The future of video conferencing
EnterpriseHybrid WorkingLauncher

What does the future of video-conferencing look like in the new hybrid world?

Julie Adams Apr 22, 2022

If you were to skip to the future and ask someone to summarize cultural themes of the last two years, chances are that ‘Zoom,’ ‘COVID,’ and ‘hybrid working’ would get a mention. In fact, two of these terms made it to the Google Top 5 Search Trends of 2020:

  1. Coronavirus
  2. Election results
  3. Kobe Bryant
  4. Zoom
  5. IPL

Video-conferencing is by no means new technology; its initial use dates back as early as 1964. Back then, a three-minute AT&T Picturebooth call from NY to Chicago would have set you back $255. Technology has come a long way since then. Even before the pandemic, video calls were part of our daily routine. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global video conferencing market was worth $5.32 billion in 2019, and it’s estimated to grow to $10.92 billion by 2027.

But as schools, offices, and entire countries went into a global, mandatory lockdown back in March 2020, video-conferencing became the sole means of communicating with our families, friends, and co-workers. Zoom seized this opportunity. With an easy-to-use interface and support for up to 100 participants – it rapidly became the new default place for social activities that could no longer happen IRL.

Fast-forward to 2022, and most of us have returned to the office, but not quite in the same manner as before. The pandemic catalyzed a seismic shift in working patterns, resulting in a hybrid-first approach for many organizations. Unsurprisingly, video calls are a staple of this, supporting an evolved form of meeting – the hybrid meeting.

We take a look at how the pandemic changed our working behavior, and what the future holds for video conferencing in this new era of ‘hybrid-first’ working.

Covid transformed workplace culture for good

A sudden ‘pause’ on life in March 2020 raised a magnifying glass to the way we had been working. Many of us were caught in a hamster wheel of non-stop meetings, engagements, and stimulation. Suddenly, with fewer commitments and nowhere to be, we used the extra time to focus on the people and things we loved.

As we continued to do our jobs as usual, there was a mass realization that the Monday-to-Friday grind wasn’t the only way to do things, which might explain the 77% of employees asking for more flexibility in the post-COVID workplace.

This has translated to more flexible and permanent remote working policies in many organizations. Global companies like Unilever, Netflix, and Google have already pledged their commitment to permanent remote working. Still, for this transition to become the new standard, infrastructure needs to be created to support the new working habits that come with ‘hybrid working.’ Video-conferencing capabilities will become a necessity in meeting spaces, and technology will ultimately facilitate this.

There is no ‘one unified’ solution

The video market is an ever-growing but fragmented market. In May 2020, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet surpassed 50 million downloads. Video-conferencing interoperability has become a hot topic by extension of the explosion of online communication in the past two years.

Definition: in short – interoperability refers to the unrestricted sharing of resources between different systems.

A lack of interoperability in video-conferencing means technical issues and rigidity when communicating with those on different platforms. The big UC companies have picked up on this: namely Teams and Zoom. You can now launch a Zoom call from a Teams Room – but with a myriad of other video-conferencing platforms out there, we’re still not seeing full interoperability the way we’d like to.

The reality is that there will never be ‘one platform.’ Just as there isn’t one unified email provider or CRM. Of course, a few big players will always dominate the landscape, but there will always be variety and choice. Webex, Zoom, Teams, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting…different people will choose different solutions.

Historically many businesses have said, ‘we use this platform, and therefore everyone should use this platform.’ However, in today’s climate, adaptability is essential. An inflexible attitude to technology works against adaptability. Instead of resisting the ‘other’ platforms out there, businesses should embrace the diversity and create ‘interoperable meeting spaces’ where any type of call can be made.

With Launcher meeting room software, you can walk into any UC-equipped meeting room and instantly launch your calls. With Launcher installed on your meeting room display, your meeting spaces can accommodate whatever video-conferencing software your teams or clients prefer to use: Webex, Zoom, Teams, GoToMeeting, BlueJeans, Skype for Business, Lifesize.

Cameras Off

People are starting to realize that video calls aren’t a substitute for real, face-to-face conversations. Video-conferencing is a temporary fix to our current environment, not a long-term solution. The new phenomenon of ‘Zoom fatigue’ is also leaving many of us reluctant to accept meeting requests. We’re starting to apply the same rules we used in the office. ‘Does this warrant a video call, or is an email or phone call sufficient?’ If the answer is no, then your and your colleague’s time may be better spent otherwise.

Companies may decide to adopt more home-working going forward, but the reality is that in-person meetings will continue to be a staple of the workplace. Pixels on a screen can’t substitute for the social and organizational benefits of getting together and talking things through.

And if you needed any more convincing to normalize “cameras off” during zoom meetings – research has found that one hour of videoconferencing emits 150-1000 grams of carbon dioxide, requires between 2-12 liters of water.

From BYOD to BYOM

BYOM (Bring Your Own Meeting) is a relatively new term that we discuss in one of our previous blogs. BYOM leverages and builds upon the foundations of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) in that employees can use the tools they are comfortable and familiar with.

BYOM reverses the historical narrative of technology in the workplace – tech no longer controls the meeting; you do.

For video calls, this means that you have the flexibility to launch calls across multiple video platforms. Teams from Zoom, Zoom from Teams, Webex, BlueJeans – you decide. Meeting attendees can share content from the comfort of their own seats using their personal devices. Gone will be the days of a single person standing at the front of the room dictating to the room; meetings will become more inclusive and accessible – less monologue, more dialogue.

However, for this to happen, meeting rooms and collaboration spaces needed to be BYOM-enabled – this means rooms that are equipped for easy screen sharing – whatever device you’re using.

A group of colleagues using Launcher in a meeting room

Launcher meeting room software lets you can walk into any meeting room and launch your calls with ease – regardless of what video platform you’re usong. Launcher is installed on the meeting room display and provides shortcuts to the most frequently used apps. Its simple, user-friendly design replicates a similar experience on the meeting room screen that users are used to on their personal devices. Your meeting rooms are interoperable, user-friendly, and hybrid ready.

Get more out of your meeting rooms

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