Redesigning Meeting Spaces of the Future

As companies rethink their workplace policies to accommodate a more flexible hybrid work model, new technologies are needed to support collaboration.

Recent events and global cultural shifts have encouraged employers to rethink their workplace policies and accommodate a more flexible hybrid work model. These days, employees are in constant motion across office, home, and “third spaces.” But this new way of working requires companies to adopt new technologies that better support collaboration.

Meeting rooms still have a place in our future, but they’ll need to foster collaboration with employees in the room as well as with those joining remotely. According to Dell-commissioned research conducted by Wainhouse, 78% of IT and meeting rooms decision makers believe the utilization of video-conferencing enabled meeting rooms will increase. Additionally, 69% expect to increase their budgets for meeting room technologies.

Meeting planners and attendees are constantly looking for easy to use technology that drives a seamless experience in the meeting space. They’re looking for a fast and fluid experience. This includes being able to instantly share information, chat over video and connect accessories that boost our productivity. Yet when it comes to conference rooms and other shared spaces, we often struggle to find an intuitive, uncomplicated experience. It’s more likely that we’re dealing with poor audiovisual experiences, incompatible ports, malfunctioning equipment and an array of devices needed to launch a meeting.

To tackle these issues, modern display solutions should offer users the ability to:

  • Connect quickly with seamless casting technology that is easy to install and easy to use
  • Present and share content confidently, knowing that both video and audio is crisp and clear
  • Collaborate with onscreen annotation and data capture, so users can easily save and share content remotely and in person.

According to Wainhouse Research, adding interactive monitors to meeting rooms yields extensive productivity benefits like saving 11.3 minutes for every one hour meeting. Fifty percent of respondents cite improved employee engagement and greater creativity.

Dell’s Large Format Monitors are redefining the modern workspace to offer easy connectivity, presentation and collaboration technologies. Features include up to 20-point multi-touch screen, impressive 4K resolution visuals, USB-C connectivity and Dell’s exclusive Screen Drop feature. Our large format monitors are easy to setup and use, allowing teams to connect quickly without any disruptions. They are software and hardware agnostic so users can pair them with virtually any PC, OS or software. They ensure seamless group collaboration, letting multiple users write, edit, annotate or erase notes simultaneously.

Dell Meeting Space Solutions include the OptiPlex 7080 Micro configured with Microsoft Teams Rooms or Zoom Rooms, audio/video peripherals and Dell Large Format Monitors. Meetings can start on time with proximity detection and one-touch join to instantly project content in the room and with remote participants.

We understand the unique challenges facing meeting planners today – they are constantly being pulled into different directions to coordinate technology needs for team meetings without vendor support or IT assistance. As the world’s number one monitors company for seven years running¹, Dell offers a variety of display solutions for all types of meetings — from small, medium and large spaces to open areas and learning labs.

¹ Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly PC Monitor Tracker, Q3 2020

About the Author: Sean Chen

Sean serves as the Vice President & General Manager for Commercial Displays in Dell’s Software & Peripherals business. Sean is responsible for leading the engineering and product marketing teams for commercial monitors, where he focuses on delivering the best product experience for customers. Sean joined Dell in 2019 from AUO, where he spent the last 20 years in various leadership roles across quality, manufacturing, sales, marketing and business unit general management. He is an expert in LCD panel technology, has extensive leadership experiences in engineering and manufacturing, and a passion for driving innovation. Sean holds a double master’s degree in mechanical engineering and operation research & industrial engineering from Cornell University in New York.