Meeting Expectations 2021

Meeting the expectations of conferencing, connecting, and communicating has had its challenges over the past year. But 2021 is gearing up for enhanced conversations by reshaping conference room design and the way we meet. One thing we have all learned is that our connectivity has become far more adaptable and resourceful than we ever imagined.

Office designers and space planners have been assimilating data to build a clearer picture of how office design has been reshaped by the past year. Hybrid work environments will become the new normal. Some people will return to the conventional office, while many more will continue to work from remote locations. Flexwork will include co-located workers, whose face-to-face office interactions are supported by virtual communication. Remote workers who will conduct all activities through tech platforms. And hybrid workers’ productivity will be supported by a mix of face-to-face contact and virtual collaboration.

Long before the pandemic, corporations and government agencies had begun telework policies and flextime to accommodate demands for enhanced work-life balance. Despite progressive thinking, the ugly truth is that many of our office communication strategies and meeting methodologies failed the litmus test of remote work.

Despite advances in technology, meeting the needs of the hybrid workforce has room for improvement. One of the first places to start is with your conference room design and technology. Let’s take a look at what is trending for meeting spaces in 2021 with solutions to help better engage employees and make the most out of every minute spent collaborating, remotely or in-house.

Flexible Meeting Spaces

A large conference room may have been perfect for infrequent departmental or client meetings in the past. But as office design has become more open and meeting styles have become more casual, traditional conference rooms have become less than ideal. For the more casual meeting style of modern collaboration, one large meeting area does not work. They can often become overbooked for small purposes which is a waste of resources and leads to impersonal conversation. Strive for these strategies to make your hybrid meeting spaces thrive:

• Create dynamic meeting spaces that lend themselves to customization on the fly
• Rethink a large conference room design with removable wall dividers to break up the space
• Allow for areas to merge together for larger groups as needed for training
• Refit the spaces with mobile office furniture to facilitate quick changes
• Implement subtle distancing solutions into the design

LED Video Walls

One of the most innovative types of display for any conference room design right now is an LED video wall.

LED technology reveals more vibrant colors than traditional monitors, from the brightest whites to the darkest blacks. The high-quality, sharp images look great from any angle, so all meeting attendees will have a clear picture of your presentation. And LED video walls are low maintenance and energy-efficient.

Since face-to-face meetings will remain limited to smaller groups, investing in an LED video wall can adapt with these changes and define your brand ethos outside of meetings:

• LED technology can boost zoom meeting capabilities for flex workers.
• When not in use for meetings, they can become a significant part of your brand messaging
• Utilize them to create some stunning moveable artwork that can change daily
• Consider LED art walls for reception areas and breakout spaces that double as meeting spaces

Interactive Whiteboards

Interactive whiteboards enable you to deliver more dynamic presentations, so you can have more productive meetings. They are ideal for training with interactivity that keeps everyone engaged and helps meetings run more efficiently. Combined with a video conferencing platform, you can:

• Annotate documents and photos
• Record meetings
• Save and email files in various formats
• Collaborate with team members across devices, offices, and time zones

Video Conferencing

Embracing work-from-home opportunities benefits both employees and employers. However, meetings can become tricky in remote scenarios. Traditional phone calls might get the job done, but there’s no denying that face-to-face interactions result in more productive, collaborative conversations.

Since meetings will never be avoidable, video conferencing technology is a must-have for modern conference rooms. Software programs like Zoom have made videoconferencing more accessible for flex and work from home staff during the past year. Video conferencing has expanded to provide:

• Interactive whiteboarding and screen sharing to everyone, in the same room or in different time zones
• Cameras, speakers, microphones collaborating to communicate effectively
• Adaptability to the size of any meeting room
• Precise placement of equipment for flexible meeting rooms

Zoom Rooms

Zoom Room capabilities are constantly updating and evolving. Recent enhancements include in-room attendee counting and chat messages that participants can view through the room display and room controller. Other new features include the ability to automatically start or end meetings based on the scheduled time and the ability to make outbound SIP/H.323 calls without additional licenses. And there are more changes on the horizon.

Crystal Clear Acoustics

Invest in high-quality audio equipment. Terrible acoustics can ruin any room, no matter how comfortable the furniture is or how impressive the design may be. For conference room design especially, proper sound management is essential for the success of your meetings.

If your conference room or meeting space is intended for private conversations, implement sound absorption techniques that can provide all the discretion you need. Acoustic art panels can be customized with images, brand colors, logos, and other designs to keep your room unique and engaging.

Personalize Your Meeting Rooms

Too many meeting areas are set up and lit like interrogation rooms. Empty white walls with harsh lighting aren’t welcoming or interesting. Engaging everyone to focus and be creative is incredibly difficult in this type of environment.

• Integrate open or glass-walled huddle spaces into your open plan
• Strategically place meeting spaces with a skyline view to inspire open dialog
• Disperse pop-up private booths or individual glass cubicles into your layout
• Glass walls can be frosted for privacy and integrated into your brand messaging

Strategize Your Layout

Wall dividers are a quick and easy solution for space expansion and social distancing, but you’ll need to consider how acoustics, chair arrangements, and furniture will factor into your layout.

• Several rows of tables may be more practical than a single conference table
• Invest in mobile furniture for adaptability & reconfiguration
• Respect personal space with ample distancing
• Let in natural light & select lighter neutral colors to keep things bright
• Keep your clients’ industry-related needs and expectations in mind

Summary

Maybe your conference room has been the same for a really long time and your team has been reluctant to voice an opinion. Getting them involved in this brainstorming process could be a huge team-building exercise. Especially now with the lure back to work in full swing.

Hybrid workspace design will be important for flex work and collaboration going forward. Our design team can help you navigate the changes and provide some great design solutions. Download our updated conference room furniture e-book for even more ideas.

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MEET ERIKA BARNES: Erika brings a lengthy retail management career to her furniture sales acumen. She can help you make the most of your conference and meeting spaces. Give her a call at 888-910-3769 x131 or send her an email ebarnes@officefurniturenow.com. Visit us on Pinterest for more great ideas!