Gone are the days when all internal and industry conferences and meetings were held in person, and brainstorming and communication were synchronous. In 2020, the pandemic compelled enterprises to hold conferences and meetings virtually. Enterprises started relying on virtual meeting tools and AV solutions for internal and external communication. Virtual events increased by 290% in 2020 compared to 2019.
According to a GBTA study, respondents found virtual meetings as productive as in-person meetings. It helped enterprises save on expenses such as travelling, accommodation, etc., and allowed more people to participate.
Cut to the present, while enterprises are returning to the usual way of working, meetings and conferences have undergone a transformation. They are now more technology-driven, collaborative, flexible, and productive.
Trends like hybrid meetings, integrations with third-party systems, and collaboration tools have become a mainstay of modern workplaces.
Trends That Enterprises Can Leverage to Conduct Modern Meetings and Conferences
Embrace Hybrid Meetings
Hybrid meetings bring the best of both worlds — in-person and virtual meetings. Enterprises are considering conducting hybrid meetings and events to reduce carbon footprint and expenses and improve participation.
They can arrange an in-person meeting in a common place for large conferences and meetings. So, participants can gather in close-by locations and use technology to join remote sessions conducted in another location. This will help employees save time and expenses on travelling.
As hybrid meetings are still at a nascent stage, there are some challenges that enterprises need to address before embracing them fully. For instance, 38% of enterprises have difficulty planning and executing hybrid events, while 22% do not have the latest technologies and support to host hybrid meetings.
Enterprises need to invest in technologies and workplaces that allow every employee, irrespective of location, to experience effective information exchange and seamless collaboration.
Upgrade Existing AV Technologies
Enterprises must invest in next-gen AV technologies to create an intuitive and immersive experience for employees. These next-gen AV technologies are connected by wireless internet and can be integrated with augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) solutions to create an immersive experience.
Enterprises can also integrate motion-tracking cameras that capture and transmit the live visual field. It allows presenters to move freely during video conferencing. Besides, interactive panels can help participants write on-screen with fingers and communicate with others easily.
In a knowledge economy, collaboration and knowledge sharing are vital for a company’s success. With the help of next-gen AV technologies, employees can collaborate in real-time from any location and share information and feedback quickly.
Redesign the Meeting Rooms
The usual meeting rooms are designed for in-person meetings. As enterprises shift to hybrid meetings and conferences, the physical infrastructure will have to change.
66% of business decision-makers are already planning to redesign workspaces for hybrid working. The rooms and workspaces should make participants joining from other locations feel like they are present in the room physically. One way to build that experience is by redesigning the existing rooms and making them smarter and more intuitive.
To begin with, enterprises must invest in smarter digital controls to create a disruption-free environment for conferencing. They must develop a unified communication system by integrating communication tools such as screen sharing, instant managing, and video conferencing.
This will allow teams across the globe to seamlessly exchange ideas and documents with each other and collaborate smoothly. Including interactive displays, premium audio through the ceiling, wireless systems, and advanced presentation systems could further accentuate the room’s functionality and make it more conducive for training and meetings.
Use Smart Solutions
Beamforming microphones arrays with multi-channel amplifiers, light controllers, advanced signal processors, and multiple cameras that switch automatically to focus on the speaker or presenter are a few smart solutions that enterprises use to create an engaging environment for meetings.
Integrators should carefully assess these solutions and ensure they are simple to use. There must be no complexities involved in setting up or maintaining the systems. The rooms should be able to connect different devices such as laptops and tablets and integrate various systems efficiently without any hassles.
This is important because employees struggle to connect the different setups and move between different meetings. Too many wires and control panels can complicate the meeting experience. As such, hassle-free, minimal configurations can help employees save time and conduct meetings smoothly.
Conclusion
Enterprises must stay agile and collaborate more with people across different locations and devices to make decisions and achieve a shared goal. To that end, technology is vital in connecting people and re-imagining how enterprises conduct meetings and conferences.
At Resurgent, we have created integrated AV solutions that help enterprises stay agile and ahead of competitors. Enterprises can leverage our AV solutions to:
- Build a unified communication system by integrating different communication tools and applications
- Create experience centres with video walls, touch-screen displays, and other audio-visual elements that enable enterprises to share their stories and vision in an experiential way
- Combine state-of-the-art technologies to create meeting and presentation rooms that facilitate deep discussions between decision-makers
- Connect teams across different locations seamlessly
Book a free consultation to learn more about incorporating next-gen AV solutions within your enterprise.