On Workplace 3.X: CrimsonAV

Will Bear, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at CrimsonAV
(Image credit: Future)

AVT Question: Please share insight and best practices for ensuring meeting equity for all employees and how to deliver the best collaboration experience regardless of location.

Thought Leader: Will Bear, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at CrimsonAV

The corporate meeting space has evolved and expanded beyond the confines of a traditional centralized brick-and-mortar structure. The evolution may be a business with multiple buildings or a flex hybrid work-from-home model. While the pandemic certainly accelerated the adoption of the work-from-anywhere environment, it had already begun to be commonplace. The routine for many was to go into the office, sit at our desks, and when a meeting was called, we gathered in a conference room. Fast forward to the introduction and adoption of video conferencing technologies like Zoom and Teams, where we could now work remotely and still get many of the benefits of face-to-face interactions. 

There is a need for workspace design to consider workflow and comfort. Whether in the office or home, the space needs to be conducive to collaboration and productivity." —Will Bear, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at CrimsonAV

In addition to video conferencing technologies, the onslaught of big data and IoT—where data can be garnered from any device at any time—aided in our ability to decouple from the office as appropriate. To be clear, there is still a need for and tangible benefits of people working in an office, but depending on the company and the job description, it is no longer mandatory. In the work-from-anywhere framework, collaboration and presentation systems take on new meanings. The layout of office space has evolved with huddle spaces near departments. All-in-one presentation systems with interactive whiteboards can be portable and placed on a cart. Wall-mounted displays can be on articulated arms to point in the direction of viewers. Interactive kiosks can be placed in critical employee locations. There is a need for workspace design to consider workflow and comfort. Whether in the office or home, the space needs to be conducive to collaboration and productivity. This takes AV technologies, software, networking, and—yes—mounts and carts, working in tandem to make the work environment the best it can be.

Cindy Davis
Brand and content director of AV Technology

Cindy Davis is the brand and content director of AV Technology (AVT). She was a critical member of the AVT editorial team when the title won the “Best Media Brand” laurel in the 2018 SIIA Jesse H. Neal Awards. Davis moderates several monthly AV/IT roundtables and enjoys facilitating and engaging in deeper conversations about the complex topics shaping the ever-evolving AV/IT industry. She explores the ethos of collaboration, hybrid workplaces, experiential spaces, and artificial intelligence to share with readers. Previously, she developed the TechDecisions brand of content sites for EH Publishing, named one of the “10 Great Business Media Websites” by B2B Media Business magazine. For more than 25 years, Davis has developed and delivered multiplatform content for AV/IT B2B and consumer electronics B2C publications, associations, and companies. A lifelong New Englander, Davis makes time for coastal hikes with her husband, Gary, and their Vizsla rescue, Dixie, sailing on one of Gloucester’s great schooners and sampling local IPAs. Connect with her on LinkedIn