HOW TECHNOLOGY HAS TRANSFORMED MEETING ROOM SETUPS IN THE POST-COVID ERA

The Rise of Hybrid Work and the Need for Seamless Communication

The shift to remote work during the pandemic highlighted one clear truth: face-to-face meetings as we knew them are no longer the only way to get things done. Hybrid work models, where some employees are in the office and others are remote, have become the norm. As a result, meeting rooms need to seamlessly integrate with UC&C platforms to create a smooth experience for both remote and in-room participants. This means meeting spaces are no longer just about having a good table and chairs – they now need technology that can support a virtual presence just as easily as an in-person one.

Key Technology Requirements for Modern Meeting Rooms

To effectively support UC&C, meeting rooms must now be equipped with a combination of high-quality audio, video, and connectivity solutions. Here’s a breakdown of what this looks like:

1. Display Screens: Meeting rooms now often feature large LED displays or multiple monitors to allow everyone in the room to see shared content and remote participants. These screens need to be easy to connect to, whether that’s through a wired connection (like HDMI or USB-C) or wirelessly (using systems like Miracast, Apple AirPlay, or proprietary solutions like Kramer Via or Barco Clickshare).

2. Video Conferencing Cameras: For hybrid meetings, a high-quality camera is essential. In smaller rooms, a wide-angle camera that can capture everyone in the space works well. For larger rooms, pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras that can focus on the active speaker or capture different parts of the room are more suitable. These cameras are typically integrated with UC&C platforms to automatically adjust based on who is speaking.

3. Microphones and Audio Systems: Clear audio communication is critical. It is much more important than the video and this is something that I feel is often overlooked. Microphones need to pick up voices from around the room without echo or interference. Smaller rooms can get away with tabletop or ceiling-mounted microphones, while larger rooms often require a more complex setup of multiple microphones and speakers to ensure everyone is heard clearly. Beamforming microphone arrays are becoming popular for their ability to focus on the person that is talking and avoid other noise in the room.

4. Room Connectivity and Control

A key component of modern meeting room setups is the ability to control the room’s technology through a unified, easy-to-use interface. Gone are the days of fumbling with complicated remote controls that are overloaded with buttons and features that most users will never touch. Today, simplicity is key.

Meeting rooms now benefit from intuitive control systems, typically accessed via a touch panel, simple buttons or even a mobile app. These systems allow users to manage essential functions such as starting video calls, adjusting volume, sharing screens, or controlling the room’s lighting and blinds with just a few taps. The focus is on offering only the controls that are needed, streamlining the user experience to avoid confusion and unnecessary complexity.

Instead of traditional remotes with an overwhelming number of buttons, users are presented with a clean interface that simplifies everyday tasks. This ensures that meetings can start quickly, without delays caused by figuring out how to connect devices or operate the room’s technology. This kind of user-friendly, minimal interface not only saves time but also reduces the need for technical support, making it easier for anyone to walk in and use the room’s systems with confidence.

By integrating these simple controls with UC&C platforms like Teams or Zoom, participants can focus on the content and conversation, rather than struggling with the technology.

Different Rooms, Different Needs: Tailoring UC&C to Room Size

Not all meeting rooms are created equal, and the technology needs to match the size and purpose of the space. 

Small Rooms (Huddle Spaces): These are typically designed for small groups (2-6 people) and require simple setups. A single display, a wide-angle camera, and a good-quality microphone/speaker combination are often sufficient. The focus here is on ease of use, as these rooms are usually intended for quick, impromptu meetings.

Medium Rooms: For rooms accommodating 6-12 people, the technology needs to scale up. A larger display or dual screens may be necessary to view both shared content and remote participants. Cameras may need more sophisticated features like auto-framing to ensure everyone is captured clearly, and audio systems will often require additional microphones and speakers to maintain sound quality across the entire room.

Large Rooms (Boardrooms or conference rooms): Large meeting spaces, often used for board meetings or town halls, require the most advanced technology. These rooms typically host 12 or more participants and need to ensure that both in-person and remote attendees can communicate effectively. Multiple displays, including dedicated screens for video participants and content, are often used. PTZ cameras that can zoom in on individual speakers or capture the whole room are common. Microphone arrays and advanced speaker systems are crucial to ensure that voices are heard clearly across a larger space.

In these larger rooms, integration with UC&C platforms needs to be robust, allowing for seamless connectivity across multiple devices and systems. Room scheduling systems that sync with calendars can also be useful, ensuring that the room and its technology are ready for use when needed.

A Note About Lighting in Meeting Rooms

Whilst it is not directly considered part of a UC&C system I find that the subject of room lighting is often overlooked and can negatively impact remote meeting communication and user experience.  Good lighting is crucial in modern meeting rooms, when the space is equipped for video conferencing. Lighting not only impacts the in-room experience but also plays a significant role in how participants appear on camera. Poor lighting can cause distracting shadows, glare, or uneven visibility, making remote attendees struggle to see in-room participants clearly.

When setting up a meeting room, balanced, diffused lighting is ideal. Here are key considerations:

• Avoid Harsh Overhead Lighting: Direct overhead lighting can create unflattering shadows on participants' faces, especially during video calls. Instead, opt for soft, evenly distributed light across the room.

• Front-Facing Lighting: Ensure that light sources illuminate participants from the front, making them more visible to the camera. Having light at an angle where the participants' eyes are visible is particularly important.

• Dimmable and Adjustable Lighting: Having dimmable lights allows flexibility in adjusting brightness levels based on the time of day, camera quality, or specific meeting needs.

• Natural Light Considerations: While natural light can enhance video quality, it’s important to manage it with blinds or shades to avoid glare or overexposure, particularly if the room has large windows. Avoid having participants back-lit against a bright window.

Good lighting design will improve the overall experience for both in-room and remote attendees, ensuring clear visibility and a more professional appearance on camera.

The Shift to Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) Flexibility

With more employees using personal laptops, tablets, and smartphones for work, modern meeting rooms must accommodate Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) scenarios. Employees expect to be able to walk into a meeting room, connect their device to the room’s display and UC&C platform quickly, and start the meeting. This can be achieved through wireless solutions or easy plug-and-play systems that integrate with the room’s audio, video, and display technology.

The Importance of Compatibility with UC&C Platforms

One of the biggest changes in recent years is the need for meeting rooms to be compatible with multiple UC&C platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, WebEx, and others. Meeting room setups must be flexible enough to support whichever platform the business (or its clients) is using. This has led to an increase in platform-agnostic solutions that work across various UC&C software systems, ensuring that technology doesn’t become a barrier to communication.

The Future of UC&C-Enabled Meeting Rooms

As remote and hybrid work becomes the new normal, meeting rooms will continue to evolve. We can expect advancements like AI-powered collaboration tools, smart cameras that can detect gestures or emotions, and even virtual reality integration that allows for more immersive remote collaboration. The goal will always be the same: creating a seamless communication experience, regardless of whether participants are in the room or halfway around the world.

UC&C technology has turned meeting rooms into hubs for hybrid collaboration, ensuring that communication flows freely between remote and in-person participants. The right technology, tailored to the size and function of the room, is now essential for any business that wants to stay connected in this new era of work.

A Broader Perspective: Communication Tools vs. Human Communication

It’s fascinating to reflect on how human communication itself has evolved gradually over thousands of years. While the fundamental ways humans interact - through spoken language, nonverbal cues, and collaboration - have remained relatively consistent, the tools we use to communicate have changed at an unprecedented pace. The last two decades alone have seen rapid advancements, from emails and text messaging to video conferencing and UC&C platforms that enable global, instant communication.

This rapid evolution of communication technology has redefined how we interact, allowing us to stay connected across vast distances with ease. Meeting rooms, which were once simple spaces for in-person collaboration, are now technological hubs designed to bridge the gap between physical and virtual communication.

Summary

The shift to UC&C technology has fundamentally transformed meeting rooms over the past five years, driven by the rise of hybrid work and the need for seamless integration with platforms like Teams and Zoom. The rapid pace of technological advancement has forced businesses to rethink how they equip their meeting spaces, ensuring compatibility with video conferencing tools, and providing user-friendly interfaces that streamline operations. While the basic principles of human communication remain unchanged, the tools we use to communicate have undergone a revolution, and meeting rooms are at the forefront of this technological transformation.