The hybrid work model is here to stay. Remote and flexible work schedules have evolved from a niche opportunity in the business world to the new norm for many organisations. By the end of 2023, Gartner predicts around 39% of all knowledge workers will work in a hybrid format.
The hybrid work strategy offers a number of benefits to businesses and employees alike, helping to reduce operational costs, improve productivity, and unlock access to crucial talent. However, for any hybrid strategy to be effective, companies need to ensure they’re implementing the right tools and resources. It’s not enough to just implement the right software, such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Cisco Webex. Companies also need to leverage the right AV technologies.
The right AV solutions bridge the virtual and physical divide, enabling effective meetings, knowledge sharing and presentations. Here’s how companies can optimize their AV tech to ensure the success of their hybrid work strategy.
Step 1: Set Goals and Objectives for an AV Deployment
The first step in optimizing an AV environment for hybrid work is understanding the needs of hybrid employees, and setting goals to drive better business decisions. Start by exploring the different types of teams in the business landscape, and how they prefer to communicate and collaborate.
“Individuals using technology are not always entirely aware of what they can ultimately achieve with it in terms of features, functionality, and usability. The primary reason for this is that intimate knowledge of the art of the possible, and a detailed understanding of what has proven to be a successful outcome in similar organisations is more suited to be the primary responsibility of a suitably experienced service provider or integrator. Following a detailed, structured, and fully documented scoping exercise based on such breadth of experience and individual requirements should always be the foundation of any initial discussions.”
- Simon Shaw, Head of Strategic Accounts, Global Video Collaboration, New Era Technology
Some teams may benefit from access to comprehensive, fully featured meeting rooms, designed for all-hands presentations and webinar sessions. Others may need access to highly flexible meeting room systems, which offer plug-and-play functionality for quick, ad-hoc meetings.
Before implementing any new technology or seeking support consider:
- Crucial objectives: Do you want to standardize meeting room experiences across all global offices, enable seamless content sharing, or boost the sense of inclusivity in meeting rooms? Setting clear goals will help businesses to choose the right technology, while also providing insights into how to monitor and track the ROI of a solution.
- Specific room requirements: Consider the layout, size, and existing AV infrastructure available in the business. Think about how many team members will be using a meeting system at any given time, and how they’ll be collaborating using video systems, audio, displays, whiteboarding tools and other accessories.
- Network and bandwidth requirements: A reliable network infrastructure is crucial for hybrid collaboration. Assess the network bandwidth in the business and ensure it can handle increased demand from remote participants. QoS solutions may be useful for prioritizing video and audio traffic, ensuring uninterrupted meeting experiences.
Step 2: Work with Specialists to Design AV Experiences
Working with an experienced AV partner is one of the best ways to optimize the performance of any meeting technology or room. An experienced partner will provide insights into how to improve workflows, reduce friction when setting up meetings, and improve employee experience.
The best AV partners can provide comprehensive design packages for meeting rooms and ecosystems, providing information on how to balance functionality, architectural form and budgetary requirements when creating meeting rooms. They can also offer behind-the-scenes guidance into how specific features in cameras, speakers, displays, and microphones can improve productivity, and reduce workplace bottlenecks.
“Having an AV specialist work with architects and builders early in the design workflow is always helpful for everyone involved. It can avoid unnecessary delays and costs simply due to certain considerations that were not accounted for in design planning. This can be anything from making sure a new wall has enough backing to support a 98” LED display to ensuring that a conduit run to the conference table can fit all of the necessary wiring. Room acoustics and network considerations for conferencing can often be overlooked until that first conference call with the CEO doesn’t go so well. An AV specialist can help point out these potential issues and find solutions before there’s even a chance of failure.”
- Darren Brown, AV Solutions Visual Designer, New Era Technology
Aside from providing comprehensive consultation on the design of AV environments, specialist partners can also help with:
- Developing technology standards: Creating strategies for implementing specific types of technology throughout the business, to ensure a consistent experience for remote, in-office, and hybrid employees in every environment.
- Crucial technology integrations: Leading AV vendors can help companies build a customized solution for their audio and visual needs, integrating essential hardware and software to provide a more streamlined, efficient user experience.
- Delivering training and support: Some AV partners can also work with businesses to improve the adoption of new tools, helping team members to understand how room systems, cameras, and other resources work so they can collaborate more efficiently.
Step 3: Unlock the Power of Managed Service Providers
MSPs, or Managed Service Providers can act as an essential resource for any business looking for ways to optimize their AV investment. The right partners can work with organizations to create customized collaboration spaces, configure tools for remote employees, and even monitor the functionality and health of critical systems throughout the workspace.
A Managed Service Provider ensures business leaders don’t have to invest in employing in-house technical experts to ensure systems can run seamlessly and securely in the hybrid environment. They can handle all of the most complicated parts of implementing an effective AV ecosystem, from installation, through to managing and monitoring crucial resources.
“Working with a managed service provider allows organizations to optimize their meeting room deployments, enhance user experiences, simplify IT administration and reduce burden on existing support teams. Here at New Era, our managed service encompasses advanced features, remote control capabilities, and real-time monitoring, setting us apart from other providers in the market.”
- Rob Westwood, Director of Product & Solution Design, Global Video Collaboration, New Era Technology
The best MSP will be able to:
- Professionally install and configure AV tools: The professional installation of AV systems, from meeting rooms to simple cameras and microphones, can make a huge difference to its overall performance. Working with certified technicians means companies can leverage expert engineering and technical support, as well as on-site training for new tools.
- Share crucial insights on device usage: With proactive monitoring applications and technologies, MSPs can provide behind-the-scenes insights into the usage and performance of meeting rooms and AV endpoints. They can provide reports and dashboards that deliver comprehensive views into call quality, room utilization and more.
- Minimise technology issues: MSPs can also use their monitoring solutions and expertise to reduce the risk of technology issues, providing insights into potential problems with content, audio and video sharing, and troubleshooting issues remotely.
Managed Service Providers can also help businesses to scale their AV solutions over time, adapting to new work styles, collaboration preferences, and digital transformation strategies.
Optimize AV Tech for the Age of Hybrid Work
The right AV solutions can make all the difference to the success of a hybrid work model. Implementing reliable video conferencing solutions, exceptional audio technology, and powerful systems for content sharing can help to bridge the gap between distributed workers.
However, optimizing AV technology in-house can be difficult without the right support. Working with consulting, implementation, and configuration experts can ensure businesses make the most of their AV investment, without breaking the business budget.
