A positive employee experience can improve worker engagement, productivity, retention, and well-being. In today’s hybrid workplaces, technology connects people to both their work and to colleagues. However, bad technology or equipment that is not set up correctly can disrupt meetings, obscure communication, and delay collaboration–all of which leads to frustration, miscommunication, and work downtime.
Here’s what you need to know about choosing technology to improve the employee experience.
When Tech Spoils the Work Experience
Technology that fails, glitches, or is just plain hard to use creates a bad experience. And in an environment that relies on virtual meetings, audiovisual solutions play a big role in today’s hybrid offices.
Unfortunately, tech can disrupt work if video collaborators can’t log in to a meeting, hear or be heard, or see the presentation. Even seemingly minor annoyances like echo, background noise, and audio cutting in and out can affect productivity and make your team look unprepared or unprofessional to clients and partners on video calls. But what’s even worse than slow work is work that needs to be redone due to miscommunication or lack of understanding. Rework increases frustration and decreases employee satisfaction.
Furthermore, a large but often forgotten part of the employee experience is feeling included and valued. If workers don’t have the tools to participate and contribute equally–regardless of location–they’ll likely have a negative experience.
How AV Tech Can Improve Employee Experiences
So, how do you improve these experiences? Choose tools that improve audio quality, minimize disruptions, and improve visibility for on-site and remote team members. In a hybrid work environment, the technology should help remote team members feel like they have the same access, opportunities, and benefits of those working in the office.
Some of the ways audiovisual tools can improve the employee experience include:
- Enhancing employee well-being
- Improving organizational culture
- Maximizing productivity
- Providing meeting equity
- Improving meeting efficiency
- Expanding accessibility
Choose the Right Technology for Better AV Experiences
The road to better audiovisual experiences starts with investing in the right audio and video equipment. It’s important to consider the entire collaboration experience versus choosing separate audio tools, video equipment, and conferencing platforms. You can get the big-picture view by testing and comparing what hybrid meetings look and sound like from the office with how they look and sound from home.
Once you know what’s lacking, choose technology with the employee experience in mind. Solutions may include:
- Conference loudspeakers
- Professional built-in microphones
- Cameras located to capture everyone in the room
- Room accessories like display stands and conference carts
- Displays placed for the room and sized to clearly show faces and captioning
Remember other technologies like headsets and amplifiers to accommodate employees who are hard of hearing and foster an inclusive work environment.
Frustrating technology can easily detract from the employee experience. But the goal shouldn’t just be to have less disruptive technology–it should be to provide useful tools employees don’t have to think about.
Want more tips on how AV technology can deliver a positive experience? Check out our AV Experience Guide.
