117 says Khan. “The thing is, it doesn’t really work. You end up with people feeling frustrated with meetings, finding that they are not useful, and then not attending.” Khan also highlights the losses that can result from ineffective technology. “Consider a situation where 10 participants spend 10 minutes at the start of the meeting figuring out why they are on mute, why their cameras aren’t working, why they can’t hear or see each other. If these are highly paid individuals, the business is wasting significant time and money. Good technology pays for itself very quickly. “By aligning our solutions with Microsoft Teams, we can quickly help businesses make the most of an intuitive resource that they are already using, with greater capabilities added on top.” The concept of ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) also plays into this challenge, as IT departments can struggle to manage and update the broad array of devices in use so that each employee has an equitable experience. “People like having choice and having their preferences heard, which is why BYOD has been so popular,” says Khan. “Whatever device someone chooses to use, I would encourage employers to ensure that these devices are certified. The standards for certification are getting higher and they have a significant impact on the quality of experience. A device that isn’t certified may work, but not to the level of fluidity and seamlessness of a certified device.” Jabra has also considered this in its products. “We enable our customers to decide what’s best by supporting them in BYOD and Microsoft Teams Rooms environments,” says Khan. “We have designed our solutions with network connectivity built in, so users can easily plug their device in and instantly receive scheduled updates for the best possible user experience.” Despite Jabra’s focus on delivering high-quality remote and hybrid meeting experiences, Khan believes that the physical office will continue to be an important part of modern working life. “Humans are sociable beings,” he says. “We need openended conversations and casual interaction. Studies have shown that employees onboarded virtually often struggle to fully immerse themselves in workplace culture because they haven’t yet created that psychological trust with their colleagues. I definitely see offices continuing to be highly relevant.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=