Why Video Collaboration Is the Tool Your Modern Workplace Needs

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.

What’s New in the Modern Workplace?

Before you can choose the right tools to support your employees, you need to understand how, where, and when those employees want to work. Here are 3 important trends taking over the modern workplace.

1. Meetings are out but collaboration is in.

   Younger workers don’t want to spend their time in traditional meetings—especially ones that aren’t relevant to them—but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to talk to or work with other people. More than half of Millennials prefer face-to-face communication—including video chats—with their colleagues, and the majority of younger workers prefer to work on teams.

2. Flexibility is key.

   Remote work has become standard operating procedure for most knowledge workers around the world. In the U.S., more than half of employees (54 percent) work remotely at least once a month and a little less than half (48 percent) work remotely at least once a week. And, in good news for employers, 80 percent of Millennials say they are equally or more productive working from home. But flexibility in the modern workplace is about more than where you work. Younger employees also want more flexibility over when they work. Eighty-eight percent of Millennials say they wish they could work at times they choose.

3. Technology can make—or break—your company.

   Intuitive technology and social networking are an integral part of Millennials and Gen Zs’ personal lives, and 71 percent of workers expect their employers to provide the same level of technology they use in their personal lives. Ninety-three percent of Millennials say up-to-date technology is one of the most important aspects of the workplace and if you don’t have it, Millennials are not afraid to leave to find it somewhere else.

How Video Collaboration Meets the Demands of Modern Work Styles

Video collaboration tools can help your company meet employees’ desire for both flexibility and collaboration, while also fostering innovation and productivity that will help your company grow. Here’s how. Huddle rooms and other small meeting spaces equipped with video collaboration tools let workers hold the impromptu, less formal meetings they want, and they allow remote workers to easily get in on the collaboration. Platforms that include video conferencing and content sharing capabilities are ideal. Cloud-based video collaboration platforms like Zoom, Skype, and GoToMeeting let participants connect from any device, anywhere, at any time. Team members can hop on a video chat from home, the neighborhood coffee shop, or an airport lounge, and collaboration is not restricted to traditional working hours. With the flexibility and collaboration that the right video solution provides, both on-site and remote workers will feel more connected and be more engaged, which will pay big dividends in employee satisfaction and productivity. To learn more about what the right tools are, reach out to us here or read our blog about video collaboration tools that can enhance any meeting space.