A new whitepaper from analyst firm Frost & Sullivan, in collaboration with Shure, has reinforced the importance of high-quality audio for effective collaboration in hybrid working. It has also detailed four ways in which organisations can enhance their working setup for remote communication.  

The firm’s research has uncovered that 98% of employees believe future meetings will include remote participants, but 56% of employees experience low morale and engagement with increased remote work. In addition, employees report work-from-anywhere experiences that are subject to poor audio quality and disruption, which result in frustrated teams and lost productivity. 

These issues are becoming permanent, with few anticipating a full-time to traditional office-based working in the future. Therefore, AV and IT leaders need to adjust their budgets to reflect the needs of remote workers and implement the optimum technology for hybrid work. New data from Frost & Sullivan suggests that companies that invest in audio and collaborative tools are better equipped to manage morale and talent retention among their teams. 

With 97% wanting to see changes to make the office safer before they return, investment needs to be made in offices and equipping remote workers. Organisations need to fit out workspaces with high-quality audio to ensure effective collaboration, while equipping people to work remotely. The whitepaper advocates four key steps to ensure everyone can hear and communicate effectively: 

  • Think beyond video to embrace flawless audio: While videoconferencing has kept businesses running throughout the pandemic, sub-optimal audio impairs participants concentration and productivity. When audio fails, the meeting’s goal can be ruined, as the main message won’t be delivered. With high-quality audio, IT leaders can ensure real communication happens. 
  • Deploy technology that strengthens collaboration: Conference room and desktop communication technologies – for home and office use – must deliver a level playing field for in-person and remote participants. Audio solutions should seamlessly integrate with modern conferencing and collaboration platforms that are high-quality, reliable, and user-friendly, such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Webex by Cisco, and Google Meet. 
  • Integrate remote and in-room meeting participants with flawless audio: Remote and in-room meeting participants must be integrated into a seamless connected experience that puts each on an equal footing. This can only happen when high-quality audio technologies and collaborative tools are in place for all participants. 
  • Choose a flexible product portfolio that works together: Deploying flawless audio requires integrated solutions, not point products. AV technologies should work together to deliver a unified experience for users and administrators. Hybrid work initiatives that pivot on cloud video conferencing require powerful audio and video devices that enhance those services. 

“The effect of poor audio experiences on staff well-being negatively impacts productivity, which has significant cost repercussions on the organisation,” says Robert Arnold, the Principal Analyst of Connected Work research at Frost & Sullivan. “Businesses must prevent avoidable disruptions and ensure resources are appropriated to technologies that make the most impact. Successful hybrid work initiatives require businesses to prioritise solving the many audio challenges team members face today.”  

Robin Hamerlinck, the Senior Vice President of IT and the CIO at Shure, adds: “By investing in the right equipment, AV and IT leaders are not only enhancing the workplace, but also providing their teams with an environment where everyone feels involved, collaboration is effortless, and productivity is maximised, eventually increasing the well-being of the teams.”  

To download the complimentary white paper, please visit Frost & Sullivan.

 

 



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