Creating multi-functional meeting spaces
It's hard to believe that we are a few short months away from 2023, and the colossal shift with regards to our attitudes around the workplace as a result of the pandemic was nearly three years ago!
The challenges around mobilising a global workforce entrenched in the office overnight seem a distant memory, especially as companies now grapple with how to implement effective hybrid working models that enable team members to feel connected or the spiralling costs of office real estate to be justifiable.
When one of our clients recently faced this challenge, Urben stepped in to re-design their existing meeting rooms into multi-functional spaces that could switch seamlessly from small in-person gatherings to larger, conference-style meetings that brought teams together regardless of location.
Recognising that this is a common issue facing many organisations as they fully embrace hybrid working styles, we have created this short, step-by-step guide to help you create a multi-functional space for your teams.
Step 1 - Conduct a meeting space audit
The first step is to audit your current meeting rooms and spaces; what type of meeting spaces do you have? Are they traditional conference-style settings, or do you have smaller breakout areas for one-to-one meetings? What technology do you already have deployed? Are you equipped for video conferencing and collaboration? Do you have an efficient process for room booking?
Step 2 - Understand your team's needs for effective meetings
Alongside the audit, it’s important to understand how your employees want to meet. Is there a need for video enabled rooms for meeting participants to access meetings remotely? Has your organisation embraced a UC platform, and if so, how can you enhance your employees meeting experiences by enabling them to utilise the capabilities of the platform within their meetings fully? How do your teams want to engage within their meetings, is it just video conferencing, or are they looking for simultaneous video and data collaboration?
Step 3 - Implement the right technology
When you have the output of the audit and the requirements of your teams, then you can start working out what technology solution you will need to support effective meetings. In smaller huddle-style spaces, a 65” non-touch display combined with a video camera and soundbar may be all that's required. In collaboration spaces, you may need to choose more displays with a central table console, allowing people to access the technology quickly. Other considerations might be around making your spaces multi-functional, either by choosing technology that can be adapted to the specific use case of the meeting or even considering how you can physically divide rooms into smaller meeting spaces but still have the ability to create a larger conference meeting space when required.
Step 4 - Enable your teams to succeed
A critical step when deploying the right solution for your meeting spaces and teams is to ensure that the correct adoption training has been implemented. Alongside training on how different technology solutions work, you may also want to consider implementing processes and best practices for productive meetings.
Step 5 - Monitor and review your investment
Consistent monitoring of how your meeting spaces are performing will highlight any areas of concern or things that you might want to change. You may also want to consider investing in room analytics functionality to see whether you are getting a return on investment. Solutions such as room booking tools are a great, cost-effective way to analyse how often meeting rooms are used. In contrast, IoT solutions can provide deeper insights, including the number of participants in each meeting, room temperature and ambient lighting, all enabling real-time adjustments to make your meeting spaces more functional.
These five simple steps will enable you to create the right meeting environment for every use case within your business, creating more opportunities for deeper team engagement and productive meeting outcomes. Urben are experts in hybrid working solutions, we understand that the modern workspace is the fusion between technology, people and space, enabling a collaborative environment in every instance.
Find out more about how Urben helped one of our global clients achieve their ideal multi-functional meeting environments here.
