The hybrid work model is here to stay. What started off as a temporary response to the Covid-19 pandemic when organisations scrambled to provide employees with the tools necessary to conduct business outside of a traditional workplace is today an integral part of every business. As collaboration solutions like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Webex were employed to maintain communication with employees and customers, video technology emerged as a vital tool. And pivotal to this video conferencing experience is robust, professional-grade audio technology, without which no collaboration portfolio will work. Video is only a part of the solution, as a meeting or conference can still be meaningfully conducted without it, while a video conference without audio will make no sense. This makes integration of flawless, high-quality audio into a collaboration portfolio essential for a hybrid work model to be effective. “The ability to see and hear who is talking in a crowded meeting room gives a greater sense of connection. And the greater the connection, the better the employee experience and levels of productivity,” says Cyril Matar, Regional Sales Manager at Shure MEA. Matar says there are several challenges that businesses face when it comes to collaborative technology. These include products with limited capabilities being deployed in unsuitable environments, budget restrictions, complexity of installation and scarcity of AV professionals with the necessary technical skills.
“In AV and conferencing systems, there are several solutions and technologies involved: video, audio, software, and it’s fundamental that they collaborate and connect seamlessly. When they don’t, it negatively impacts teams’ productivity and creates unnecessary frustrations, leading to time waste and mental burnout.”