A recent survey reveals significant gaps in the optimization of hybrid office spaces, challenging enterprise-level brands.
- 65% of enterprises acknowledge that their current office setups are not suitable for hybrid working, highlighting a major organizational challenge.
- Despite this, 66% of companies are attempting to encourage employees to return to the office, at least part-time.
- Communication complexities and outdated technologies are identified as key obstacles in achieving effective hybrid work environments.
- Initiatives are underway to invest in advanced technology and analytics to enhance productivity and employee satisfaction.
A substantial portion of enterprises, precisely 65%, have conceded that their current office infrastructures are ill-suited for hybrid working models. This statistic underlines a pressing issue within enterprise-level organizations, as they strive to adapt to new work patterns that blend remote and in-office duties.
Interestingly, while a significant number of companies, 66%, are keen on bringing staff back into the office, there remains a disconnect between aspiration and reality. This drive to reintegrate employees physically contradicts the current inefficiencies in office setups and signals a need for strategic adjustments.
The survey, conducted by Kinly for its Trusted Connections 2024 report, garnered insights from 425 AV professionals across major brands in regions including the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and the Nordics. These insights point to communication complexities and the prevalence of outdated audiovisual (AV) technologies as core challenges in seamless hybrid operations, with 28% of enterprises naming communication as a primary hurdle.
Additionally, over half of the respondents flagged inadequate hybrid workflows (57%) and obsolete AV technologies (58%) as detrimental to team productivity. This highlights a critical area for improvement, suggesting enterprises must prioritize upgrades to facilitate efficient hybrid working environments.
In response to these challenges, companies are channeling investments towards hybrid technology. Specifically, a third of the respondents indicated intentions to enhance remote support and management capabilities, while 33% plan to implement unified communication and collaboration software, and another 33% focus on upgrading in-office hybrid meeting spaces.
A notable barrier to optimizing hybrid work remains the insufficient access to analytical data regarding working practices. About 26% of the professionals surveyed cited this lack as a significant obstacle to meeting organizational goals such as boosting efficiency (61%) and productivity (58%).
To address this, a proactive approach is being adopted, with 33% of respondents already investing in analytics platforms for remote work and 29% focusing on in-office analytics solutions.
Simon Watson, Kinly’s Head of Innovation, remarked on the situation, stating: ‘Calling employees back to the office is not a solution to poor hybrid working practices. If anything, it could make things worse.’ He emphasized that effective hybrid work depends on harmonizing technology at home and in-office to provide a consistent employee experience.
Real-world outcomes validate this approach, as enterprises that have implemented AV transformations in the past year reported impressive gains: a 42% increase in productivity, efficiency, and a 37% rise in staff retention.
Investments in technology and analytics are crucial to overcoming the challenges of hybrid working and achieving desired organizational outcomes.
