On Hybrid Work 2024: Nureva

Nancy Knowlton, Chief Executive Officer at Nureva
(Image credit: Future)

AVT Question: Please share your insight into trends that will play a role in hybrid workplace culture, space planning, and technologies in 2024.

Thought Leader: Nancy Knowlton, Chief Executive Officer at Nureva

Looking back, it’s easy to see that everyone was scrambling during the pandemic. Action was better than no action. Then, teams were preparing for the inevitable return to the office, outfitting rooms to hold connected meetings. Little time was spent on getting the right products installed—they just had to get something into the rooms.

Post-pandemic, we’re now witnessing a move from continuity to quality. Companies are quietly getting the right tools in place. They’ve moved on from keeping the doors open and business working—continuity—to delivering the right experience—quality.

The key takeaway is that teams are learning and adapting. Everything is better than it was and not as good as it will be." —Nancy Knowlton, Chief Executive Officer at Nureva

My most recent customer visits have all been about replacing under-powered audio systems with more robust systems that can handle the demands of larger spaces. Customers are sometimes a bit sheepish about the choices they made when everyone was scrambling, but they shouldn’t be. The systems now being
replaced can be easily redeployed into spaces somewhere else within the organization—even into offices.

One other trend that is beginning to emerge is the testing and evaluation being done by IT teams. There was a time when virtually everyone would rely on their integrator to design their rooms and make choices about the technology that went into them. Some customers want more control over this selection process. They feel empowered to do this because more products are plug-and-play and certified for Microsoft Teams and other UC&C applications. Where once they might have wanted a full, end-to-end solution from one provider to ensure compatibility, they now can get the best of the best, creating their own solution from the ground up and keeping it refreshed with replaceable components over time.

The key takeaway is that teams are learning and adapting. Everything is better than it was and not as good as it will 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