The reasons for intra-office video conferencing are strong

Let’s have a look.

Intra-office video conferencing – tl;dr

• If you decide to attend calls in the office rather than at home, you rely on professional, dedicated, ready-to-use video call spaces (such as Hushoffice booths) that the office provides over makeshift home office arrangements. As a result, time is saved, stress – reduced, and technical issues – minimised.

• Intra-office video conferencing allows workers to participate in a call either independently or in sub-teams using their own device(s). Thus, they can seamlessly access local laptop files and easily share their part with just a single click. So, the delay caused by manually sharing files in a conference room is eliminated.

• In the case of in-house calls, each attendee may join from the most convenient space for their meeting role. For instance, the host may opt for a one-person booth, such as hushHybrid, while the application development duo can go for hushMeet, allowing them to express their views collectively as a unit.

• Promoting the culture of intra-office video meetings encourages employees to work in-house and use the office space not only for teamwork, but also as a dedicated hub for video calls. A team working within the same office space enjoys a number of opportunities for spontaneous, dynamic, real-life interactions that energise creative thinking and enhance productivity. These are the aspects where remote working falls short.

• Hosting and engaging in hybrid meetings from the physical office (in a private, soundproof space, such as hushMeet) is the only solution to guarantee full confidentiality for discussions involving classified information.

• In some circumstances, even when all attendees are physically present in the office, video calls may be favoured over face-to-face meetings due to their easy recordability for future reference.

Embracing various types of digital meetings is a new office reality.

Sometimes all call participants join a meeting remotely. Other times, some employees join from home while others – from the physical office. However, participants may also attend calls from different spaces within the same office, enjoying seamless access to their laptops. And access to one another after the meeting. That’s what we call intra-office video calling.

Undoubtedly, video conferencing helps bridge the geographical gap during remote calls. However, there is another direct advantage of using video calling. Even when the majority of participants are present in the office, joining online meetings from separate work spaces can prove more effective and beneficial for a number of reasons. Firstly, each attendee has the flexibility to choose the most convenient office environment suiting their role in the meeting. Secondly, when joining from personal laptops, participants have quick access to their local files. Last, but not least, the one-click recordability of video calls may be particularly useful for future reference whenever necessary

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

How has the pandemic changed the way meetings are held?

Meetings have become more regular but shorter since 2020. The implication is that the office should provide high-quality meeting spaces, such as hushHybrid, which can be conveniently used, even in ad-hoc contexts. Only then will the considerable number of short meetings be easily manageable.

So, do intra-office video calls open up untapped possibilities?  

We think, yes! In the office, different attendees can join the same online meeting from the space most convenient for them. Given such a possibility, employees will intuitively choose the space that meets their specific needs. When meetings become more tailored to individual cases and needs, workers find representation.

Try to imagine the following: you and your team members are in the office, trying to join a remote meeting with employees from a different geographical location. Unfortunately, the conference room is booked. So, part of your team gathers in hushMeet.L – a large acoustic booth equipped with a TV and audio system for seamless video conferencing. The booth comes with a spacious tabletop allowing employees to spread documents out. Simultaneously, two other team members get into the hushMeet 4-person booth. They attend the meeting together, sharing one laptop and sitting side by side to share their input as a unit. Finally, the host who is the main speaker joins the call from hushPhone – a one-person call booth. They can all enjoy a distraction-free environment and the comfort of a standing position which suits their needs. And the host, who is joining independently, can take a central position in front of the camera, becoming the focal point of the event

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

The benefits of intra-office video calling are worth considering.

They can save time and enhance communication in several different ways. And above all, using dedicated call spaces for meetings is the only way to maintain full confidentiality. Let’s take a look.

Quick video calls are timesavers

With the seamless integration of dedicated, user-friendly video call spaces (for example, Hushoffice booths) within the office space, intra-office video calling can be a precious timesaver.

Unlike unpredictable home office settings, the physical office can be equipped with perfect video spaces.

As a result, employees save their precious time. They can join video meetings instantly, without the hassle of managing a suitable background, lighting or acoustics every time they take part in a call.

Office-based video conferencing arrangements are reliable, reducing technical challenges.

This spares team members the frustration and minimises time spent on solving technical issues. What’s more, home office setups tend to have less reliable Internet connection, which often leads to disruptions and worsened video quality. And dedicated office call spaces can ensure reliability.

With seamless access to computer files, all participants can share their input without delay.

During a call, employees can stream local files with just a single click. And it’s much quicker and easier than sharing manually in a conference room. It’s especially useful in situations when unexpected questions arise, and appropriate documents can be both accessed and shared instantly, without the need to wait until later.

With colleagues just a click away (and within reach), you can communicate more effectively.

Office-based video conferencing can open up a smoother, more direct exchange of information after the meeting. With colleagues within reach, discussions unfold seamlessly with no timezone delay and differences in working hours. And real-time interaction facilitates decision-making, fostering progress on projects.

While video calling a colleague located on the other end of the office may seem unusual, it can actually solve the little difficulties before they lead to analysis paralysis. Firstly, it eliminates extensive scheduling coordination, so it is much easier for team members working within the same office to find overlapping availability. Its immediate character also adds a touch of spontaneity to teamwork. This minimises the lead time and hassle connected with scheduling meetings across many different locations. Last, but not least, there are always some issues that can be solved with a quick call to a project mate. Such a natural, spontaneous back-and-forth proves more effective than rigid agendas

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

Thanks to their easy recordability, video calls can be accessed seamlessly whenever necessary.

On busy days, the essence of the meeting may be lost as soon as participants leave the room. That’s why the recording function may be particularly convenient, registering all the details of the conversation and documents referenced.

Hosting and attending hybrid meetings from the physical office ensures the confidentiality of sensitive information.

This rings true particularly when attendees join from a secure, acoustic space, such as a hushMeet pod, that is a controlled environment ensuring full privacy. Similar conditions are almost impossible to achieve in the unpredictable settings of home offices or third places.

Lack of control over the home office and third place design equals privacy risk.

There are significant concerns related to working outside the office, such as distractions, background noise, and the accidental exposure of sensitive information. On-site video conferencing from acoustic call spaces addresses these concerns and minimises potential risks. 

Trust is essential to establish successful collaborations and transactions.

If your client gets the impression that confidential discussions can be potentially overheard or sensitive information is not protected with due diligence during a call, your employee’s credibility may be undermined. As a result, your whole organisation may be regarded as less trustworthy.

Using dedicated spaces, such as pods, for video calls from the office minimises distractions.

Genuine attentiveness stems from quiet and concentration. High-quality video call spaces ensure the peaceful, robust, distraction-free environment that benefits every meeting. Apart from protecting mental resources, professional meeting spaces add a professional touch to every call.

Difficulties in office space management in the age of digital revolution

How about conference rooms? And is there any effective way to reduce office noise for good? Office booths from our Hushoffice collection offer a perfect solution to such open-ended questions.

Are traditional conference rooms no longer relevant?

Indeed, visionary minds predict its demise, seeing the considerable changes the conference room undergoes: becoming smaller, more squarish to fit a more democratic table (with no head), more flexible, cosier, more acoustic, and fitted with state-of-the-art equipment.

Interestingly, exactly the same adjectives can be used to describe a Hushoffice booth like hushMeet, which is self-contained, square, portable, cosy, and equipped with power modules and customisable lighting.

In offices lacking booths, noise and various disruptions are common.

When an employee steps into a pod, they enter a minimalistic, professional, quiet environment that they can control. Noise is reduced. All concerns unconnected with the task at hand are left behind. The meeting objective can be achieved with undivided focus.

Hushoffice acoustic booths are ideal for all types of meetings, seamlessly adjusting to fast-changing needs.

Hushoffice pods are self-contained environments, empowering users with autonomy over their space. They are specially designed to ensure a pleasant atmosphere of quiet, reducing all office noise and turning it into a soft, unintelligible murmur. In addition, they insulate speech made inside, guaranteeing full privacy and ensuring much-needed peace of mind.

Guaranteed privacy. Optimum efficiency. The benefits of intra-office video calling from a booth.

While remote video calling provides flexibility, it lacks the spontaneous, everyday interactions that typically occur within the office environment. Undeniably, the office is a space for ad-hoc exchange of ideas, strengthening relationships among team members, and fostering the genuine camaraderie that energises the workplace.

The final question: to video call or to meet in-person?

While video conferencing is a convenient choice, face-to-face interactions are full of non-verbal cues such as gestures and facial expressions, enhancing communication.

The choice between the two largely depends on the nature of the meeting and its objectives.

Face-to-face meetings are perfect for relationship-building, casual conversations or impromptu chit-chat. Video calls, on the other hand, bridge the geographical gap. And when quick correspondence is preferred over in-person interaction, video calls seem a more obvious choice.

In a hybrid reality, in-house video calling is an effective and primary way to connect.

First of all, it provides the immediacy of face-to-face interaction. Secondly, it streamlines schedule management. Finally, it allows for seamless access to local files while minimising technical issues. In a nutshell, in-office video conferencing adds smoothness to the workflow, making work more flexible and dynamic. It is certainly a relevant component of the hybrid approach.

Intra-office video conferencing – summarized

• If you decide to attend calls in the office rather than at home, you rely on professional, dedicated, ready-to-use video call spaces (such as Hushoffice booths) that the office provides over makeshift home office arrangements. As a result, time is saved, stress – reduced, and technical issues – minimised.

• Intra-office video conferencing allows workers to participate in a call either independently or in sub-teams using their own device(s). Thus, they can seamlessly access local laptop files and easily share their part with just a single click. So, the delay caused by manually sharing files in a conference room is eliminated.

• In the case of in-house calls, each attendee may join from the most convenient space for their meeting role. For instance, the host may opt for a one-person booth, such as hushHybrid, while the application development duo can go for hushMeet, allowing them to express their views collectively as a unit.

• Promoting the culture of intra-office video meetings encourages employees to work in-house and use the office space not only for teamwork, but also as a dedicated hub for video calls. A team working within the same office space enjoys a number of opportunities for spontaneous, dynamic, real-life interactions that energise creative thinking and enhance productivity. These are the aspects where remote working falls short.

• Hosting and engaging in hybrid meetings from the physical office (in a private, soundproof space, such as hushMeet) is the only solution to guarantee full confidentiality for discussions involving classified information.

• In some circumstances, even when all attendees are physically present in the office, video calls may be favoured over face-to-face meetings due to their easy recordability for future reference.

Intra-office video conferencing – frequently asked questions

What does intra-office video conferencing mean?

It refers to virtual meetings held within a single physical office space. While traditional video calls involve remote attendees, intra-office calls connect participants present in the same office, but located in its different working areas. This practice is a great solution, taking advantage of purpose-built video call spaces, such as private pods.

How can your organisation benefit from intra-office video conference meetings?

During an in-house video call, team members who work within the same office location meet online, saving time for changing spaces and ensuring that no one’s valuable time is wasted. What’s more, attending a call from home means relying on makeshift office arrangements which may be noisy, distracting and lacking discretion. On the other hand, in-house conferencing relies on dedicated, professional office call spaces, such as Hushoffice booths. This form of video conferencing allows workers to access local laptop files seamlessly, ensuring smooth and effective exchange of ideas.

When are face-to-face meetings preferred over in-person meetings?

In some situations, face-to-face meetings excel virtual ones. They help foster deeper relationships. They streamline complex discussions. Also, they promote camaraderie among team members more immediately. In a nutshell, they prioritise essential human connections, non-verbal communication, and spontaneous interaction. However, virtual meetings outshine face-to-face communication in terms of convenience. That’s why, they prove more effective in contexts where personal interaction is irrelevant, but time is of the essence.