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THE INTEGRATION GUIDE TO

HYBRID WORKFLOWS

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 SUPPLEMENT THE INTEGRATION GUIDE TO
HYBRID WORKFLOWS

Research shows that the quality of company

communications affects employee engagement.

Keeping Up with Hybrid

Research Shows Importance of Quality AV Solutions for Employee Engagement

By Wayne Cavadi affects how engaged they are as an employee, and 40% need for them. However, we have seen much more
of employees would consider leaving their company if progress toward enhancing the user experience via

M
its video communication efforts were poor. video with camera features like auto tracking, presenter
eeting equity is not a new idea. Since the “Over the past five years, demand for remote tracking, group framing, speaker tracking, etc.”
pandemic, Pro AV technology and IT teams connecting technologies skyrocketed, but that “Clear video and audio open the door to productive
in office spaces and classrooms have been demand came from necessity,” explained Chris Black, and equitable experiences,” agreed Nathan Coutinho,
trying to solve the riddle of how to keep employees global head of brand and communications for Vizrt. director of business strategy, Logitech. “However, we’ll
engaged in hybrid meetings—whether in person or “Now, we can meet face–to–face again … yet there are venture to say that clear audio is the more important of
remote. And while each passing year seems to get no signs of the hybrid working model slowing down. the two. Without audio, there is no meeting, but the
closer to goal, we aren’t there yet. With this in mind, this research was conducted to same can’t be said for video. Crystal-clear audio allows
“The bar for an excellent audio/video experience understand how hybrid working has affected participants to focus on content and collaboration
at work is currently higher than it ever has been,” said communication, and how the demands for effective rather than struggling to understand speakers.”
Sam Read, CTS, PNW area operations manager for communication have shifted.” The answer sounds simple: To connect people
Avidex. “Integrators speak of the latest and greatest Biamp also completed a survey last year of 2,400 here, there, and everywhere, a conference room must
in terms of acoustic echo cancellation [AEC] workers across North America and Europe. Respondents be equipped with the right AV solutions. Having the
technology, camera/sound bars, and beamforming were divided into two groups: non-managerial “end right solutions is not an extravagance for employees,
microphone arrays, when in fact most people can get users” of conferencing technology and “decision it is a necessity to bring them into the conversation.
a better audio/video experience out of the cell phone makers” who set the course for a given organization “Quality audio and video are crucial to engage
in their pocket. Employees expect that a valued across human resources, technology, and operations hybrid workers,” Black said. “The survey we
conversation they can have over video call with a management. “Both groups relayed that great sound conducted revealed this significantly impacts
loved one should be equally as good as a hybrid trumps video—videoconferencing solutions need great employee satisfaction. For effective employer
meeting with their company.” sound to be effective above all,” noted Joe Andrulis, EVP communication, 85% of those surveyed agree that
of corporate development at Biamp. video quality and 88% agree that audio quality is
Quality AV for All “Obviously, intelligible audio is of the utmost important. But quality audio and video can also
How do you better connect employees who are importance,” added Ashish Maru, director of AV bring the hybrid experience a bit more
distributed all over the country or globe? Vizrt recently technology at Red Thread. “Without that a meeting entertainment, if paired with certain elements
conducted a study on hybrid workflows, and two can’t happen, but as far as other audio features that go like AR graphics. Elevating production in a simple
startling numbers stood out: 69% of employees feel beyond just intelligibility—like Dolby sound, immersive way with graphics can significantly impact viewer
the quality of communications from their company audio, or spatial audio—we have not much adoption or engagement.”

2 SCN // November 2024 // avnetwork.com

 THE INTEGRATION GUIDE TO
HYBRID WORKFLOWS

in-room and remote participants.”

Auto tracking in both microphone systems and
videoconference cameras is imperative to keep active
speakers in view for the remote participant. But what
happens when participants turn their heads to speak
to another person in the back of the room?
“[That’s] where we took a disproportionately
bigger leap in getting closer to meeting equity: Smart
From left, Sam Read, Asish Maru, Chris Black, Nathan Coutinho, and Joe Andrulis Switching,” Coutinho said. “It uses adaptive
intelligence to choose the best view between the
Tools of the Trade hybrid experience at minimal cost to the employee [Sight] camera on the table and the camera at the
Many hybrid workers are typically granted the same and organization.” front of the room, tracking conversations as they
equipment for their remote work: a laptop with an Biamp’s 2023 survey showed that one of the most move between participants and consistently
internal camera, speakers, and microphone. This desired features, besides effective audio and video, maintaining the best angle of in-person interactions
might be excellent for the remote worker, but it can was for remote attendees to feel as involved as those as the conversation flows between in-room and
also be very poor for hybrid meetings. A little in the physical conference room. As Andrulis said, AI remote participants.”
education for the hybrid worker could go a long way in and the widespread adoption of UC platforms are
getting the setting just right. improving the situation. The Road to Equity
“Organizations could greatly benefit from “But we’re not quite there yet,” he added. “The key Is there an actual path to meeting equity between the
providing documentation to remote employees about to creating true meeting equity lies in implementing remote and in-person worker? “I am not sure if there
how their room setup impacts the quality of conferencing systems that deliver experiences that are will ever be true equity between local and remote
meetings,” said Read. “With some simple “dos and simple, fast, and incredibly reliable. An effective experience,” Maru opined. “There are too many
don’ts” documented to these employees on how to solution requires more than just the usual hardware— variables. The in-person meeting experience is
set up their working environment, basic microphones, loudspeakers, and video cameras. It calls about much more than the technology—it’s the
modifications to lighting, camera position, and room for an integrated AV solution with intelligent features, connections before and after the meeting, too.”
acoustics can provide a drastic improvement to the including AI, that enhance the experience for both Some are more optimistic, but it will take more than

avnetwork.com // November 2024 // SCN 3

THE INTEGRATION GUIDE TO
HYBRID WORKFLOWS

At Issue
What are some of the most important Pro AV elements
just the “right” technology. Don’t overlook the spaces themselves. As businesses required for an effective hybrid work environment?
continue to reduce their physical footprints, Andrulis said their leaders to be more
intentional and strategic with how they utilize individual offices, shared workspaces, Charlie Jones Global Partner Relations Manager, Sennheiser
and conference rooms. As a result, many organizations are adopting hoteling An effective hybrid work environment should include reliable,
strategies. high-quality AV systems that ensure clear communication.
“Instead of having dedicated workstations, employees reserve desks or meeting Ceiling microphones with advanced features like
rooms as needed,” Andrulis noted. “This approach allows for maximum flexibility, beamforming help isolate voices, while video systems with
enabling workers to choose the most suitable workspace based on their specific tasks face-tracking technology provide an equitable experience for
and requirements.” all participants. Seamless interoperability between devices is
As far as what needs to be done in advancing hybrid videoconferencing crucial to minimize technical disruptions, along with automation for meeting
technology, Read thinks an emphasis needs to be made at the intent of a design of control and scheduling. Additionally, tools for proactive monitoring and remote
what experience the end user is looking to gain from a hybrid meeting. “Putting the management of AV systems reduce downtime, ensuring smooth, uninterrupted
needs of the end user in context of the developments in AI and video teleconferencing collaboration. These elements help create a professional and efficient hybrid
allows for the best possible meeting equity through a conferencing system,” he said. work environment with minimal user intervention​.
“Creating an equitable hybrid meeting is very possible with our current state of
technology; asking the right questions leads integrators to providing the expected Tommy Gay Product Manager, Atlona
quality from their customers.” Successful hybrid workflows share three structural pillars, the
“As technology walks toward becoming fully software-based, and therefore relies first being a consistent user experience. This is easily achieved
on standard computer equipment, it’s becoming easier to properly equip hybrid through USB-C connectivity, increasingly used within
workers,” added Black. “This is because of the accessibility computers provide, sure. classrooms, conference rooms, and at home. Many computers
But when technology is designed to be used universally, it means making it easy and now offer USB-C as a single connection point, and the ability to
efficient enough for someone with little to no knowledge to pick it up.” connect to a switcher at work or a docking station at home
There is still much work to be done, according to Coutinho. “The evolving nature provides a consistent workflow for presentation content. Offering a simple user
of dynamic workplaces will continue to present new obstacles for meeting equity,” he experience is second, which many AV switchers provide through automated
added, “but our industry continues to innovate toward the all-important goal: switching and display control. The third pillar is offering a quality user experience
making everyone feel seen, heard, and engaged.” to all through meeting equity, achievable through cameras and speakerphones.

4 SCN // November 2024 // avnetwork.com

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