Workplaces are back in business, although it is by no means business as usual. We are all learning how to cope and succeed in the face of COVID-19 realities, working in environments with distancing, geometry, and division measures designed to keep everyone safe and healthy.
In addition to safety protocols, we are also learning how to keep the work environment (remote and office-based), connected, collaborative, and creative. Audio visual technology works with the new realities to get the job done, keeping teams engaged and informed, wherever they are based.
Today’s workers often come equipped with their own devices (phones, tablets, etc.), and audio visual technology can aid them in using their devices to work collaboratively, from wherever they are by:
- Standardizing the meeting-room experience for a consistent experience from room to room, and from home to office.
- Letting workers connect quickly and seamlessly on devices they know and understand.
- Helping people focus on their work instead of getting things to work.
In order to succeed in the COVID-19 age, businesses need to be both virtual and physical. They also need to ensure employees feel, safe through the safety measures applied and connected by audio visual technology. Consider these points:
- Cleaning protocols:Lots of hand sanitizer and frequent cleanings of office furniture is required to keep the workplace safe.
- Use of personal devices for presenting and sharing content.
- No-touch automation: Through voice activation, auto switching, occupancy sensor activation, or meeting presets, you can establish a touchless meeting experience reducing the need for contact with room equipment.
- Video conferencing in more spaces:Adding mobile/rapid deployment conferencing systems, custom integration with re-purposed equipment/rooms, or enhanced home office solutions.
- Remote support:How to support people and spaces remotely, safely, effectively without entering rooms or interacting with others. This can be done through the distribution of safety information and alerts via on-screen digital communication, remote management of workplace equipment via the Cloud using web-based analytics, monitoring room and equipment usage.
Audio Visual Technology Empowers Employees, Letting Them Use Devices They Know and Understand
Audio visual technology empowers workers to do their best work, collaborating with other team members remotely in virtual spaces where employees can control their participation and engagement from their own devices. That exciting reality keeps the user experience simple, safe, and consistent, through a variety of AV technology solutions: wireless presentation, the touch-less experience; conferencing systems, all-in-one room solutions; rapid deployment, mobile collaboration solutions; and work-from-anywhere (WFA) enhanced remote conferencing.
See where we are going with this? Audio visual technology can make the work experience productive and rewarding regardless of where employees are based. And the use of these resources probably points to a post-COVID work environment, where workers come to enjoy and expect such flexibility. Other related tips for keeping the office productive during COVID-19 include:
- Keeping teams and individuals engaged and motivated: managers need to be quick to respond to employee concerns and questions. Establishing communication lines is key.
- Be sure to provide positive feedback and recognition to employees. That will help keep them involved and motivated. Empathy and compassion will also go a long way.
- Don’t let problems fester. Get on them right away before they become critical.
At POI, we are continuously asking, are we there yet? Have we brought the office back as a centre of branding, innovation and purpose? We have been given an opportunity to rethink the office, how it works and how employees interact with it. Expanding options for how and where employees work is the challenge facing employers today.
Contact the audio visual technology experts at POI today for assistance in meeting that challenge.