At Europe’s no. 1 digital transformation expo DTX & UCX, Sharp/NEC Display Solutions Europe will be addressing these challenges, and here Business Development Manager Gunnar Kyvik explains how businesses can transform virtual meetings to make sure every participant feels involved. 

The real meaning of productivity has come into sharp focus as hybrid working becomes the trending topic in 2022. 

Home-working - be part-time or full-time - was recognised as a company benefit pre-pandemic, but temporary COVID working laws that kept staff out of the offices necessitated rapid accommodation of virtual working. This practice has since evolved to become part of employee expectation - with as many as 63% of high-growth companies now utilising hybrid work models.

However, teething pains remain. Today’s organisations are faced with the challenges of making hybrid work – which are not only about technology enabling remote participation, but also about empowering staff to fully engage in every meeting.

Despite the sharp uptick in the numbers of remote workers in the world today, data reveals that as many as 71% of people dialling into meetings from afar can still feel disengaged when taking part. 

Increasing employee engagement in the modern era involves making hybrid working a smoother, simpler and more successful process - and making the right technological investments has the potential to not just satisfy remote workers, but genuinely make them feel valued and important within the company structure.   

In a world where workforces are dispersed across multiple regions or nations, simply providing video technology in itself is not enough. Organisations need to tackle inequity in hybrid meetings to create the kind of company culture in which staff can contribute meaningfully - no matter where they might be tuning in from. 

We’re only human

To create an environment that gives everybody equal opportunity to fully engage in the meeting we need to understand all the elements at play. 

Whether people are participating remotely or are attending in-person is just one element of today’s meeting room dynamics. 

We also need to take into account the human element such as age, technological competence, and potential feelings of anxiety. We might live in a technological age, but things have moved at an intense pace - and not everyone feels comfortable with the new ways of working.

The secret to better meeting equity involves organisations adopting a more compassionate working culture. People need to feel well to work well; stress and anxiety will inevitably curb creativity and impact productivity. 

By adopting more flexible workflows, accompanied by a more benevolent approach, organisations are acknowledging basic human needs, working in harmony for mutual gain. Getting the tools to support your human workforce becomes a simple ROI calculation - the compassionate employer will maximise his yield.

Only by rethinking the meaning of productivity - and understanding that it is directly linked to well-being - can businesses truly evolve and embrace new opportunities for success.

Breaking barriers

Purpose-designed technology solutions can support hybrid workflows by removing potential barriers to inclusion and making it easier for people to participate whether they are in-room or connecting remotely.

The audio and visual experience is of course absolutely critical. To be able to clearly see facial expressions and to pick up the quieter voices from the back of the room is fundamental for successful video communications. High-quality products with proven compatibility must be a priority when equipping any workplace.

Finding ways to make doing work as simple as possible helps to break down barriers and potential resistance from older and/or less tech savvy employees. 

The priority needs to be in investment of technology that is familiar and easy to use, with simple connectivity that just works. USB Type C for instance offers a very simple connection between personal device and large screen and is the vital enabler for Bring Your Own Meeting initiatives: A meeting solution where the user drives the meeting and room technology using their own devices.

Maintaining security whilst enabling interoperability across multiple platforms has been challenging for many organisations but it is this simple, frictionless workflow which is the mainstay of hybrid working practices.

Finding the right partner

A key step to improving hybrid working is to seek a partnership with a business that holds alliances with industry-leading solutions providers - as this empowers firms to offer the best possible user experience at all times. 

New tech-agnostic, wireless room systems can register a user’s presence as soon as they walk into the room - connecting the laptop automatically to room display, cameras, speakerphones, sound bars. 

With just one click, they can wirelessly start a video meeting from a laptop or share their screen, using a preferred UC&C solution and switch platforms easily. 

No cables, no mess, no time to waste.

A new era for hybrid working

With hybrid working destined to remain a part of the working fabric for the foreseeable future, it remains imperative that companies continue to invest in solutions that work for all staff - regardless of whether they are in the office or hundreds of miles away. 

Maintaining employee engagement involves making everyone feel seen and heard in meetings - and that means putting the necessary technology and processes in place to create an environment that makes remote workers feel they can make contributions that remain as worthy as any that might come from within the room itself. 

The secret to tackling inequity in hybrid working is to make technology simple, seamless, and stress-free - which can often involve striking a deal with the best partner provider to ensure greater experiences for everyone. 

When staff are fully-connected company wide - the entire business will benefit as a result.