Employees want their employers to invest more in hybrid workplace technology. That’s the key takeaway from a recent study by Barco ClickShare, which surveyed 1,750 employees worldwide to get their thoughts on returning to the office in a post-pandemic environment.

Video conferencing technology tops the list of priority investments. On average, 77% of respondents said they use video conferencing systems at least once a week, with 28% using them every day. That isn’t surprising, considering the hybrid workplace model depends on robust video conferencing to facilitate communications and collaboration between globally dispersed workforces.

As employees return to the office, large and small organizations in Phoenix, AZ, and across the globe are scrambling to figure out the best way to provide video conferencing in the office. Two systems have emerged: native conferencing and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) solutions.

A third option is rising to bridge the gap between native conferencing and BYOD to bring the ultimate video conferencing experience to meeting spaces. Crestron Flex is an all-in-one conferencing room system that combines the simplicity of native conferencing with the flexibility of BYOD modes.

Keep reading to learn more about native video conferencing, BYOD solutions, and why you can (and should) have both in your hybrid workplace. 

Bring your own beer to the party? How about bring your own device (BYOD) to the office meeting? As employees start returning to the office, employers are seeking innovative touchless AV solutions to host meetings and collaborate safely. Luckily, all-in-one communication and collaboration solutions like Zoom Rooms and Crestron conference rooms offer plenty of tools, features and integrations that promote low-touch or no-touch meetings while also prioritizing video conferencing to bring in remote team members.

Keep reading to learn how your business can take a hands-off approach while keeping everyone connected.

While video is a medium that older generations are still getting used to—as anyone who has FaceTimed with their parents’ or grandparents’ foreheads can attest—for the generations currently entering the workforce, video chatting and collaborating is second nature. Millennials and Gen Z's think nothing of walking down the aisles of a grocery store video chatting with friends, and they expect that same type of video communication to be available at work as well. For your business, video collaboration is a win-win that gives workers the flexibility they crave while also providing opportunities for cooperation and collaboration that can drive innovation and growth at your company.

The video conferencing market is estimated to reach more than $20 billion by 2024. In a marketplace that size, there is no shortage of solutions vying for your attention. Here are four types of video collaboration tools that deserve it. Check our list of what’s trending in conferencing and collaboration and why. Then talk to us about your video collaboration needs.

Today’s companies are all about the flow of information from colleague to colleague and team to team. So when work at your organization gets stuck, lost, or forgotten, where does it usually come to a grinding halt? In email? On team collaboration boards? During meetings? If you find that work often stops until the next meeting or until a key team member gets back into town, there are faster, more efficient ways to keep work moving. One of those ways is to get on a video conference call right now.

Is video conferencing at your organization up in the air and all over the place? Maybe some employees love to hop on impromptu video calls with just about anyone from anywhere—even when they’re just down the hall. On the other hand, some resist turning on the camera or using video conferencing at all. You may see different departments favoring different solutions. If there is no consistent user experience and video conferencing has become a big hassle for your IT department, you’ll want to make some changes. You know you want to provide an easy, standardized experience in your meeting rooms, small or large. But what do you do when executives don’t make video conferencing a priority, don’t understand the benefits, and don’t want to set aside budget to solve your organizations collaboration issues? Start by gathering user and stakeholder feedback, researching and narrowing down your options, and then presenting the information to those who will make the final decision. State your case by beginning with the “why” behind the push for video conferencing.

Video collaboration in the workplace is more the rule than the exception. For example, 55 percent of organizations use Skype For Business—but not every tool out there will be the right fit for your particular needs and business case. Here are some best practices; to help you pick the right video collaboration tool and get the most out of it.

Even if skinny jeans are “in,” they may not be the best choice for you if you don’t like the way they look and feel. The same logic goes for choosing video and other collaboration technology—just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean it’s necessarily right for your organization. Providing employees with technology-rich meeting and collaboration spaces is important, but the most commonly used video collaboration and conferencing tools might not be what’s best for supporting productivity and user work styles at your organization. Keep reading for some ways to ensure you choose technology that is the right fit for your huddle spaces and conference rooms.