What is meeting equity and how is it achieved?
01 June 2022
Meeting equality for all participants
The hybrid workforce has arrived for many organisations. Leaders are navigating new territory when it comes to creating a positive, productive work environment and a sense of belonging for employees, with some people working from home and others at the office. Part of this entails prioritising equity and inclusion.
We are getting asked about this topic more frequently. Meeting equity, as we see it, is a way of ensuring that meetings are valuable and that everyone feels they are meeting on equal footing. Meeting equity refers to providing equal experiences for meeting participants across all workspaces. Meeting rooms, training rooms, remote work locations, and all meeting platforms are included.
Video conferencing has surpassed audio as the standard for collaboration in today's workplace. As a result, a fair meeting experience must include dependable video capabilities for all participants. It includes taking steps to ensure that everyone, no matter where they are working, has a similar experience and believes they have equal opportunities to contribute and have an impact.
4 Things Companies Can Do to Achieve Meeting Equity in the Hybrid Workplace
Encourage customers not to put off getting the correct technology solutions they need. The AV industry is dealing with supply shortages, shipping delays, and other issues. Companies should begin making plans for the collaboration technology they require in the near future to avoid lengthy lead times at the point in which they can’t do without.
Don’t ignore the needs of the remote workers. We ran a campaign in 2021 around ‘don’t make do, make it right’. Many organisations rushed to get their hands on whatever kit they could to equip their staff as they moved to home working during the pandemic. Many of these workers, who work remote or hybrid, are still getting by with the kit they were initially provided. For true meeting equity, workers need the correct equipment to suit their needs. Good quality HD webcam, a suitable noise cancelling headset to eliminate any background distractions, or audio-conferencing speakers for improved sound performance than laptop speakers are recommended.
Purchases should be based on new spaces, not old ones. When employees returned to the office, the spaces they returned to may not have been the same ones they left. Meeting rooms, training rooms, and even desks may have been reconfigured to accommodate a hybrid model. Make sure your clients select the right solutions for their business; hardware, and software, that are compatible with their redesigned spaces.
Work with your customers to plan ahead of time. Companies must act now to obtain the audio and video technology they require for the near future, but they must not stop there. Consult with your customers where they want their company and meeting room technology to be in one to two years. Consider the additional collaboration challenges they may face. Long-term planning will assist you in ensuring that the AV tools you offer do not become obsolete