Barco, leading global provider of workplace collaboration solutions and the company behind the ClickShare hybrid work platform, has revealed findings from a recent 7-country study which identify potential gaps in workplace tech provision. Research reveals a clear disconnect between what white-collar workers believe they need to succeed in the hybrid work environment and what they actually receive from their employers, with 42% complaining that their company does not prioritise the investments they need for better hybrid working.
Employees identified video conferencing equipment as a key investment priority with 51% of respondents wanting employers to invest in key AV equipment. Additionally, 77% of respondents agreed that all meeting rooms should be equipped with video conferencing technology to better promote and enable hybrid way of working.
Barco’s research comes amid continued uncertainty around the future of the workplace. As more companies shift to a hybrid working model and with new Covid variants threatening to delay planned office returns, flexibility, creativity and agility are the key attributes businesses will need to support employees.
“Employees have been very clear on their expectations, and time will tell whether businesses will take stock and listen,” said Lieven Bertier, segment marketing director for meeting experience at Barco. “Workers clearly want their office space to be able to facilitate some level of hybrid working as just over 40% of respondents placed AV equipment as their top priority for the future office. Subsequently, this evolution of the hybrid workspace elevates expectations, with workers returning to the office undoubtedly looking for the same seamless, convenient, and collaborative experience they’ve enjoyed remotely. If businesses fail to meet these expectations, employees are well within their right to question the rationale behind returning to the office. With 42% of workers surveyed believing that their employers have not prioritised the investments they requested, businesses need to listen to their workers and make the changes that enable employees to remain productive and engaged.”
Survey results in full:
• 77% of office workers think that that all meeting rooms need to be equipped with video conferencing technology
• 42% complained that their company does not prioritise the investments they need for better hybrid working
• 51% want their employers to invest in equipment for video conferencing – ie cameras and speakers
• 43% want wireless technology for meeting rooms
• 36% want touch screens
• 32% want technology which enables them to use their laptop as a command centre for meetings
