As employers across the globe begin to navigate what returning to the office might entail, many have discovered that facilities and resources that previously worked well are no longer equipped to handle the demands of today’s standards. Luckily, you can upgrade your meeting spaces to meet your needs with AV in Los Angeles.
Even major corporations like Disney and Tesla have struggled to handle the transition back to the office and meet the changing needs of their employees.
A combination of factors may be to blame: the COVID-19 pandemic, of course, is perhaps the most obvious culprit behind shifting professional needs, but it’s also true that the way many people work has changed over time.
Meeting spaces may be more important now than in the past as a return to in-person work becomes more of a priority. Research shows the average time spent in meetings has doubled over the past several decades. Starting with 10 hours a week in the 1960s to 20-30 hours in the 2000s and beyond.
And, with around 45% of Americans working either all or part of the time remotely, the demand for meeting spaces that can accommodate in-person and online attendees has skyrocketed.
Having a space where your entire team, regardless of its size, can meet to collaborate may be vital. Below are four of our top ideas for creating an all-hands meeting space that is functional, effective, and accessible when upgrading AV in Los Angeles.
How to Upgrade Your Meeting Space With AV in Los Angeles
1. Divide and Combine
Many offices have historically relied on temporary solutions to create workspaces that made sense for the needs of employees at the time. For instance, creating divisible walls to divide one large room into several smaller conference rooms is a relatively common practice.
But as more and more employees return to the office, spaces like these will likely be too small, outdated, or impractical, especially when accommodating remote workers.
As a result, many offices have attempted to tear down these walls to create a space where all employees can come together and collaborate. But updating meeting spaces to support workers isn’t as easy as knocking down some dividers.
It’s possible, for example, that set-ups like these might utilize different screens, projectors, speakers, or microphones in each room. A few consequences that might follow are only being able to use one monitor, relying on microphones or speakers that can’t reach all parts of the room, or dealing with poor acoustics.
Fortunately, you can bypass these obstacles with the right audio-visual solutions. At AV Planners, we have the resources and expertise needed to create a cohesive space that utilizes technology in a way that makes sense. When addressed properly, we can easily transform these “divide and combine” rooms into truly unique and innovative spaces with AV in Los Angeles.
2. Update the Acoustics
With bigger meeting spaces and more people comes the need for high-quality acoustics. It’s not hard to imagine why trying to hear someone in a room as crowded as a restaurant dining room might become problematic, especially when you factor the possibility of remote attendees into the mix.
The reality is that it can be difficult to hear and be heard without proper acoustics, seriously impacting employee morale and productivity.
Solutions like adding sound clouds and sound panels to absorb reverb on the ceiling and walls ensure that your meeting space is functional for everyone who may need to use it.
For more ideas, check out our top tips for improving the acoustics in your office’s meeting spaces.
3. Utilize Planar Video Walls
Large meeting spaces typically warrant tech matching their scale, meaning video walls, for example, can be very useful. Video walls can easily display information and graphics in a way that’s visible to even large groups of people.
It’s also possible to display multiple things at once with the help of a video wall, whether it be a presentation, video, Zoom call with remote participants, or something else entirely.
4. Add an Automatic Room Scheduler
A room meant to be accessible by all is also one that will likely be in high demand, which can mean a lot of headaches when it comes to scheduling time to use it. An automatic room scheduler can help everyone in the office stay on the same page about when a space is available, and it can even make this information accessible right from your phone.
That means that employees in any part of the building or even at home can see when a space is available and when it isn’t. This can save you and your employees a lot of unnecessary stress and double-booking.
Find Your Ideal All-Hands Meeting Space With AV Planners
Designing a workspace that can accommodate many people is easier said than done, but the right solutions make this process much more manageable. We at AV Planners are equipped with the experience and innovative ideas you’ll need to get the ball rolling.
To learn how we can utilize AV in Los Angeles to help you create an all-hands meeting space that will serve you for years to come, contact us today, or check out reviews from previous clients to see just how effective our services can be.