Looking Ahead: Conference Room Trends We Predict for 2021
What kind of technologies will we be seeing more of in meeting spaces next year? Explore here.
As we near the end of 2020, it’s time to start preparing your Morristown, NJ, business for what’s coming in 2021. A lot has changed in the past year, especially in the workplace. In 2020, we saw more employees than ever working and collaborating from home. In 2021, we expect to see businesses continue to incorporate remote work, improve office safety, and strengthen strategies for meeting and collaborating with a hybrid workforce.
With those goals in mind, here are three of the top technology trends we predict will dominate conference rooms and meeting spaces in businesses around the country: touchless AV, audio-video conferencing, and unified communications and collaboration (UCC) solutions. Keep reading to learn more.
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1. Touchless AV
In 2021, we anticipate more employees returning to the office as the newly approved vaccines and public safety measures help turn the tide on rising coronavirus cases. But even after in-person meetings resume, we expect the aftermath of the global pandemic will lead to permanent changes that make the work environment a safer and more hygienic place. More conference rooms will support touchless AV like personal device control and wireless sharing to allow employees to control the room’s technology, give presentations, and share content from personal laptops and smartphones.
We also hope to see more conference rooms integrated with technologies like occupancy sensors and voice control. Occupancy sensors can turn on the lights and AV equipment when someone walks in the room and shut down all electronics when the room is empty. Similarly, voice commands can be used to control the lights or start a video conference.
2. Audio Video Conferencing
If your meeting spaces weren’t equipped for video conferencing in 2020 (and many weren’t), we suspect they will be in 2021. AV conferencing platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams allow businesses to hold virtual meetings with remote colleagues, business partners, and vendors, a trend that’s become a new workplace norm this year.
A rush to upgrade AV equipment will come on the heels of the rise of video conferencing. Unintelligible, weak, and spotty audio is the downfall of productive meetings, and conference rooms need enterprise-grade speakers and microphone arrays to ensure smooth communications. Learn more about the solutions you need for superb audio-video conferencing.
3. Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) Solutions
UCC solutions take video conferencing to the next level. All-in-one packages like Zoom Rooms and Microsoft Teams Rooms combine conference room hardware with video conferencing software for a single-stop solution. An integrated Zoom Room or Teams Room allows one-touch start, stop and join for meetings.
Additionally, UCC solutions contain meeting scheduling, interactive whiteboard, content and file sharing, chat, and recording features to foster streamlined collaboration for a dispersed workforce. UCC solutions make it easy for colleagues to work together, even when not everyone is in the same room.
Alliance Telecommunications is a Zoom Room certified integrator. We have the technology solutions your Morristown, NJ, business needs to hit the ground running in 2021. If you’re ready
