How Digital Workplace Solutions are Reshaping Meeting Rooms

Meeting rooms are places where ideas are brainstormed and where team decisions are made. However, with the development of workplace technology and the shift in work culture, these spaces have now transformed into the digital workplace.

Businesses today are increasingly adopting workplace technology to improve efficiency and productivity. The digitalisation in the workplace is changing the way we conduct business and connect with our colleagues. How has workplace technology reshaped traditional meeting rooms? What will meeting rooms look like in the foreseeable future? Let’s find out in this article.

From boardrooms to virtual spaces, how has the meeting room evolved so far?

Meeting room hardware and design has remained somewhat consistent over the years in line with the office-based working style. However, in the last 3 years, the physical office has undergone several changes e.g. employees working remotely, more team discussions being held on video conferencing platforms and fewer client meetings held in person.

While meeting rooms are still places for discussion and decision-making, the design and purpose of these spaces have changed. Today, we need to determine how employees will use these meeting rooms and to do this we need to start with why they are meeting in the first place. By determining the following, you have a deeper understanding of your employee needs and can redesign or refresh your meeting rooms with the technology to facilitate more engaging and productive meetings.

Meeting Purpose: Check ins, updates and planning meetings

Start by improving regular meetings such as daily standups first. These meetings do not need to be in person, but everyone should have access to shared cloud-based document tools such as Docuworks Cloud, to facilitate simultaneous editing and real time updates.

If the meeting is hybrid with some participants joining online and others in person, ensure your meeting room is equipped with a digital whiteboard. Use it so that everyone in the meeting can share their input and it can be noted down and shared to all immediately after the meeting.

For meetings that are to check in on how projects are progressing, consider replacing them with an all-in-one workplace platform such as Kintone or Docuworks cloud. These solutions notify you when each stage of the project is completed or held up. This empowers your team to make informed decisions faster and to prevent bottlenecks. By reducing the number of meetings, your employees have more time to focus on productive work.

Meeting Purpose: Strategy sessions

Strategy and brainstorming sessions require the flexibility to adapt to whatever the meeting requires. To keep the space adaptable, look at introducing meeting room software rather than hardware.

For example, to facilitate brainstorming sessions where everyone comes together to share ideas they prepared beforehand a software tool like Reactiv Suite will make the in person or hybrid meeting more interactive. Being able to open any file from word and PowerPoint to PDFs and URL webpages is a huge plus because it doesn’t break the flow of discussion. For hybrid meetings, manipulating camera feeds to ensure the presenter is front and centre of that discussion is key to getting ideas across. For in person discussions, everyone is able to cast their devices wirelessly so if they have something to show on their phone, tablet or laptop, they can present it easily.

Hybrid Meeting Room Non-Negotiables

Conference Room Cameras

If you’re the virtual participant joining a hybrid meeting, chances of you participating actively in the discussion is lower. This is completely understandable when it feels like you are interacting with a group rather than individuals. Meeting room technology that supports screen parity such as the Innex Cube helps remote participants feel more comfortable by showing each participant in the room as an individual tile. Other solutions such as the Innex C830 Conference Camera offers 6 layout modes so remote participants have the option to view individual members, the presenter plus the rest of the group or an overview of the group and individual members.

Conference Room Speakers

Some may argue that Audio should be prioritised over Visual when it comes to upgrading the meeting AV solutions. Whether its internal discussions or a pitch meeting with clients, tone of voice is crucial to understanding participants during calls. The small but mighty Jabra Speakerphone is a great tool to have in the office. Easily portable, you don’t have to equip every meeting room with one instead, ensure employees know where to find them and they can bring it with them to their selected meeting rooms.

The next generation of meeting rooms in the digital workplace era

Businesses should refresh their meeting rooms to improve collaboration and productivity in the future. Here is what they will look like:

• Flexible and agile: The digital workplace of tomorrow will be diverse. People from different generations and nations will work together. This means meeting rooms need to be highly versatile and adaptable, so you can set them up based on the purpose of the meeting or the team's working style. This will create an inclusive environment that encourages collaboration and the growth of new ideas.
• Borderless collaboration: Imagine teams from different corners of the world working together on projects. No boundaries exist. By using tools and software, such as cloud-based content management and a document handling application, your futuristic meeting rooms will be the centre of cultures, ideas, and talents. This will promote a global mindset within the organisation.
• Interactive workplace: Innovations like interactive displays, virtual reality, and augmented reality will make meeting rooms in the future more immersive and interactive. You and team members can engage in discussions as if everyone were physically present. People can easily share ideas and visualise concepts. This not only increases engagement and productivity but also fosters creativity and innovation.
• Intelligent automation: Automation is becoming more prevalent in the workplace. This includes using artificial intelligence (AI) to assist with tasks such as note-taking, agenda-setting, and meeting scheduling. Your teams can fully focus on more strategic initiatives and save valuable time.
• Sustainability and green initiatives: These concepts are becoming an essential part of the digital workplace. By adopting eco-friendly practices in meeting rooms, you can minimise your carbon footprint and contribute to a greener future. It will include using energy-efficient lighting and equipment, encouraging recycling, and reducing waste.

Today, workplace technology has expanded the concept of meeting rooms beyond physical spaces. They have become connected environments for people across borders and time zones.

FUJIFILM Business Innovation offers digital workspace solutions for meeting rooms of all sizes. Let us help create the connected and empowered workplace of the future for you. Contact us today.