With hybrid workforces that combine remote and on-site staff expected to become the post-pandemic norm at many organizations, having a well-equipped office capable of connecting employees across multiple locations will be more important than ever.
For many, this will mean reimagining the physical workspace and how employees collaborate within it.
To help local executives plan for the return to the office, OBJ and sponsor Interactive Audio Visual teamed up to explore the tools every employer needs to safely return to a collaborative workspace.
This is an edited transcript of a discussion between Rob Lanthier, manager of installation and service at Interactive Audio Visual and OBJ publisher Michael Curran. To hear the full interview, please watch the video above. Prefer an audio version of this podcast? Listen to it on SoundCloud or Spotify.
CURRAN: Many employers are looking at their office and evaluating it with a more critical eye. What questions should managers and business owners be asking when thinking about their physical space?
LANTHIER: Employers should be asking questions about how they use their meeting spaces, how they reserve those spaces and is there a better system that could be implemented? From there, they need to consider how employees interact with the technology in the room, does it take a long time to set up, and what is the impact of this on your human resources?
CURRAN: I want to ask you about this concept of reconnecting in the office. What do you think the first step is in creating a more collaborative and connected office?
LANTHIER: The hybrid office definitely includes video, so your collaboration spaces will be used a little differently. Pre-pandemic, you may have had three or four people in a room working on a project, but now half of those people may be remote. Having that video capability and strong audio will be key to keeping staff connected.
CURRAN: How can companies set themselves up for this workplace?
LANTHIER: We are seeing an increase in AV-as-a-service, which is a monthly subscription for AV services and equipment. This is a completely scalable approach – you can add more rooms and service as you grow – and takes the stress and responsibility away from the business owner and management team.
