The hardware supercharging video conferencing
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Incredible changes have taken place in many areas of our daily lives in recent years, not least in the way we work, with hybrid working spread across multiple locations and now commonplace for many businesses.
Video conferencing has now undoubtedly become part of our working lives too, with a good webcam, microphone or headset being the most essential piece of hardware we own. But now we all know (hopefully) how to start a video call and continue without realizing we’re on mute. What are the next steps to make sure we use the technology to the fullest at work?
One of the best things about today’s big players in the video conferencing space is how easy many of the core tools are to use.
Whether it’s Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or any other offering, with just a few clicks you can set everything up and talk to colleagues, colleagues or family.
By now, many of us should have a video conferencing setup in our homes, with your employer hopefully helping to provide all the necessary equipment. The number of employees working remotely has increased by 140% since 2005 (opens in new tab)and this number will only continue to grow in the coming years, so making sure remote workers are connected has never been more important.
If your remote workers are not yet seeing the benefits of video conferencing, now is the time to set them up with the right equipment, whether that’s a standalone webcam, business headset, microphones, or whatever. There is no doubt that working remotely leads to a significant increase in productivity, and having the right tools for the job is an important part of that.
When employees are in the office, it is therefore important to make the transition as smooth as possible, with the right video conferencing services playing a key role.
Recent research from Upwork (opens in new tab) claimed that video conferencing is more widely used than other systems like messaging software, project productivity software, and even business management software, so it’s vital that you can equip your office with the hardware your employees need.
by 2025, Gartner predicts (opens in new tab) 50% percent of all virtual corporate events take place on the video conferencing platform already deployed by a company, so making sure you’re happy with the system you’ve deployed is a helpful first step.
Rather than letting employees participate in video calls from their desks and risk disturbing those around them by talking loudly, consider investing in a dedicated video calling space, such as a boardroom or conference room. It can be equipped with everything you need to ensure that your calls are productive, of high quality and that you get the results you want.
As mentioned, being able to see who you’re talking to is quite important, so a high-quality display is vital. The bigger the screen, the more participants you can record during a video call, so consider investing in a larger 4K display if that’s within your budget.
Some displays may come with a built-in webcam, but for the highest quality video conference calls it’s worth using a high-definition webcam. The higher the resolution, the better the quality will be for all participants in the conversation, and a clear view can even help boost morale and team spirit when separated in different locations.
While many TVs and monitors come with speakers, consider purchasing a self-contained connected speaker that can be placed in the center of your room’s seats. With a central audio source, everyone in the room can hear exactly what is being said. Many top speakers will also come with integrated microphones, which again means everyone in the room can contribute and be heard clearly by all participants in the conversation.
Some speaker and microphone setups are even able to detect exactly who is speaking in a conference room, tilting and focusing accordingly to ensure they are heard, so if your meetings are busy it seems smart to invest in such an intelligent solution.
Ultimately, though – especially as remote work becomes more popular than ever before – it’s likely that your employees will be looking for portable, reliable laptops for their video conferencing needs. While extra microphones, cameras and other gear can enhance their video conferencing experience, employees will struggle without the solid foundation of a reliable PC.
Making sure they are equipped with a device with a long battery life, in addition to good quality audio and video, wherever employees are is paramount to keeping everyone connected. Doing that extra bit of research will go a long way.
So it’s clear that succeeding in video conferencing isn’t just about using the right software — the hardware you’re using can also play a vital role. If you’re looking to make your conversations clearer and more efficient, now is the time to make a serious investment in getting the right kit to ensure your voice is heard and your business seen as clearly as possible.