As we move into a third month of social distancing, some parts of the world are reopening, and businesses are trying to get back to work while protecting the safety of their employees. The office of the future will likely look very different than the one we left behind earlier this year. However, meetings will continue to be an integral part of doing business and video remains an increasingly important component of those meetings. I recently wrote a LinkedIn article on what I thought this new normal would look like – but today, I’d like to dive a little deeper into what this means for conference and huddle rooms.
Last year, we were excited to introduce GoToRoom and grow our presence and partnerships, enabling organizations around the world to easily and affordably convert huddle and conference rooms into video–enabled spaces. We’ll still be expanding our GoToRoom offerings in 2020, but we’re looking at it through a slightly different lens. Video–enabled spaces (and their uses) have shifted due to the disruption caused by the Coronavirus; but that doesn’t mean video conference room equipment is any less important.
Meeting rooms of the past were generally comprised of many people physically in the space, with one or two people joining remotely or from other offices. This model is now being turned upside down: only a few people will be in the office conference rooms, with the majority joining remotely. But everyone needs to see and be seen – hear and be heard – as if they were all in the same room.
High-quality video in home offices
One of the biggest benefits of GoToRoom is that it’s able to be deployed without the assistance of IT. Because GoToRoom is plug-and-play, it’s a great option for business executives who need high-quality video and audio while running company all-hands meetings, board meetings, investor discussions or media interviews – all from the comfort of their home office. In a post-COVID-19 world, many workers may end up working remotely full time, or may decide that a more flexible schedule is right for them. By enabling the home office with high-quality equipment, workers can seamlessly transition from the office to home and back again at any point.
Huddle rooms take on new importance
While large in-person meetings may not happen any time soon, video meetings are still a great way to engage with those you work with. Most offices offer some form of small huddle spaces – and we believe these rooms will become more important than ever, especially for interactive brainstorm sessions. No one wants to be tied to their desk or a headset when they’re working with others to brainstorm and iterate on ideas. A huddle room is the perfect place to stay socially distant from your colleagues in other parts of the world (or even other parts of the building) while still providing the option to walk around, spread out, and share the whiteboard. Video–enabled huddle rooms provide the most lifelike face-to-face experience without actually being in the same location.
Board rooms replace travel
Many companies have dedicated time, money and resources to create beautiful board rooms designed to conduct 20-30 person meetings. While sitting side-by-side in close quarters may be frowned upon in the coming months, that space doesn’t have to go to waste. As travel will likely be restricted for much of 2020 and potentially through 2021, these board rooms with state-of-the-art cameras and sound systems can replace some of what will be lost if employees can’t travel to meetings. Board rooms are often big enough that multiple people could participate in a meeting while staying a safe distance apart. They also bring level of importance to meetings with clients or investors that you wouldn’t get in a more casual room or from your desk.
GoToRoom is here to help
The world is going through rapid change, but GoTo‘s commitment to delivering innovative communications solutions that help customers stay connected even at the most critical times remains true. Our goal with GoTo is to meet customers where they are, with all they need for productive and high-fidelity collaboration, while complementing their existing workflows and investments. GoToRoom is the easy, effective and affordable video room solution that supports your teams today and scales with your organization tomorrow.
In 2019, GoToRoom was unveiled, and was primarily centered around traditional conference rooms. Now – in 2020 – just as the way we communicate continues to evolve, so too do the places and spaces where we get work done. From home office, to huddle space, to board room and beyond, we’re excited to announce that the GoToRoom portfolio has expanded, and can now transform any ordinary meeting room into a cutting-edge collaboration space.
We’ve teamed up with industry leading audio/video hardware providers to dramatically increase the choice that our customers have when deciding which room solution works best for them. Whether your shopping based on price, functionality or an affinity towards a certain provider, we have the right solution for every situation your organization faces.
- GoTo will continue to bridge the gap between virtual and reality with sensational meeting quality in home offices and meeting spaces by expanding to huddle and boardrooms with Dolby Voice.
- GoTo is thrilled to announce an all new partnership with Logitech to help customers modernize their meeting spaces with world class video conferencing solutions.
- GoTo will continue to drive the future of flexible state–of–the art meeting spaces with Poly, as we expand into the next generation of all-in-one video conferencing units.
If you’re interested in learning more about how GoToRoom can bring remote teams together to increase productivity, visit gotoroom.com.