Modern work has evolved, with hybrid work models being the new normal for many enterprises. With the home, office, and 3rd places (your neighborhood cafe, micro-brewery, library, etc.) all being utilized more flexibly as work & connection spaces, workplace technologies and particularly conferencing & collaboration audio-visual solutions have substantially evolved to best accommodate hybrid work. But has your home office set-up?
Working from home is by no means new at this point. Thankfully, the key technologies that serve as workplace connective tissues for people and teams have evolved by leaps and bounds over the past few years, with Microsoft Teams, Zoom and other platforms serving as critical linkages that drive connection. However, this connection is still too often impersonal and limiting, especially if some simple best practices aren’t routinely utilized by all. To ensure robust connections and productive work are maintained when working remotely, these are my 5 Keys to Success in the new Hybrid Normal.
Be seen
Being on camera drives honest attention and participation when joining hybrid meetings, helping reduce likelihood of distracted multitasking that is often problematic. Being on camera will increase your connection with your team and enhance non-verbal elements of communication – critical body language that is lost when not in-person or on-camera. Now, meeting fatigue is real, and has been shown to be directly linked to heavy-handed on-camera requirements, so manage your on-camera time and be aware of how this impacts your productivity and mental health. If you are struggling with camera fatigue, take care of yourself and prioritize on-camera presence for your most critical interactions. When on camera, make an effort to be clearly visible to those on the other end of the call – good lighting significantly elevates your presence and there are a number of great, cost-effective desktop lighting products that make an impact.
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- Equipment ideas:
- good quality USB webcam (i.e. Logitech MX Brio 705)
- lighting solution that enhances video presence (i.e. Logitech Litra Beam)
- Equipment ideas:
Be Heard
While being on-camera is incredibly helpful to maximize connection, having good audio is essential. The AI-enhanced noise canceling capabilities of Teams and Zoom have come a long way, but a good quality microphone still makes a noticeable difference to those listening, and a quiet distraction-free environment is ideal to help ensure focus. Thus, a quality headset or other microphone solution, such as those built into many USB webcams, provide a great benefit. If working from a third place, quality ear buds or headphones with active noise canceling are essential to success. Also keep in mind the acoustics of your workspace – echoey rooms may present a challenge for ideal audio quality, so softening hard surfaces nearby your workspace, such as blinds over a window or a rug over a hard floor, can be helpful to ensure all-day comfort and ideal audio.
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- Equipment ideas:
- good noise canceling headphones (i.e. Logitech Zone Wireless 2)
- good stand-alone microphone – especially if frequently presenting or dislike the headphone / headset look (i.e. Blue Yeti Microphone)
- acoustic treatments (i.e. window shade, rug, or wall treatments)
- Equipment ideas:
Be connected
Your connectivity experience matters more than you may think, as the ease with which you can transition back-and-forth from home to office without having to fumble with cables or worry about daily tech set-up headaches will increase your chances of success, and reduce the activation energy required to commute to the office. Employers ideally should enable this by investing in a quality and consistent docking station experience similar to what is provided in the office, to ensure reliability and stress-free work days (and fewer calls to IT support!). USB-C has, thankfully, significantly simplified this for most newer laptop or tablet devices, but it’s still a critical component to the work-from-home set-up. For those seeking to enable an enhanced workplace experience, also consider a docking station provider that has solutions that support desk scheduling for hoteling workspaces in the office, along with similar solutions for the home office.
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- Equipment ideas:
- USB-C docking station supporting multiple monitors (i.e. Logi Dock)
- Equipment ideas:
Be productive
Maximize your productivity with, at minimum, a large high-definition desktop monitor. Display real estate directly and positively impacts productivity, with a study by Dell2 showing that participants using 24” HD monitors were 32% more productive than those using only 14” laptop displays. Another study by Jon Peddie Research3 showed that users with two monitors were 42% more productive on average vs. those using just one. Large ultrawide- or dual 16:9-format monitors are ideal for most home office set-ups to optimize productivity, providing essential screen real estate for multiple applications, multiple documents, and ease of viewing a hybrid meeting with attendee video feeds, meeting chat, shared content, etc.
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- Equipment ideas:
- dual 24” monitors (i.e. Dell Ultrasharp U2724D)
- 38” curved ultra-wide monitor (i.e. Dell Ultrasharp U3824DW)
- Equipment ideas:
Be comfortable
Comfort and ergonomics impact productivity greatly, and there is a greater likelihood of working in a poor ergonomic setting when working from home or a third place. Both employers and employees need to be mindful of this potential long-term health hazard. While working from the kitchen counter or your cozy sofa might seem like a great idea, prolonged work in poor ergonomic positions like these settings can lead to long-term harm. Prioritize working in a dedicated workspace that is set-up to meet the ergonomic needs of a prolonged work day. Ensure that you’ve got a desk, chair and other ergonomic workspace equipment that meet the needs of your body and typical work activities.
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- Equipment ideas:
- Height-adjustable desk that allows you to sit or stand to accommodate different work and activity modes, and also ensures ideal positioning of arms and wrists for prolonged comfort while typing, mousing, and other typical desk work activity.
- Ergonomically-adjustable desk chair intended for prolonged seating (i.e. not your kitchen chairs!).
- TIP: Ask your employer if they provide a budget for this, or if you can bring home an extra unused chairs from the office.
- Monitor arm(s) that allow for easy adjustment of height, distance and angle of your monitor(s) to ensure ideal ergonomic positioning of the screen. (i.e. Chief Kontour K1D120B or Chief Koncis DMA2B)
- Equipment ideas:
Does your home office already follow these 5 keys to success in the new hybrid normal? If not, these should all be top priorities to maximize your hybrid work experience and are great expectations to set for yourself, your teams, and your enterprise. By following these 5 key elements to a great home office, and also as best practice when working from your favorite 3rd place, because we all need to get out of the house once and a while, you will be more connected, more productive, and more comfortable no matter where you work.
David Albright
With a deep passion for the intersection of people, place and technology, David has spent most of his career focused on developing products that enhance the workplace. His passion for technologies that enhance human connection and productivity is infectious and inspiring, and he enjoys sharing insights on the workplace experience with those across the AV, IT and Commercial Design industries. Outside of work, you'll likely find him on a soccer field as a cheering dad or friendly referee.
