In the midst of the digital age, business organizations have started to introduce new strategies to adapt to the current demands of the technology sector, as well as the creation of new work spaces to achieve greater productivity. Multiple studies indicate that hybrid work provides greater autonomy and flexibility, being the model preferred by companies and their workers. Over the years, many companies have discovered that all employees are able to work productively from home and that job functions, such as brainstorming and decision-making, can be done online.
The hybrid work environment will be a must-have for office workers for years to come. Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, will account for 27% of the global workforce by 2025, and companies will need to pay close attention to this demographic and their needs.
These are the innovations that must be taken into account to optimize current work environments:
Agile and adapted spaces to achieve maximum performance
As a result of the digitization of the different activities of companies, innovation has begun in the design of offices. Currently, according to data from the Work Trend Index Annual Report, 54% of business leaders are redesigning meeting spaces for hybrid work or plan to do so in the coming year, as the office becomes a more flexible and functional space, adapting to various scenarios and fostering greater collaboration through virtual interactions.
In addition, the videoconferences They encourage more interaction in the workplace, so they continue to play a critical role in bringing together teams that work from different locations. Companies that recognize the importance of this medium are creating dedicated video spaces designed to inspire and fuel creativity. From meeting rooms to large spaces, they must be equipped with the right technology to support collaboration effectively.
On the other hand, artificial intelligence (AI), combined with Big Data, can help companies understand the movements of staff in the office, how employees use the spaces and how they interact throughout their workday. In response, they can optimize the design and layout of the workplace to increase performance, collaboration and creativity, providing a less restrictive and more interactive experience.
Using technology to improve the work of the future
To facilitate the shift to hybrid work, innovative technologies are being introduced to achieve greater flexibility. Forward-thinking companies equip their spaces with intelligent data-driven technologies, contactless office controls, advanced audiovisual solutions and virtual collaboration tools.
Thanks to these new technologies, workers already have more access to office buildings, equipment and services through their personal devices, which will foster a world of Bring your own device (BYOD). For example, you can access printers, request an elevator, share a screen or book a meeting room through personal devices. All this by pressing a button, scanning a QR code or using biometric technology, which will streamline the experience of employees in the workplace.
In addition, it is important to apply new technologies to be connected, since in order to promote widespread use and obtain the highest return on investment, videoconferencing systems They should be easy to use and manage. A company that operates in a building needs a solution to manage all the devices in the different meeting rooms.
Multinational companies with offices around the world need a system to remotely monitor and manage these distributed devices. This saves local IT labor and on-site maintenance.
Advances in videoconferencing to promote collaboration
Video conferencing continues to play a central role in the hybrid work environment. Investment in AV technology has not slowed, and companies are constantly introducing new tools and advanced equipment to enhance the collaboration experience.
Wireless connectivity, integration of existing devices, all-in-one display solutions, and sound systems and high-tech cameras They help increase the engagement of participants in face-to-face and online meetings. 77% of employers hold meetings with employees remotely from different rooms, according to a study on basic videoconferencing statistics in 2021. Ideally, the solutions chosen are simple to use, easy to access and versatile so that they can adapt to any environment.
As the “Internet of Things” (IoT) takes hold and meeting room screens become just as interactive as our current devices, collaboration is increasing dramatically.
The work of the future, increasingly closer, will be conditioned by these new technologies, and companies must begin to implement them to achieve a collaboration space adapted to the needs of the new work paradigm, in which flexibility, simplicity and video collaboration will be key to achieving greater productivity and efficiency in companies.
Álvaro Ausín, MAXHUB Country Sales Manager for Spain and Portugal.
