Collaboration Tools For The Remote Workplace

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Professional teams are doing everything remotely these days - work, meetings, collaboration, you name it. It's a trend that's only accelerated since the 2020 pandemic, but the transition to remote work was already in full swing among many companies. That transition is an important one for every business to consider now, as people value work-from-home opportunities. Businesses have also noted improved productivity from employees who work remotely, so the arrangement benefits both sides. The challenge is how to unify your remote and onsite workers together, so that everyone feels like they're part of the team. AV is what helps companies take this challenge on. In the last few years, AV manufacturers have created a plethora of collaboration tools, many of them designed for remote and hybrid teams. With these tools, your teams will be able to communicate and collaborate wherever they are.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Video Is The Foundation Of Every Remote Collaboration Solution

Video conferencing technology is the primary tool backing any remote workflow. It's been around for decades, but once millions of people were pushed out of the office, video conferencing became vital for operational purposes. This, along with the rise of Zoom, Microsoft Teams and other usability-first platforms, has helped professionals get comfortable with being on camera and discussing projects with colleagues. Popular video conferencing platforms are also designed to fit perfectly into a unified communications (UC) approach. Zoom, Microsoft, Cisco and Google all have apps for mobile conferencing, so users can collaborate and exchange ideas wherever they are.

Video Conferencing Software Is Designed For Interoperability

Your organization likely has existing hardware it would like to leverage for any new video conferencing solution. Fortunately, some of the historical leaders in video conferencing hardware - brands like Poly and Crestron - are partnered with Zoom, Microsoft and others. If you've already got an existing Poly or Crestron system in place, it's likely compatible with the most popular software solutions available. And while it's more difficult to maintain multiple conferencing solutions, many organizations do rely on two, three, or more collaboration tools for their remote and hybrid meetings. That way, companies can combine new solutions with what already works.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The Modern Meeting Space Is Designed For Small Teams And Efficient Communication

The typical meeting involves fewer team members. It also involves onsite and remote groups. Together, this has reduced the need for traditional meeting rooms, which are now too large and inefficient for the modern workplace. Instead, businesses are carving out smaller collaboration spaces like huddle rooms and focus rooms. Instead of one large, cumbersome collaboration space, you can get two or three huddle rooms in the same area. What is a huddle room, though? These compact meeting spaces typically include the following:

• A digital display, which may be interactive.
• An all-in-one conferencing solution, like a video bar. The Poly X series and Crestron Flex are popular examples.
• A small table and a few chairs. Some feature lounge furniture instead for more comfortable collaboration.
• Accessible cable ports for easy connectivity. This can be built into a small conference table.

Huddle rooms allow small onsite teams to instantly jump into a meeting that includes remote participants. It's a convenient way for teams to handle project management, brainstorm, provide feedback, and generally ensure they're on the same page.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Wireless Presentation Systems Simplify Content Sharing And Hybrid Meetings

Wireless presentation solutions are a purpose-built tool for hybrid meetings. They emerged right when the pandemic did, in response to the need for a touchless presentation system. With a wireless presentation solution, anyone can connect to a room's presentation and conferencing technology from their own device. And like the name suggests, it's all wireless. All the user must do is follow on-screen prompts from the room's display to connect, a process that can be completed in seconds. Once connected, users have access to the room's conferencing technology and features. They can start a conference from their device, share media files from their device to the display, and configure lighting or audio levels. This can all be done with minimal knowledge of the room's technology, so it's perfect for employees who are rarely in the office.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Interactive Whiteboards Turn Collaboration Into A Hands-On Experience For Everyone

There are a number of ways that interactive whiteboards can improve your meetings. Interactive flat panels like the Clevertouch can be used with remote and hybrid collaboration efforts, as anyone who is connected can see and annotate on the whiteboard as needed. Whiteboarding sessions allow for that free-form kind of collaboration where people can exchange ideas and a lot of information visually. When the session is over and the whiteboard is marked over, interactive flat panels allow users to save an image of it. Months after the meeting is over, anyone can pull up the whiteboard again to track progress or just refresh their memory.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Certified AV Integrators Are Remote Collaboration Experts

The modern workforce is a remote workforce, and there's every reason to believe that remote and hybrid workplaces are here to stay. If your organization hasn't adapted to this new reality yet, it's time. Fortunately, the time has never been better to adopt remote collaboration tools into your company's kit. A certified AV integrator can oversee this process. Once the integrator has a full understanding of your company's collaboration needs, they can design a system, source its components, install the hardware, set up the software and provide ongoing support. There's no easier and more cost-effective way to support your remote teams.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]