5 Ways to Elevate Conference Room Technology

In the past few years, work environments have drastically shifted from day-to-day in-office experience with frequent in-person meetings to fully remote work, hybrid schedules and Zoom meetings. While studies have shown that remote work will remain prevalent, the new challenge is optimizing conference room technology and office spaces to create an in-person experience remotely for employees and customers.

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A boardroom or conference room equipped with outdated technology doesn’t meet the efficiency, productivity, and sophistication of one that is integrated with the most up-to-date systems modern technology has to offer. To cater to the evolving remote and hybrid work models, it is critical that companies have a comfortable and innovative conference room that is outfitted with easy-to-use technology that boosts productivity and increases collaboration, no matter where they are located. Here are the five ways to elevate conference room technology:

1. Sound masking: Increasing privacy and productivity

Ensuring that a conference room has privacy is of the utmost importance. Sound masking reduces distractions and increases privacy through ambient sound or “white noise.” It can be implemented throughout an entire office space or in single rooms and the volume can be toggled with at any moment in time. Here’s how it works: the higher the privacy index, the more confidential the speaker’s conversation becomes. With this technology comes fewer distractions and increased productivity. Between 2006 and 2008, a laboratory study was conducted where researchers found that sound masking effectively increased speech privacy from 35% to 90%.

2. Meeting and presentation technology: A premium audiovisual experience

As technology continues to advance and more digital applications are released, delivering a premium audiovisual experience is expected. Having optimized meeting and presentation technology in the conference room captures the audience’s attention and provides room for effective communication without glitches and delays.

There are a few different ways to elevate meeting and presentation technology. The first is through an audiovisual projection system or display, which has become a powerful tool for presenting and creating strong connections for every company across all industries. Second, is a web camera with crystal clear video that allows users to deliver premium optics and life-like video calls to create the experience of sitting together in the same room. Lastly, a microphone that offers clear and highly intelligible speech captured with state-of-the-art sound quality can enhance the conferencing experience for all participants.

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3. Video: Perfecting the video setup

Perfecting the video setup in a conference room starts with distributed video. Multiwindow video enables single or multiple sources to be shared across multiple TVs. This technology allows for flexibility, hides all equipment and simplifies the user experience. Perfecting the video setup in a conference room so that it is easy-to-use for hybrid workers who aren’t in the office every day removes the extensive and time-consuming preparation and setup, which provides a convenient, simplified experience.

4. Interactive touch displays: The key to increasing participation

Interactive touch displays utilize touch technology to record information, deliver dynamic presentations, and provide audience engagement with a single touch of a finger. This advanced technology also connects to computers, which allows users to save any recorded information as a file directly to the connected computer. Not only does this reduce the need for an overflow of office supplies, but it also creates a richer, interactive environment.

5. Smart conference rooms: Utilizing automated technology

Smart or automized conference room technology allows users to control simple commands such as integrated room control, lighting, window shades, HVAC control, occupancy monitoring and room scheduling, centralized distribution and one-touch meetings. Integrating the technology and systems in a conference room provides a comfortable, productive and smooth experience for remote and in-office employees.

Poor technology oftentimes results in wasted time and an unpleasant experience for companies and their employees. Regardless of the conference room’s interior design, it should be equipped with technology that is easy-to-use and complements video meetings for both at-home or in-office participants.

Shawn Hansson is CEO and founder of Logic Integration, a Colorado audiovisual and automation firm specializing in the design and installation of easy-to-use technology in homes and businesses. Since the company’s inception in 2004, Logic Integration has been recognized for numerous accolades under the leadership of Hansson. This includes recognition as a multi-year honoree of the Inc. 500/5000 “Fastest Growing Companies in the US,” a “Colorado Companies to Watch” winner, CEDIA’s “Contractor of the Year” and “Integrator of the Year” by CTA, in addition to numerous others. Logic Integration’s clients include Comcast, Dish Network, Lockheed Martin, US Army, US Air force, Denver Broncos, and Level 3 along with many Fortune 100 companies.