The current pandemic has given a huge portion of the workforce a taste of working from home. For some, the taste is not sweet. But for others, the lack of a commute and the chance to spend more time with family is worth the adjustments. And most of those adjustments are technological in nature.
Even if some people return to the office, they may look for opportunities to work remotely on some days. They are learning lessons that distributed teams have known for a while: Teleconferencing is an essential part of the new workstyle.
All it takes is personnel each having their own properly equipped devices. Basically, a computer with a camera and microphone. Most laptops now come equipped with these features, and teleconferencing services are good at recognizing and integrating them into their platforms.
Those services have now become part of the business vocabulary. Zoom, GoToMeeting, BlueJeans, and Microsoft Teams are probably the best known. Each has their pluses and minuses, but they all do basically the same thing: Allow multiple team members to see and speak with each other, share their screens, and hold side conversations in Chat.
The other critical component to consider is an Internet connection. This is now as ubiquitous as running water in daily life. But streaming high quality video requires a stable, high-speed connection. While an office building may have such a connection, not all home users do. If a user plans to work from home on a regular basis and is counting on teleconferencing for important meetings, they will want to confirm the suitability of their Internet connection.
To do this, first run a speed test on your connection to check upload and download speeds. A quick Internet search for “internet speed test” will give you a variety of free options. They’re all easy to use and understand. Assuming the computers in your home connect wirelessly to your router, next check the wi-fi meter on your computer. If the signal is weak, you may need to relocate your workspace or add a booster between your router and your workspace. If that isn’t possible, a wired connection is always the surest.
One issue that can arise with teleconferencing is halting or poorly rendered video. If the issue isn’t your Internet connection, you may have too many applications running on your computer. It’s good practice to close all non-essential applications to assure the highest quality video possible before joining a teleconference.
It is worth noting that the recent reliance on teleconferencing was compelled by a national emergency. The simple fact is that meeting in person is still a superior experience for sharing information and ideas. There is no replacement for having everyone focused on the topic and not their technology. There is more nuance in personal communication than any system is so far able to share, so it is likely —at most—teleconferencing will become a supplement to in-person meetings.
This brings us to how offices are equipped to accommodate those people who choose to or must teleconference in after the emergency is past. Huddle rooms with properly configured flat panels will become essential for this new work style. Huddle rooms allow teams to gather in person with remote staff joining in virtually. One frequently unexpected requirement goes back to the Internet connection. Even if a company has high-speed service, they may still need traffic prioritization for video streams to make sure the connection quality makes it all the way to the huddle room.
To ensure everything is working as expected–whether at home or in the office—it’s a good idea to be sure all the settings are correct in plenty of time to correct them before the meeting. This includes being familiar with the app, checking that your computer connects to the app correctly and that the specific meeting link is working, as well as the mic and camera.
While teleconferencing is unlikely to completely replace in-person meetings, the proper technology and training will make them an indispensable part of every company’s business tools.
