Five considerations for the collaborative workspace

[Mei Lin Low (MeiLin_Low)]

Why is collaboration so important to organisations? It turns out that innovation stems from routine collaboration that occurs in workspaces, social networks, and informal connections throughout the day. And because innovations deliver competitive advantage for companies, its catalyst – collaboration – is now the major focus of C-level executives, as well as HR, Facilities and IT leaders.

Face-to-face collaboration no longer requires physical presence in the traditional office. Video collaboration overcomes distance barriers and allows organisations to assemble the best teams and talent on projects and meetings, regardless of where they are in the world. This means that collaboration is now more effective and efficient in terms of time saved, time to market, and cost. The new reality is therefore, the Collaborative Workspace - a blend of physical and virtual collaboration environments within the traditional office, the home office or any other location an employee has chosen to work from.

People need people and people need technology; and they need spaces which bring both together. Here are five considerations when creating transformed, interconnected workspaces that offer both choice and control:

1. Optimise Real Estate: If designed well, more flexible, team-focused offices, meeting rooms and hot desk environments will often require less real estate, not more. The cost and space savings can easily cover high quality voice and video communications systems that connect not just those in a single office, but a string of global offices that are all set up with these goals in mind.

2. Enhance Collaboration & Innovation: When more comfortable and engaging workspaces come together with the technology to connect anywhere, anytime, and in virtually any way, collaboration is automatically improved. From virtual whiteboards and immersive environments to physical group areas that are purpose-built for idea sharing, much can be done to foster teamwork.

3. Attract, Develop and Engage People: Employees are looking for more flexible work environments andHR professionals understand that smart, successful people do best when connected and engaged with like-minded colleagues. Top candidates are drawn to the mentorship and teamwork that come with collaborative workspaces.

4. Build Brand and Activate Culture: From a better group dynamic to happier, healthier employees and a lower carbon footprint that comes from less travel and waste, collaborative workspaces empower employees to work better, appreciate their work more, and broadcast these benefits to those around them.

5. Wellbeing at Work: More studies show that sitting alone in an office all day is bad for your heart, your feet, your spine, your weight, your mental acuity, and your outlook. Collaboration and movement together can combat years of damage done by stagnant and solitary work.

Collaborative workspaces are looking better and better, both physically and virtually. Offices can now offer sitting, standing and even treadmill and stationary bike desks, as well as purpose-built pods and rooms for engaging groups of all sizes. On the virtual side, fueled by the affordability of bandwidth, High Definition quality, and a wider range of video technology at lower price points, video collaboration is becoming ubiquitous. This means that emergency meetings, discussions with remote experts, and even HR training and corporate announcements are becoming simpler to organise, far more affordable, and better for everybody.

By combining people-centric approaches to enhance productivity and satisfaction, with a technology and equipment strategy that enables high performance around the office, around the clock and around the globe, collaborative workspaces are offering unmatched benefits to all kinds of companies, from the top to the bottom line.

Would you like to learn how video solutions can transform a collaborative workspace? Click to read more.