When we talk about video conferencing, we tend to build on the assumption that people only use video conferencing to communicate and collaborate with colleagues in other locations. That is the most salient feature of a video conferencing solution, after all: the obliteration of distance, the freedom to roam while staying connected to anyone and everyone. And the remote workforce is only expanding, so video conferencing’s primary function as a bridge between far-flung work spaces is not likely to change.
However, as collaboration and communication via video continues to reconfigure the ways we think about working with and for other people, it becomes more and more important to think about the ways in which video conferencing solutions can come into play within the confines of an office environment. Which is to say: no, video conferencing isn’t just for talking to people who are far away. At times, it can be perfectly reasonable--and, in fact, advantageous--to opt for a video conference solution even when a face-to-face meeting is possible.
Sharing
Although BYOD conferencing solutions like Cisco Spark make it easy for organizations to facilitate a hybrid conference space where folks in the same room can also share content from their own devices, there are times when collaborators might be so deep into a project on their desktop computers that they are reluctant to shift to a mobile device. Instead of interrupting workflow, office neighbors can fire up Spark for a quick content-sharing meeting.
Multitasking
Sometimes a scheduled meeting will pull employees away from a pressing matter that needs their attention. Maybe they’re waiting for an important call. Maybe they’re drawing up a vital contract. Whatever it is they are doing, it might be a good idea to give such on-site employees the opportunity to attend the meeting from their desks. A solution like Prime Call Cloud MeetMe or Lifesize Cloud is perfect for a situation like this. All it takes is one click to connect to a meeting on a PC or tablet or smartphone--so a multitasking employee can attend the meeting via smartphone while keeping up with their work on another device. You don’t always want to stretch employees so thin, but sometimes it can’t be helped. We’ve all been there. We’ll all be there again.
Feeling Comfortable
You know what? Sometimes it’s just easier to talk to people in a way that feels right for you, and sometimes that way is over video. It would be weird if people who worked together never talked to each other face to face, but so much of our communication is mediated by screens that it’s becoming the de facto means of reaching out and making connections. There might be people in your office who prefer meeting by video, even when an in-person meeting is just as convenient. Maybe they have social anxiety. Maybe they have a bad back and don’t feel comfortable moving around too much. Regardless, keeping your employees connected and collaborating is important to maintain communication in and outside of the office.
Find out more about our video conferencing desktop solutions or learn more about cloud video service Prime Call Cloud MeetMe.
