The Office Must-Have That Most Neglect

How many consciously crafted spaces for video calls in offices have you come across?

I recently read a piece extolling the worth of a touch of care and attention on our workplaces. Without creating high-quality workplace environments, it asserted, you cannot attract and retain talent, especially within the younger cohorts.

"A recent study by office fit-out firm Claremont suggests 84 per cent of today’s employees expect the office to deliver an experience, rather than simply being a place to complete tasks. Research from office design experts MoreySmith shows a quarter of employees would consider quitting a firm with a poorly designed workspace."

Baseline expectations cited this quartet;

• hotel-style fixtures and fittings,
• tech hubs,
• living walls bedecked with plants &
• quiet rooms for reflection.

As noble as these may be, where is consideration for direct productivity propellent? Design practicality that improves how you can improve volume, pace and quality from your efforts?

No room for a fifth essential on that list? Let alone displacing one of the four.

With a significant arena being able to video call, that makes a difference.

In one sense you might be forgiven for thinking this an acceptable oversight. After all, not everyone needs to be perma-videoing.

Yet anyone that interacts with prospects and customers, suppliers and partners, or colleagues in other locations, will absolutely do their job better when they get to grips with video calling properly.

And remember, a 'tech hub' is not the answer.

Facility provided by 'unified comms' alone is highly unlikely to suffice.

Who in your world is backing you up? Saying;

'this is how we're going to help you do what you're judged on better - which will give you career-long edge in how you perform'.

One little secret about attending or running video calls with aplomb, is that you don't need to have lavish surrounds.

One aforementioned source displays on their website showreel what was fresh just prior enforced wholesale Enterprise virtual participation.

From a Parisian co-working spot. Even though this is not your 'owned' workspace, nor in any way promoted as video transmission viable, I have seen people video call from just this type of place. I cry each time.

That serviced office as I blog here now, has this look and feel as at today.

Well. At least you can sit in front of plant-life and a bookcase of sorts.

How this four-person area has no writing board or big screen on view might be a fluke.

But then again, their boardroom seems strangely bereft of either too.

Although thankfully they do offer a glimpse of their 2020 contribution to dialling-in. Spookily time-stamped from February of that never forgettable year.

Ghetto blaster optional.

Their collateral didn't seem to reveal anything resembling a video booth. Which is not to say such is not available there. Yet even if on offer, they themselves are not the sole answer either.

If you're well on the way to pursuing how to perform with elan on a video call, then you'll know none of the above are fatal flaws. You will also know that all the extra things you can do around them and beyond when it comes to videoing, might to some seem small, but they all add up to a huge boost.

So often overlooked, starting with somewhere specific from where to be on video.

Are you giving yourself that shot?