In the modern office space, open floor plans are replacing traditional cubicles. As organizations strive to create an environment with improved company culture, collaboration, and trust, the aesthetic of the office is the first aspect to consider. When designing your organization’s conferencing areas, you must evaluate the specific purpose of each space. For instance, a board room will require a more robust audiovisual setup than a huddle room, but both rooms are vital components of a well-rounded workspace.
Conference rooms design has a direct impact on employee productivity and collaboration. It is why considering which design choices will best support your team as you modernize your office space is of the utmost importance.
How Does Effective Conference Room Design Enhance the Environment?
In recent years, workplaces have increasingly featured open floor plans that lack the restraints of assigned seating and impersonal cubicles. Additionally, open floor plans have shown to improve collaboration and communication between employees. Despite these clear benefits, open floor plans have their drawbacks. For instance, it can be challenging for employees to maintain privacy and tend to their work without distraction in an open-floor office.
Still, conference rooms remain ideal for employees to connect in large or small groups. With the right audiovisual technology, organizations can mitigate the pitfalls of open floor plans with conference rooms and other spaces. For instance, studies show that low-quality audio equipment causes a loss of 29 minutes per week for each employee. A simple calculation illustrates how unproductive time can chip away at your bottom line.
However, top-of-the-line audiovisual equipment, complete with superb installation, increases employee engagement and productivity. As a supplement, remote support capabilities ensure that users can easily seek assistance if equipment malfunctions. Combining modern conference room design and advanced audiovisual technology creates a dynamic work environment where employees can take connection and collaboration to the next level — no matter the design of the floor plan.
Conference Room Design in the Modern Workplace
When assessing your organization’s conferencing solutions, consider the location of the following rooms throughout the building. If your employees work in a large office or on different floors, it may be beneficial to position conference rooms equally throughout the building for maximum convenience. In contrast, a small office space may only need a few conference rooms to ensure employees have time to collaborate away from their desks.
Of course, you must take into consideration each room’s purpose when planning the conference room design. For instance, large conference rooms for presentations and strategy are typically near the building’s exterior to provide access to natural light, which improves productivity and focus. In contrast, conference rooms for small groups or private conversations should be placed near the building’s interior to limit distractions.
If you have recently introduced an open floor plan to your organization’s office, consider supplementing it with the following conference room designs. With these tools, employees can combine benefits of open floor plans and traditional conference rooms for increased productivity. If you’re not sure where to start, allow audiovisual integration specialists to assess your organization’s needs and create a customized, tech-savvy workplace fit for the modern office.
The Breakout Space
Although a breakout space is not a conference room in the traditional sense, it remains a vital component of the modern workplace. The breakout space is ideal for client conversations or a short sync with co-workers. In this space, you may only need a few coffee tables and chairs and a small sofa. In most cases, a breakout space will be further away from the company’s central workstation to ensure privacy.
The Huddle Room
Sometimes referred to as meeting rooms, huddle rooms seat two to six people, and they’re the perfect space for small conference calls, 1:1 meetings, and private work sessions. Huddle rooms are typically equipped with a small table and a few chairs. Employees should also have access to audiovisual equipment such as a display device, a video conferencing camera, built-in speakers, and microphones for enhanced collaboration.
The Phone Booth
Modern offices often have a phone booth, also known as a phone pod, where a single employee can speak with a client or have a private discussion on the phone. Since today’s offices often feature open workspaces instead of cold, impersonal cubicles, it can be challenging for employees to have private conversations. However, modern in-office phone booths offer a sense of privacy to mitigate this issue. These phone booths are typically a small, 4×4 space complete with a small table, chair, and soundproofing technology.
The Team Room
A team room is slightly smaller than the typical conference room and comfortably seats 4 to 12 people. This is where colleagues will touch base with one another for team building and strategizing. Audiovisual integrations specialists may recommend an interactive digital display to ensure effective presentations and enable remote participants to contribute from any location. The addition of beam-tracking microphones and video conferencing equipment allows users to record important information for later use.
The Boardroom
When most people think of a conference room, they envision a boardroom where organizations host client meetings, presentations, department meetings, and other essential collaborations. Since board rooms usually seat more than 20 people, it may be beneficial to install a large display screen or video wall to ensure that all participants can adequately view shared information. Built-in microphones will allow crystal clear audio throughout the room, and with the support of soundproofing technology, participants can protect confidential information.
Enhance Your Conference Room Design with AV Technology
In the past, advanced audiovisual technology was a luxury reserved for elite institutions and well-known corporations. Today, technology is an integral part of every workplace. AV technology empowers organizations by facilitating effective collaboration and communication and enhancing productivity. If you’re ready to experience the benefits of a modern workplace, seek assistance from AV professionals and bring your vision to life.
At Applied Global Technologies (AGT), we offer a wide range of AV solutions designed to improve workplace productivity. Our team has the tools and expertise to help your business make the most of its shared office space.
To learn more about our AV solutions, contact us today. We’ll be happy to discuss your specific needs and recommend the right solution for your business needs and budget.
