The Office of The Future
Remote meetings have skyrocketed! Is this the new normal, or is it simply a transition phase where we readjust our priorities slightly only to go back to working the way we used to? I firmly believe that remote meetings are here to stay, and as employees get that taste of flexibility, they will want more. Here at Cisco, we have the technology that effortlessly integrates with every meeting space, either remote or in-office, designed to support every workstyle, workflow and workspace so you can focus on what matters – Getting Stuff Done.
As I mentioned in my previous blog, Gartner predicts that by 2024 remote work and changing demographics will impact enterprise meetings. This means only 25% will take place in-person, down from 60% today. However, these estimates were made during a “normal” business environment that no longer exists – and I passionately believe that we’ll realize this impact much sooner than 2024. Previously, meetings would cater to those who were physically present in the space – with a few remote attendees. That reality has changed. Now the workforce has shifted to a new world with social distancing measures and is growing accustomed to working from home. Our meetings will now focus on remote attendees – even if it’s just in the conference room next door. What I know for certain is that Cisco Webex Rooms has the technology to make this transition as smooth as possible. As my staff and I make our way back to the office, several key considerations come to mind – Safety, Comfort and Flexibility all while being able to get stuff done. I’m sure you’re going through the same thoughts and concerns whether you are the one planning the return to the office or participating in it as a member of the office. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered.
Workspaces in Control Hub
Want to make sure that rooms are safe and not overcrowded with new social distancing norms in place? No worries, because I am beyond excited to introduce the new tab in our Webex Control Hub called Workspaces. Set capacity limits in each room and get visual, real-time notifications in Control Hub if the capacity is exceeded. This is huge for not only protecting the health of ourselves and others but in providing a sense of relief that we all could use. And what about the need to adhere to a strict cleaning schedule between meetings? No problem. Admins can also see upcoming scheduled meetings within the space, which is great for making sure spaces are being cleaned between sessions, troubleshooting, and availability purposes – again, providing a means to keep healthy while having productive meetings. This will prove an essential tool for going back to the office, empowering IT, facilities managers, and HR with critical insights into the office spaces. However, this is only the beginning as we tap into unrivaled intelligence with our amazing sensors built into each device. This is part of a larger initiative meant to revolutionize the way we work providing the ability to manage room usage at a higher level. Stay tuned.
No Touch? No Problem
It’s not a stretch to assume that each of us has been concerned with what we touch in the outside world. I know I’ve been counting to 20 every time I wash my hands! It helps to know as we return to the office that there is technology removing this barrier. No touch? No problem! With Webex Assistant you can use your voice to engage with your room device without ever having to touch anything. This is truly a game changer for when people start returning to the office helping us all to work smarter and safer. We’ve been using digital assistants in our homes for some time. It only makes sense to apply the same assistance in the office; especially, where limited touch is welcomed. And besides, what we experience at home is what we expect in the corporate office anyway! It only makes sense that as we have these options embedded in our personal office through our Webex Desk Pros and Cisco Headset 730s that the transition to a Webex Board 85 or Webex Room Panorama in the corporate office would operate the same.
Giving Remote Workers the Front Seat
In our new reality, remote participants need to be first-class citizens considered an extension of the corporate office. No more cracked sound or frozen pictures. Webex Rooms and the Webex platform are designed to meet face-to-face with a consistent experience across devices. No matter where you are, you have access to rich capabilities right at your fingertips, such as superior audio and video, seamless whiteboarding, and intelligence. So, now when you co-create on a whiteboard, it doesn’t matter where you are – at home, at your corporate desk, or in a conference room with others a safe distance apart. Like I said before, what we experience in our corporate office is what we should expect at home, and the same is true in reverse as we make our journey back to the corporate office. Whether it is for being able to seamlessly pair and share content, whiteboard in any meeting, have rich digital signage across the campus or have rich analytics and manageability of all the devices – only Cisco can bridge physical and virtual spaces powerfully and consistently, no matter where or how you work – helping to deliver a safe, comfortable and flexible environment. Read more on Returning to work with Intelligent Room Capacity.
InfoComm & Cisco Live Innovation Talk
Join me as I dive in further Tuesday, June 16th on InfoComm at 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM EDT and again with my peers on our Cisco Live Innovation Talk at 2:00 PM – 03:00 PM EDT. Register for InfoComm and Register for our Cisco Live Event!
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