Commercial Integrator March 2023 - 45

C llab rati n
TODAY and TOMORROW
People don't want to come back to an office characterized by four white walls. For people to want to return, the office must be
inspiring and add value. Integrated technology, while not everything, will likely be an appreciable part of that.
have very consistent office patterns week to week, as their
jobs were consistent. By contrast, other teams would be
remote, but then come together for " group sessions " in a
burst to do their planning. Different teams have different
requirements for the type and amount of space they need,
as well as how often they need to be together locally. The
workplace must be flexible enough to support the various
needs of different teams, as well as different mixes and
types of teams in the future.
Key Trends
Examining what I have experienced working with clients daily,
along with insights from technologists and other design partners,
I've found that the conversation expands beyond simply
introducing new AV devices. What follows are just a few of the
key changes to keep in mind going forward.
○ Fewer Offices, More Quiet Spaces: Private offices are
generally no longer desired in a hybrid-work environment.
These days, when people come to the office, they want to
be with others - not be isolated. Given a choice, people
would rather be with others and have the flexibility to go
back and forth between a social and quiet space throughout
the day, rather than being assigned to a private office.
This increases the demand for quiet spaces far beyond the
levels for prior office configurations.
○ Workplaces That Inspire: Companies are willing to reduce
their footprint to enhance the in-person experience. I spoke
with the creative lead for a global architecture and design
firm about returning to the office, and he said something to
the effect that people don't want to come back to an office
commercialintegrator.com
characterized by four white walls. For people to want to
return, the office must be inspiring and add value.
○ The Experience of the Entire Workplace Matters: The physical
space must meet the needs of a diverse workforce and
enable people to connect and build a sense of community.
That includes being mindful of well-being by incorporating
biophilic design principles, floorplans with quiet areas, and
social spaces and amenities that enhance the experience.
Those amenities might include background music and digital
signage that starts at the parking garage or edge of the
campus and that continues, as part of a consistent theme,
throughout the public spaces of the building. It might even
be woven into the fabric of the entire office.
○ Breaking Out of the Conference Room: Meetings are no
longer restricted only to conference rooms. Advancements
in wireless connectivity, portable power, interactive
displays, wireless videoconferencing and collaboration
enable technology to be integrated into furniture and
other less-than-traditional spaces in an office. That makes
it possible to have a meeting in an open office area or by
a window, with a beautiful view of the surrounding area. It
also means that a multi-purpose space can be reconfigured
to serve as a presentation environment, dining space,
entertainment destination and more.
○ Modern Gear (Less Than Two Years Old) is Essential:
Offices must support hybrid working. Video will be required
everywhere. All traditional meeting spaces will require AV
to enable the new ways that people work. This includes
videoconferencing and collaboration equipment - not
just a monitor and an HDMI cable or wireless presentation
MARCH 2023 Commercial Integrator 45
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Commercial Integrator March 2023

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