborationInsights

Published: August 8, 2022

Linoy Doron

With Hybrid work environments not going anywhere, many companies are still struggling to adjust to ‘new normal’ challenges, even over two years well into the pandemic.  

I sat down with Sam Kennedy, Senior Director, Product Marketing at leading workplace collaboration solution provider Crestron, to get his perspective on challenges, solutions, and everything in between.

Hybrid Awareness

There’s a growing awareness among businesses of the fact that ‘hybrid’ is not just a trendy term – it’s now a way of life.  

“Companies are realizing that every space in a workplace — from the largest conference room to a corner niche where two or three employees may gather — needs to be connected in a manner that allows for collaboration between both in-person and remote staff,” Kennedy notes. 

Current research indicates that a certain segment of almost every firm will be working remotely on any given day, which means companies cannot afford to be caught off guard. 

“It’s critical that businesses provide truly hybrid workspaces that allow for seamless communications for all employees.” 

The Key Challenge

One of the most significant challenges companies face as part of their return to the office, has to do with the concept of “meeting equity” – enabling all employees, regardless of physical location, to have the same level of experience and involvement. 

“When employees return to the office, management must ensure that they are making the experience ‘worth the commute.’ Conversely, the remote experience should be equally satisfying,” Kennedy explains. 

We all know the unfortunate experience of joining a meeting remotely, only to be greeted by a poor perspective of the conference table that makes in-person attendees difficult to see and hear. On the other hand, the company’s in-person staff might also experience issues connecting to a meeting from the office. 

“Companies should make sure they’ve got all their workers covered – both in and out of the office,” Kennedy says. 

Choosing the Right Solutions

Naturally, to be able to provide their employees with that much-desired meeting equity, companies should opt for Digital Workplace solutions that cater to their current needs. 

But where do you begin? 

“First of all, understanding the meaning of ‘meeting equity’ is crucial. Equity and equality are often used interchangeably, which is something of a misnomer,” Kennedy notes. 

“While equality gives everyone the same resources, equity distributes resources based on the recipients’ needs. Only when management truly understands the needs of each employee — and the tech in the spaces they occupy — they can begin providing that equity.” 

Having said all that, the right UC&C solution should drive employee engagement and lessen videoconference fatigue. 

The Crestron Take

To cater to the ever-evolving needs of the Digital Workplace, Crestron has designed the Sightline experience, meant to provide an equitable and inclusive meeting experience for everyone involved.  

Sightline is a combination of AI-driven AV technologies that track speakers and presenters attending in-person settings, allowing remote workers to see and hear their colleagues clearly,” Kennedy explains. 

“Of course, these solutions are also designed to give in-person staff nuanced sound and images from their virtual colleagues.” 

Crestron created an eBook that tackles the most common pain points of Digital Transformation. You can find it here 

 

 

Artificial IntelligenceHybrid Work

Brands mentioned in this article.

Featured

Share This Post