While large in-person meetings won’t resume any time soon, video collaboration remains an effective way to engage with those we work with. But wherever the “new normal” takes us, pandemic concerns have already started to reshape how businesses are considering their spaces. Employers have to re-think every point of an employee’s work day: from the parking lot, to communal spaces, to their individual work station. Certain trends, like remote work and the mainstreaming of video conferencing, have been around for some time, but COVID-19 has rapidly increased their integration and the public’s trust with them.
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. (After all, no one wants to be tied to their desk or a headset when they’re working with others to 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 and spread out.
Prior to the pandemic, you could have a small group in the room – around four to six people – with others joining remotely. Post-pandemic, it’s more likely that one or two people will be present in the room (depending on size) with the majority of the group joining remotely. This highlights the importance of effective communication tools being installed and enabled in the workplace.
Here are two things to keep in mind when preparing your huddle spaces for the return to work:
1. Accessibility
Now that 66% of people are working remotely in some way, offices need to reimagine the idea of meetings: namely, where and how they can continue in a hybrid environment. The shift to flex work means that all meetings will have the option for attendees to join remotely. With this in mind, those in the office need to be able to easily set up and connect with those tuning in from home. Since meetings need to be as efficient as possible, teams won’t have the luxury of spending additional time troubleshooting technology, and they certainly won’t be able to huddle around a laptop in order to have the team member at home see everyone.
Look for tools that save time and reduce frustration. GoToRoom, for example, synchronizes with your organization’s Microsoft (Exchange & Office 365) or Google Calendar to keep room availability up-to-date, with one-click to join. Plus, users can take things one step further by starting a meeting from their mobile device before even entering the room, removing the need to touch shared surfaces.
2. Inclusivity
When your employees are meeting in today’s socially distanced world, it’s important to bring the most authentic experience possible to those joining from home. The best way to do that is to have a conference room solution that captures everyone on the call, regardless of physical location.
One of the biggest benefits of GoToRoom is that users are able to enjoy a lifelike collaboration experience with stellar audio and video from hardware providers like Poly, Dolby, or Logitech. 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.
Invite GoToRoom to your next meeting!
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 offices, to huddle spaces, to boardrooms 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 you’re shopping based on price, functionality or an affinity towards a certain provider, we have the right solution for every situation your organization faces.
To learn more about how GoToRoom can bring remote teams together to increase productivity, visit gotoroom.com or contact your account representative today!