How Innovation is Changing the Workplace of the Future.

Before the pandemic, innovative businesses were experimenting with increased flexibility in the places where, when, and how their people worked. As a result, the office-based work model was progressively changing.

Companies have to expedite this change in 2020 in addition to implementing full-time remote working for an extended length of time. In an effort to navigate the future of employment, many people have been investigating what comes next.

Research shows that hybrid work is the best option for businesses and knowledge workers since it offers more autonomy and flexibility. Many businesses learned during the epidemic that their workers could operate effectively from home and that essential job duties like idea generation and decision-making could be completed remotely.

An office worker of the near future won't be able to avoid working in a hybrid setting. Companies will need to pay attention to Gen Z, defined as people born between 1997 and 2012, who will make up 27% of the global workforce by 2025. Gen Z job seekers are more inclined to inquire about a job posting, according to recent research.

Knowledge workers need an office environment that is more agile and encourages collaboration in addition to more freedom and mobility. Most business executives are now aware of how this new way of working may be supported and improved with the right technology. The seamless blending of virtual and physical settings should foster innovation as teams work together without interruption.

To keep ahead of the curve, it is important to take advantage of these advancements right away.

Agile Workplaces for Agile Spaces

As companies have expanded the digitization of their processes, there has been constant innovation in office space design. As the office becomes a more adaptable, functional space that facilitates increased collaboration through virtual connections, two-thirds of business decision-makers are now thinking about adopting hybrid work.

Company offices need to adapt to different work conditions as we become more nimble in our work. In addition, given that businesses are using more scattered teams, modern workplaces must be built to encourage collaboration and foster relationships among highly mobile workers.

Tech giants like Google are experimenting with flexible workspaces that can be readily changed to suit team requirements. As partitions and furniture can be rearranged to whatever size or shape that is most conducive for the work at hand, rooms take on a life of their own. In order to provide a more natural, realistic experience, Google is also developing conference rooms that mimic a campfire configuration using numerous displays for remote workers that are positioned at eye level.

Interactive, video-focused environments

Video conferencing will continue to be crucial in bringing remote teams together and fostering increased workplace contact. Recognising the importance of this medium, businesses are now developing specialised video-centric venues intended to stimulate and foster creativity.

To effectively promote collaboration, every setting—from small boardrooms and huddle rooms to large open-plan spaces—must be outfitted with the appropriate technology.

Utilising Technology to Lead the Future Workplace

As work and workspaces grow more flexible, innovative technologies are launched to support this transformation. Forward-thinking companies equip their offices with advanced AV systems, contactless office controls, data-driven smart technology, and virtual collaboration tools.

These innovations encourage collaboration and creativity while facilitating the transition to a more seamless hybrid work environment.

VR and AR

The transition to hybrid work will be supported by virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) platforms and tools, bringing distant teams together in a shared area where they will once again be on equal footing.

There won't be any more chances for a remote worker to miss out on side conversations because there will be a space for everyone to hear and be heard. Future office workers will be able to design individualised, distraction-free surroundings when they need to concentrate thanks to these technological breakthroughs.

Intelligent Mechanisms for a Bring-Your-Own-Device World

In support of a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) world, the office space, furnishings, and services will soon be easier for employees to access via personal devices. By using their devices, employees can, for instance, access printers, request a lift, share their screen on a conferencing display, or reserve a meeting space.

With the push of a button, a QR code scan, or biometric technology, all of this and more will be possible, expediting an employee's experience at work.

Advancements in Video Conferencing Support Collaboration

When the pandemic was at its worst, video conferencing kept us linked, and it now has a key position in the hybrid workplace. Investment in AV technology is unceasing, and businesses are always releasing new cutting-edge tools and apparatus to improve the collaboration experience.

Participants in in-person and remote meetings benefit from increased engagement thanks to wireless connectivity, the seamless integration of existing devices, all-in-one display solutions, and sophisticated camera and sound systems. The ideal solutions would be those that are straightforward to use, simple to get to, and adaptable to any situation.

Boardrooms with Interactive Technology

Collaboration will definitely develop as the Internet of Things (IoT) gains traction and the surfaces in our boardrooms become as dynamic as our present electronics. A completely immersive multimedia experience will be possible when the space itself evolves through VR, AR, 3D projectors, and holographic streaming. Meeting attendees will all experience increased engagement, stimulating innovation, whether they are there in person or remotely.

Designing offices with AI and Big Data

Companies may better analyse staff movement in the workplace, how employees use areas, and how they interact throughout the workday by combining artificial intelligence (AI) with big data. In response, they might enhance the office's architecture and layout to improve output, teamwork, and innovation.

Employers may promote the office as a destination rather than merely a place to work by utilising the most recent AI technologies and data analytics to offer a less constrained, more participatory employee experience.

Staying Connected with Technology

Future work will be hybrid, and technology to support it is developing quickly. It keeps distant teams connected while fostering cooperation and innovation.

Video-first communication is how we'll stay connected and navigate the future of work together, whether through AR, VR, or the upcoming, as-yet-unnamed invention.

As a Meeting Room Technology distributor, Merge AudioVisual creates a variety of market-leading solutions to maintain uninterrupted connectivity. Merge AudioVisual is the official partner of brands like MAXHUB, BlueJeans, Video Window and Quicklaunch.

Discover Merge AudioVisual today.