Key takeaways from the discussion on Digital Workspaces

The first edition of the APAC Member Forum was about the current hot topic of Digital Workspaces and all the factors at play to make the future of work – efficient, productive, tech forward, but with a human centric approach.

The discussion derived inspiration from the Xchange which has seen heightened interest over the last few months among Xchange members in topics around Hybrid Work environments.

Panelists:

- Zane Au, CTS-D Managing Director, Shen Milsom & Wilke Ltd

- Mradul Sharma, Founder and Managing Director, 3CDN Workplace Tech Private Limited 

- Wayne Lee, Director, Products and Strategic Alliances, APAC, Jabra

- Max Davies, Director of Enterprise & Federal Govt Markets, Crestron Australia ‑ Sydney

Here are key takeaways from the panel discussion:

• Gen Z workforce, added to the changes in the post pandemic world are factors that are re-defining modern workspaces.
• Offerings in the collaboration space are grappling with the paradox, which is, employees are looking for flexibility and balance in terms of the in-person collaborative experience.
• Workplace design is evolving with design thinking and with projects being managed by specialized consultants who work with set standards and guidelines, integration is complete with  interiors, technology, and space.
• Consultants act as problem solvers on the workplace technology front and ensure that technology aligns with the workplace design, and the workflow tools.
• The equation towards measuring performance of an employee is quite tricky with the new norms of productivity multiplied by engagement, and engagement is such an important paradigm.
• Multi data point analysis is also gaining prominence, where workplace data is being used to identify the areas where a building, work patterns and utilization can be monitored.
• Leading conferencing and collaboration players like Microsoft are all about engagement, especially with their platform that aims to solve the problem around a hybrid network.
• Increased focus on terms like collaboration equity, technical parity, or meeting quality. There is a plethora of technologies in the market from established and new players. The key is standardization – which is not always guaranteed!
• Video cameras play an important role in emotional connectivity. Cameras are really the starting point of a good meeting experience. Technologies around AI framing, auto framing and cloud-based processing are expected to grow.
• Advanced AV technologies are at the cusp of becoming a must-have instead of good- to-have in modern offices.
• Components like quality audio, video hardware, are very important for a great office experience, not just at the lobby level, but the overall experience which makes the journey to office worthwhile.
• Dynamics of a hybrid environment are changing as employees priorities have largely shifted. Focus on work-life balance, companies are working  towards creating an office space which is not just an office but also a place for learning, mentorship, personal development, sustainability etc.
• All this means hybrid workspace technology must be flexible, compatible, and adaptable. In a mobile first environment, conferencing and collaboration technology is about cross pollination.

Leave your thoughts about the digital workspaces below in the comments.