The future of work is highly dependent on the evolving needs of businesses and the technological tools available; yet one thing is certain — hybrid work is here to stay.
During the pandemic, seamless integration of hardware and software was essential for teams and offices to stay connected and productive. Today, although many workers have returned to their offices, the work-from-anywhere model has shifted from an afterthought to the norm. Consequently, enterprises are now seeking more from their tech providers than standard collaboration and communication features.
To delve further into this, senior executives and IT experts from Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia gathered for the hybrid roundtable “A New Era in Collaborative, Hybrid Workplaces,” organised by Jicara Media and hosted by Logitech.
Meeting place
Many organisations rely on multiple videoconferencing platforms, such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Cisco WebEx, to support their hybrid work setups. However, managing large group meetings across different locations can be challenging.
Some organisations face difficulties identifying people in larger meeting areas, especially those seated at the far end of the room. To address this, they are exploring modern camera solutions that capture individual speakers while minimising the number of devices in the venue. These set-ups also need to account for preferences, as VIPs may not feel comfortable with certain camera placements.
For smaller and medium-sized meeting rooms, managing technology is relatively straightforward. Larger rooms, however, bring challenges like deciding which equipment to use and where to place it, especially when dealing with different room layouts.
In telecom settings, managing large and divisible rooms is an added challenge. When audio and video issues arise in these spaces, ensuring smooth operation becomes a top priority, requiring careful planning and effective strategies.
Meanwhile, hybrid work has reduced the need for medium-sized and large meeting rooms, as many employees continue to work from home. Even so, organisations still require these spaces for events like quarterly town halls. These gatherings often involve complex hardware and software set-ups to accommodate employees and executive presentations in a single space.
AI in the room
In workplace transformation, AI has already proven to be a game changer, particularly in automation. But can AI also address challenges in communication and collaboration?
For example, AI tools can simplify hybrid work challenges by automating routine tasks. One use case is auto-deploy features that automatically assign preferred seating for VIPs when they enter a conference room. These tools can also capture specific requirements for large meetings — eliminating the need to coordinate with dozens of individuals—thereby reducing manual effort.
AI is also seen as a solution for optimising room acoustics. By analysing the suitability of a room for device deployment or conferencing, AI can provide notifications about poor acoustics or inadequate seating arrangements, helping organisations plan better.
In the hospitality sector, AI can maximise meeting room resources. For example, an AI system could analyse room bookings to ensure the size of the reserved space matches the actual number of attendees. This prevents underutilisation of spaces and improves overall efficiency.
Across industries and countries, sentiments on AI adoption vary, observed Henry Levak, VP of Product, Logitech for Business.
“Some people are eager to jump into AI, while others are more conservative. We see this trend globally, particularly around biometrics and people identification, where many are cautious. These sentiments help us understand each customer’s unique pain points, allowing us to offer tailored approaches,” he said.
Previously, employees would approach the IT help desk onsite whenever there was an issue. In a hybrid setting, however, how can remote workers resolve problems in the office? This is where UI tools become essential, Levak added.
“We’ve been focused on connecting to the meeting room and assessing what’s in there. Communication devices generate logs, but there’s no way a person could review them all — doing so would require an army. However, if you feed logs of good and poor performance into AI, it can identify issues much faster than humans can, enabling more proactive solutions,” he elaborated.
Partnering for success
Over the past five years, Logitech has focused on simplifying device management and deployment, allowing customers to address higher-level hybrid work challenges. According to Vivek Sekar, Senior Director of Product Management at Logitech, concerns about AV equipment or the in-room PC have been significantly reduced or even fully resolved.
“Customers’ concerns now are whether their room system integrates with their calendar system and if cross-functional teams can enjoy the same seamless meeting experience on a call,” he said.
Vendor consolidation is becoming a priority for some organisations looking to streamline their hybrid work solutions. Relying on multiple vendors to solve a single problem often leads to inefficiencies, especially when issues arise, and vendors shift responsibility among themselves. Reducing the number of vendors simplifies troubleshooting and ensures smoother collaboration in highly integrated environments.
Levak echoed these sentiments, noting that Logitech is further enhancing its capabilities to help enterprises eliminate the complexities of scheduling meetings, booking rooms, facilitating calls, and gathering insights through a unified solution.
“This way, if there’s an issue — like a serial number or proxy network problem — enterprises have a single team to contact. Once it’s fixed, it’s resolved across the entire set-up, removing the need for triage,” Levak concluded. As enterprises navigate these challenges, Logitech’s solutions aim to simplify hybrid work environments, enabling seamless collaboration and supporting enterprises as they navigate these challenges.
