Ankur Goel, managing director for Poly India and SAARC, talks about how over the last two years, ‘work’ and ‘workplace’ as we know have been entirely transformed. Work is no longer a place we go to but what we do regardless of our location.
From my many conversations with customers and industry analysts, it is clear that remote working is here to stay, and many companies are now opting to embrace the hybrid working model as the future of the workspace.
Hybrid working: the future, and tips to consider
The data is clear: extreme flexibility and hybrid work will define the post-pandemic workplace.
One of the challenges for business and IT leaders while designing hybrid workspaces is ensuring that every employee has an equal say and that the work experience is consistent regardless of their location.
Here are a few tips on how organizations can ensure equality of meeting experience to their employees and bridge the gap between remote and office workers–
1. Remember, one size does not fit all. It is essential to understand the work style of your employees - Research shows that 92% of employees can be categorized into six distinct work styles that represent how and where people work in today’s enterprises. By understanding these workstyles, you can better match individuals with the audio and video solutions they need for meeting equity.
Poly has developed a unique tool to help organizations identify personas and associated technologies to complement them. You can learn more about the six personas Poly identified through analysis of 5,000 enterprise users, as well as access the profiling tool for your organization, here.
2. Encourage a video conference culture – even for those in the office to give remote employees an opportunity to be seen and heard.
Are your meeting spaces equipped with video conferencing devices so that the entire room can be seen rather than just one person in front of a laptop? Some companies are even outfitting open spaces with video conferencing equipment so that it’s easier to conference someone in on the fly when impromptu meetings happen. Invest in quality video conferencing equipment for all employees, regardless of location.
For remote workers, you can equip them with Poly Studio P5 or Poly Studio P15, and For meeting room spaces, you can invest in Poly meeting room solutions like the Poly Studio X30 or Poly Studio X50.
3. Invest in quality audio equipment – one of the most important aspects of a meeting is audio quality. It is essential to hear clearly and be heard.
By equipping your entire workforce with the audio equipment of their choice (headset/speakerphone), which cancels out the background noise and lets employees focus on their calls, you can not only help improve employee productivity but also give the power to your employees to work at any time, to stay connected from any location, and to collaborate and be productive whenever inspiration strikes.
Poly’s Voyager Focus 2 is perfect for hybrid workers as it offers 19 hours of talk time and is one of the best ANC headsets in the market today.
Hybrid working offers employees a whole new level of flexibility—something that many workforce members have been seeking for years. But making hybrid working a reality takes careful thought, planning, and the right technology.
It’s up to IT and business leaders to bring all these ingredients together to create a future-proof communication and collaboration strategy.