The traditional office environment might be a thing of the past, following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise in remote working. The pandemic has had a significant impact on the way we work, with hybrid working looking set to become the new norm. With the changing work environment, businesses are now looking to invest in technology which will support their hybrid workforces for the foreseeable future. With over thirty years’ experience in the business of Audio Visual installations, Fitting Image AV Sales Ltd. understand the importance of high quality AV and videoconferencing technology for businesses, to ensure fluid collaboration and communication. Read on, to find out our top 10 tips for hybrid working:
1. Ensure You Have Great Connectivity
When working remotely from home, it is essential to ensure that you have a decent internet connection, and that your setup works successfully. If your Wi-Fi connection is poor, try to get a direct wired connection. It is most definitely worth the investment. Stable and reliable mobile phone coverage is also must, if you are not using a landline or soft conference laptop features.
2. High Quality Audio
When it comes to hybrid working, audio quality is another key factor to successful virtual meetings, with a number of solutions to suit different environments. Having a good-quality laptop should suffice when in a quiet area, however a headset may be more beneficial. If you are accompanied by another colleague that you wish to listen in or contribute to the call then a good quality desk speaker is a good option.
3. Create A Dedicated Space
With hybrid working, it is important to establish a dedicated workstation when working remotely. Try to make it as similar to your office workspace as possible. Avoid working from the couch or sitting at the kitchen table, where others living with you may disturb you. A dedicated workspace will help you shift into work mode. It also helps establish boundaries with anyone living with you. When you are at your workstation, you are “at work.” Think of your background, can you make it look neat, uncluttered and professional?
4. Show Yourself In The Best Light
The right lighting is extremely important when it comes to conducting virtual meetings while working remotely, in order to maintain professionalism. Rather than your lighting coming from behind or to the side of you, casting you in a shadow, the light source should come from in front of you, in order to give the best results.
5. Find Your Best Position
Your positioning in front of the camera is also very important when participating on a video call. You do not want to be too close or too far away from the camera. Instead, you want to be seen from the top of your head to your shoulders or from the waist up.
6. Camera Angles
Poor camera angles can come across as unprofessional. It is recommended to keep your camera at eye level and to look into the camera rather than at the screen. However, if that’s an issue and you need to look at the screen as you talk, have the camera and screen at the same level.
7. Test Your Setup
We recommend testing your set up by starting a call and taking a screen shot. This will show you what people on the other end of the video call will see. It is always a good idea to do this, before carrying out any virtual meetings when working remotely.
8. Keep it Tidy
While your video-conferencing software may have built-in backgrounds or blurring capabilities, these tend to look fake and unprofessional. To maintain professionalism, keep the area that you are making the call from as simple and tidy as possible, to prevent distraction.
9. Dress Code
Dress decently and appropriately, as you may end up on a video conference call. While you may not need regular office clothes while working remotely, wearing something other than pyjamas or loungewear will prepare your mindset for work, and can help improve productivity levels.
10. Make Sure You Are Sitting Correctly
Working from home can be a tremendous strain on your physical health without the proper tools in place for an eight-hour workday. Although it may seem obvious, having a comfortable chair is extremely important when working from home. Investing in a quality, comfortable chair is highly recommended, as you don’t want to be uncomfortable if you are on a call for an extended period of time. Outfitting your home office with a simple to use sit/stand desk modification can help create a more pleasant environment to work in.
Hybrid working is the way of the future and steps should be taken to improve its efficiency for your business. Audio Visual technology plays a vital role in assisting businesses with conducting their work, and in adapting to the new norm of hybrid working. By following our top 10 tips for hybrid working, businesses and employees can ensure that they successfully adapt to this new approach, whilst successfully maintaining professionalism. If you or your business would like help with your Audio Visual setup, don’t hesitate to contact us at 01 460 2112 for assistance.
