As leadership teams strategize and rethink their office transition plans, they look to the latest data to guide workplace redesigns, new tech investments, and updated policies. To best serve employees and create engaging workplaces where people want to work, leadership teams need to provide tools that enable an inclusive work environment, independent of an employee’s location.
Employees have gotten used to working from anywhere, bringing their own devices to meetings, and choosing which video conferencing platforms or collaboration tools work best for them. And with the ease of use of consumer devices like smartphones, Alexas, Google Homes, and tablets, professionals expect the same from the tech they use at work.
Recent Wainhouse Research data showed that more than 50% of IT leaders expect to work remotely in some capacity indefinitely, and trends in employee expectations include strong preferences for “hoteling” or reserving desks, and collaborative seating areas. What does this mean for employers? It means workplaces designed with flexibility in mind, “bring your own device” (BYOD) setups for individual work and meetings, and hybrid meeting spaces built for remote participation.
With this in mind, Wainhouse independently conducted an experience evaluation to compare the top offerings in hybrid meeting technology on the market. This study reviewed the differences between three market-leading, front-of-room video conferencing solutions and the center-of-table perspective of the Meeting Owl, and it can help guide leadership teams, people operations, and IT teams in their hybrid communication planning.
What did they find? Here are some key takeaways:
- There is a strong correlation between in-room technology workflows and setup and remote participation in hybrid meetings
- With Presenter Enhance (a Meeting Owl feature that tracks the speaker’s gestures), remote participants had a more engaging experience than that of a standard wall or display-mounted video conferencing device
- The Meeting Owl has the fastest time-to-install when compared to other video conferencing solutions
- The Meeting Owl had the best audio pickup (exceeding its advertised 18’ microphone radius) and most powerful in-room dynamics when compared to other video conferencing tools
Hybrid + flexible work expectations are indefinite
The latest Owl Labs State of Remote Work Report revealed that 90% of employees feel they are the same or more productive from home. And 1 in 3 professionals say they would quit if they didn’t have the choice to work remotely. Yet only 38% of employers have upgraded their video tech. There’s a disconnect between senior management and individual employees.
Now, companies are beginning to see that remote, hybrid, and flexible work options are no longer a choice for competitive organizations. In order to attract, retain, and engage employees, companies need to have the policies to support hybrid and flexible work, along with the hardware, software, and physical spaces needed to make it effective.
Meeting experiences need to be accessible for in-person + remote participants
The study showed a correlation between how easily in-person team members could set up and start meetings, and how much remote participants were able to contribute. When there was more action going on in the room, there was a greater need for additional perspective for remote participants.
The Meeting Owl Pro is the only 360-degree smart video conferencing solution on the market that offers a completely immersive experience for remote participants — that goes for whiteboard meetings, presentations, and active discussions. With the full suite of Owl Labs hybrid collaboration tools, meetings go beyond “remote-friendly” to fully remote-inclusive.
AI-powered video conferencing features are critical
Joining a meeting remotely isn’t always expected. Employees might experience a power outage and be working from a local cafe, or have to take an important call from the waiting room at the mechanic’s shop. Thanks to high-speed wireless internet, noise-canceling headphones, and video conferencing apps, a hiccup in the day won’t lead to missed meetings.
In an increasingly hybrid and flexible work landscape, standard video conferencing features are necessary. And AI-powered video conferencing solutions are making meetings even more effective for all involved.
BYOD + BYOM options allow for flexibility, both internally and with external stakeholders
Wainhouse found that there is pressure from the wider professional community to adopt “bring your own device” (BYOD) and “bring your own meeting” (BYOM) capabilities. Companies must now consider how this will impact their IT and AV teams. Are devices platform-agnostic? How will IT support employees’ own devices?
When comparing video conferencing platforms, Zoom is largely the platform of choice for its reliability and security. But is it compatible with existing meeting room solutions? With BYOD and BYOM options in the workplace, IT teams need access to deploy, register, troubleshoot, and update technology at scale.
The study found that more and more organizations are looking for scalable video conferencing solutions that are flexible, easy to use, and provide a way to bridge the experience gap between in-room participants and remote participants.
Dive into the full video conferencing experience analysis + data from Wainhouse Research
As you explore the latest data on video conferencing solutions for hybrid teams, think through how your organization’s needs may change over the next 3, 6, or 12 months. How will your tech solutions continue to serve your employees, independent of the global conditions or worker preferences? What investments will best adapt to changing tech needs and smart office technology?
