Boost up your video conferences with office booths

Company owners are captains of their hybrid ships navigating unknown waters. To ensure successful communication and collaboration, we must all devise new practices and guidelines, and provide employees with the support they need to connect effortlessly, regardless of their location. Then the potential of hybrid meetings may be leveraged to the fullest, and all the voices, close and distant ones, can be parts of business evolution

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

Boosting up video conferences with office booths – tl;dr

• Video call fatigue belongs to one of the most challenging problems of hybrid meetings for many reasons: continuous focus on the screen, limited number of non-verbal communication, greater self-awareness, tiredness caused by analysing visual and auditory information at the same time, technical problems, multitasking, not enough brakes between meetings, and many more.

• Interpersonal problems of hybrid meetings are: power imbalances, patchy involvement and participation, and failure to establish friendly, harmonious relationships. These challenges should be addressed with proper care and creativity.

• Hushoffice pods make perfect hybrid meeting spaces as they bridge the gap between the real world and the virtual one. Private and silent, they may be equipped with all the elements needed for effortless conference calls. They help keep the workers’ attention on the meeting alone, contributing to better rapport, meaningful communication, and a welcoming kind of togetherness. Additionally, pods block out background noise and ensure speech privacy, which improves meeting confidentiality.

Video conferencing is the foundation of hybrid organisations.

It goes beyond geographical boundaries. It allows for smooth communication among distant co-workers. It allows businesses to collaborate with top clients and professionals internationally. And above all, it is the most effective and reliable tool in unpredictable times, ensuring business continuity in the face of unexpected challenges.

The many difficulties of video conferencing: hierarchies to isolation.

On one hand, hybrid video conferencing helps overcome distance limitations, but on the other hand, it comes with some challenges. Diminished team spirit. The feeling of exclusion that remote attendees experience when they miss some microexpressions. Annoying background noise. Business leaders need to deal with these obstacles with proper sensitivity if they want to make hybrid working work.

Subtle disparities in power dynamics

Participants physically present in the office may have a potential advantage as they are able to take part in side conversations, make eye contact, or use non-verbal communication that remote attendees miss. This disparity may influence decision-making, collaborative workflow, and general meeting dynamics.

Patchy engagement and participation

Maintaining active participation of all meeting attendees is one of the video conferencing challenges. As remote co-workers may feel alienated and less focused, they may not engage in interactions, or start multitasking. To ensure even involvement, it is essential to balance the participation of in-office and distant attendees.

Involvement is a two-way street. A participant who is fully engaged during a meeting captures the focus – or involvement – of other attendees, and the reverse is also true. It’s called a positive feedback loop. That’s why, creating a working environment free of distractions is necessary to support this two-way street, enabling employees to maintain complete focus, and initiating that positive loop. And acoustic meeting pods, such as hushMeet, are a perfect solution for the office space

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

Inclusive decision-making process

Remote employees may feel excluded from spontaneous decision making or less formal talks happening outside the virtual working environment. To create a transparent and fair meeting space, it is essential to provide all employees with equal opportunities for contribution and decision making.

Limited non-verbal communication options for remote attendees

Gestures and face expressions are significant parts of communication. However, they can be limited during video conferencing. Remote participants may find it difficult to identify and make sense of facial expressions and body language occurring in the physical meeting area. Consequently, the communication flow among participants may be impeded.

The graceful dance of facial cues, the eloquence and unspoken language of the body are all limited in virtual reality. Remote participants may stay behind, looking for the smallest sign of emotion on other attendees’ faces, trying to decipher human expressions from blurry pixels on the screen. An optimal solution to make non-verbal cues more visible is to use user-friendly ring lights or similar clip-on LED devices for illumination. As for the office arrangement, invest in a hybrid meeting booth, such as hushHybrid, equipped with customisable lighting and additional LED light strips. For home offices, consider providing your employees with easy-to-use laptop clip-on lights

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

Building friendly relationships and mutual trust

In-person interactions build a sense of camaraderie and loyalty in a way that is difficult to achieve virtually. Building rapport and trust among meeting participants, especially when some of them join remotely, requires additional effort and appropriate techniques to bridge the gap between in-office and remote colleagues.

Background workplace noise impairs effectiveness of video conferencing.

It affects audio quality negatively, impairing understanding and clarity of speech during the meeting. Disturbance, interference, muted speech. Misunderstandings and missed details. Key information is drowned out in a noisy workplace. Speech clarity is impaired, which may result in confusion and lack of connection.

Background noise can affect meeting inclusivity and discussion dynamics.

Attendees with access to better audio quality and quieter environments are more likely to dominate the discussion, making others excluded. This uneven distribution of voices undermines the democratic nature of meetings. Additionally, noise disrupts a smooth conversational flow, which results in awkward pauses, simultaneous speech, or accidental cutting in.

Noise forms a bad impression of an organisation.

It is a stain on professionalism and credibility of a meeting, creating an impression of chaos and ineffective organisation, consequently affecting a company’s reputation. Additionally, an association with sloppiness and poor control over the organisation may lead to lost opportunities for the company

Office noise is tiring, too – it leads to video call fatigue.

Noise draws attendees’ attention away from the discussion, hindering active involvement and understanding. It may also lead to exhaustion and stress. Struggling to hear in a noisy environment is mentally challenging, so it may lead to employees eventually zoning out. Consider acoustic Hushoffice pods that are perfect environments for video conferencing.

Hushoffice pods add a human aspect to virtual meetings by bridging the gap between distant teammates. They are self-contained, acoustically designed meeting spaces that can be fitted with all tools necessary for flawless video conferences. Quiet and private, the pods ensure increased employee focus on the meeting agenda, simultaneously fostering harmonious relationships, effective communication, and a motivating sense of camaraderie

– says Mateus Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice. 

Relationships and partnerships rely on trust. They are built spontaneously, so the digital rift in our hybrid reality must be addressed with consideration. Remote peers should constantly feel included, and never feel they miss out on the comforting physical presence. Acoustic pods are of great help.

Hushoffice pods are spot-on for hybrid video conferencing.

Self-contained. Quiet. Confidential. Comfortable and user-friendly. Hushoffice pods make perfect video conferencing environments in many different ways.

Professional acoustic engineering for complete speech privacy to ensure confidentiality

A top-notch acoustic pod offers safe space to discuss private, confidential, classified or sensitive issues. It helps earn clients’ trust and allows employees to discuss their personal matters in privacy.

No background noise – a guarantee of clear and coherent speech

Hushoffice pods are specially engineered to muffle office noise, so the transmitted audio is clear and comprehensible for meeting participants.

Echo-free for perfect sound quality

Reverberation creates echo and lingering resonance which distort speech. Pods come with noise-reducing elements, such as acoustic carpeting, upholstered furniture, and fabric-lined panels. They help reduce reverb, creating a flawless audio environment during video conferences.

Simple, attractive meeting background for professional look and focused workflow

Hushoffice pods are available upholstered in the colour and fabric of your preference. The plain, elegant background they feature is a key element of a professional and polished appearance. Additionally, pods frame the user perfectly, reducing visual distractions and helping keep one’s attention on the speaker.

Customisable lighting means accurate interpretation of emotions and non-verbal cues

Lighting needs to be easy on the eyes – both literally and metaphorically. It illuminates facial expressions, so each subtle change can be noticed and made sense of. Well-illuminated workspace also ensures healthy working conditions for the eyes. If you look for customisable lighting and additional LED light strips, consider hushHybrid.

Efficient, round-the-clock ventilation ensures comfort through longer video calls

A fresh workspace fosters fresh thinking and fresh presence. Our pods keep it all fresh. Choose the hushWork one-person work pod additionally equipped with cosy furniture. With its comfortable desk, it is a great choice for long video calls.

Quick access to sockets, pleasant convenience

Hushoffice pods are fitted with charging units to enable effortless powering of devices. Their user-oriented design is a perfect solution for hybrid working environments. Our hushMeet.L modular pod, for example, accommodates up to 8 people comfortably. Its core pillar is a perfect spot to mount a monitor and make your video calls more effective and convenient.

A distraction-free shelter for sensory-sensitive and introverted employees

Pods protect the user from visual and auditory distractions. Thus, they provide refuge to employees who are either neurodivergent or simply suffer from sensory overload. The perfectly quiet and wheelchair-accessible hushAccess.L 6-person pod is an excellent choice to promote inclusiveness in your workspace.

Company owners are captains of their hybrid ships navigating unknown waters. To ensure successful communication and collaboration, we must all devise new practices and guidelines, and provide employees with the support they need to connect effortlessly, regardless of their location. Then the potential of hybrid meetings may be leveraged to the fullest, and all the voices, close and distant ones, can be parts of business evolution

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

Boosting up video conferences with office booths – summary

• Video call fatigue belongs to one of the most challenging problems of hybrid meetings for many reasons: continuous focus on the screen, limited number of non-verbal communication, greater self-awareness, tiredness caused by analysing visual and auditory information at the same time, technical problems, multitasking, not enough brakes between meetings, and many more.

• Interpersonal problems of hybrid meetings are: power imbalances, patchy involvement and participation, and failure to establish friendly, harmonious relationships. These challenges should be addressed with proper care and creativity.

• Hushoffice pods make perfect hybrid meeting spaces as they bridge the gap between the real world and the virtual one. Private and silent, they may be equipped with all the elements needed for effortless conference calls. They help keep the workers’ attention on the meeting alone, contributing to better rapport, meaningful communication, and a welcoming kind of togetherness. Additionally, pods block out background noise and ensure speech privacy, which improves meeting confidentiality.

Hushoffice Frequently Asked Questions

What does video conferencing fatigue mean?

Also referred to as “Zoom fatigue”, video conferencing fatigue is the feeling of tiredness and cognitive stress stemming from increased participation in online meetings. In fact, there are many contributing factors, such as: continuous focus on the screen, limited number of non-verbal cues, reduced personal space, technical problems, mental overload, multitasking attempts, or prolonged sitting.

What can you do to cope with virtual meeting fatigue?

Firstly, try to avoid back-to-back calls and make sure your calendar includes regular breaks between video meeting sessions to recharge your batteries. While having a break, focus on relaxing activities, like stretching or having a walk. You can go to our blog for more ideas: Give me a microbreak!. Also, consider an office booth, such as hushHybrid, to make your video meetings more effortless, engaging, and natural.

What should I do to make hybrid meetings more inclusive?

You can start by investing in solid audio and video equipment, robust sound systems, and powerful internet connectivity to reduce communication barriers. A good solution is also to provide all remote employees with easy-to-use video call lights that will illuminate their faces during online meetings. Additionally, ensure equal participation opportunities for both in-office and remote employees to make them all engage in meetings and share their views. Round-robin or rotation-based approaches are reliable choices. Finally, regularly collect feedback from your employees to find out what can still be improved.