By Alice Chambers |
Collaboration spaces are vital for offices, and 39 per cent of organisations plan to upgrade these areas in the next year, according to the Market Opportunity Analysis Report (MOAR) produced by the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA). Meanwhile, 31 per cent aim to update individual workspaces, corporate training facilities and control rooms. Peter Hansen, economist at AVIXA, explains how businesses are overcoming the challenges of hybrid meetings and supporting both remote and in-person participants.
Please give us a brief overview of what the smart workplace of today looks like, and an insight into how you see it evolving in the future.
A smart workplace is where an employee is happy and productive and has all the technology they need to be successful serving them in a seamless way. Critical challenges are seen in hybrid meetings, where too often the remote workers have a better presence than in-person attendees, and in efforts to compress the space used by workers occasionally in the office.
Employees expect the in-person workplace to be better than the at-home one – and the latter is usually pretty solid, so this is a high bar to compete with!
What types of office spaces are being upgraded to support hybrid work?
Collaboration spaces are a priority, with organisations focusing on increasing usability and meeting equity. High-quality audiovisual (AV) technology is also in demand, particularly for executives who want to impress clients remotely. This trend, known as broadcast AV, has grown significantly post-pandemic. Additionally, investments in lighting and digital signage are helping to create more inviting office environments that compete with home setups. The importance of software is also growing, with 52 per cent of organisations planning to increase their investment in software, according to MOAR.
Why are organisations shifting towards managed services/operational expenditure (OPEX) models for conference rooms?
There are so many motivations behind the movement towards managed services/OPEX for conference rooms. Especially early on post-pandemic, end users were paying for conference-rooms-as-a-service out of uncertainty; they knew they needed some kind of hybrid setup, but the norms were so far from established that they didn’t want to commit to a big, long-term, capital expenditure-style solution. The as-a-service approach was a way to stay up to date with minimal friction and predictable costs.
Another key motivation has been the rise of Microsoft Teams. It has motivated a movement towards managed services/OPEX in a few ways. To start, the ongoing evolution of the software platform often necessitates hardware upgrades to maintain full compatibility. Then, the physical layout of the rooms makes it easier to swap new equipment as needed rather than the old, wholesale revamp of the traditional capex model.
Beyond external factors, the AV industry has long been interested in recurring revenue models. While building out managed service offerings has been a challenge, new incentives are accelerating adoption, benefiting both providers and end users with predictable costs and improved service.
How are AV and IT teams working together to improve conference room technology?
The biggest challenges for an effective hybrid meeting room is bring-your-own-device compatibility and ease of use, followed by audio quality. This level of complexity demands strong cooperation between AV and IT professionals. A well-equipped conference room that ensures meeting equity often requires multiple cameras, microphones, screens and speakers, all of which must be integrated seamlessly into the network. This level of complexity demands strong cooperation between AV and IT professionals.
For high-end modern conference rooms, external AV providers typically play a key role, working closely with end users over the long term. The ultimate goal is to create a frictionless experience where employees can walk into a room and launch a video conference effortlessly, regardless of the platform or device they are using. Achieving this level of seamlessness requires both technical expertise and a focus on the user experience.
What are the biggest challenges in building a smarter workplace and how does AVIXA help businesses to overcome them?
Two major challenges are knowledge gaps and collaboration. The workplace has undergone significant disruption in the past five years and best practices for hybrid work are still emerging. Organisations need to work with experts and stay informed on evolving trends. AVIXA provides resources such as trade shows, webinars and AVIXA Xchange – a global collaboration platform that connects thought leaders, solution providers and manufacturers with technology buyers – to help businesses navigate these changes and identify the best solutions.
Collaboration remains a challenge, particularly between AV and IT, as well as between technical experts and end users. AVIXA’s certification programmes help bridge these gaps. The Audiovisual Network Professional certification ensures AV professionals have the IT skills needed to manage networked AV systems effectively. The Certified Technology Specialist suite also emphasises end-user engagement, ensuring that technology solutions truly meet workplace needs. Through these initiatives, AVIXA plays a crucial role in supporting businesses as they build smarter, more effective work environments.
Discover more insights like this in the Spring 2025 issue of Technology Record. Don’t miss out – subscribe for free today and get future issues delivered straight to your inbox.