Hybrid work is here, and while C-suites push return-to-office policies, a modern issue has emerged: creating meeting equity for in-person and remote teams. Once upon a time, remote attendees struggled to stay engaged—poor audio, tiny chat screens, and maybe a chance to weigh in…if anyone remembered they were there. But things have flipped. Now, it’s in-room attendees who feel sidelined, often watching their remote counterparts run the show. Hardware and software companies are diving in to bridge this digital divide, bringing more fairness (and fewer missed connections) to everyone, regardless of location.
The Changing Power Dynamics in Hybrid Meetings
The frustration was real—remote workers couldn’t see whiteboards, struggled with poor audio, and often waited to be noticed before they could contribute. Today, the tables have turned: remote participants have the tools and features that leave in-person employees feeling out of the loop. Standard conference room setups make it hard for in-person attendees to see chats, raise virtual hands, or join polls, making them wonder, “Why did I even come into the office today?”
Seating Arrangements for Hybrid Meetings
Creating equitable spaces in hybrid conference rooms starts with seating arrangements. Traditional layouts like boardroom, hollow-square, and roundtable were designed for in-person interactions and can make hybrid meetings challenging. These setups limit visibility and make it hard for in-room and remote attendees to interact, hindering communication and collaboration.
A better approach? Arranging tables and chairs in an arc shape. This setup provides equal “face value,” allowing everyone to be seen clearly by the camera and each other. It ensures that all in-room attendees have a direct view of the screen and one another, making it easier for remote participants to follow along and fostering better engagement and inclusivity.
New Tools for Meeting Equity
To address this imbalance, hardware providers are introducing technology to make remote and in-office participants feel equally included. Here’s what’s new:
- Center-Room Camera Systems: Companies like Logitech, Yealink, and Owl Labs have developed center-room cameras that capture direct shots of active speakers, avoiding awkward side views and syncing audio for clarity.
- Multi-Camera Setups: Providers such as Cisco, Crestron, and Poly offer multi-camera systems that capture every person in the room and use smart software to share the best view with remote participants.
- Intelligent Microphones: Systems from Nureva, Sennheiser, and Shure deliver clear audio, ensuring that even the furthest participant from the mic is heard loud and clear.
- Touch-Enabled Screens: Vendors like Avocor, Microsoft, Cisco, Maxhub, BenQ, and DTEN provide touch-enabled screens that allow both in-room and remote participants to engage with shared content in real-time. These are touchscreen whiteboards—without the markers—connecting people seamlessly.
These hardware advances are further enhanced by AI-driven features like speaker tracking, noise reduction, and audio fencing to reduce disruptions from outside noises.
Software Solutions for Remote Engagement
On the software side, meeting platforms have stepped up to enhance meeting equity. Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom offer “Companion Mode,” allowing in-room participants to join meetings from personal devices to view chat, join polls, and more without causing audio or video issues.
Microsoft’s Front Row and Zoom’s Smart Gallery display chat messages and shared content on the main room screens, helping in-room attendees engage seamlessly. Additionally, framing tools from Google, Microsoft, Webex, and Zoom bring every participant into view, enhancing the shared experience for all.
Virtual Whiteboards & Cloud Capture: Better Options for Hybrid Brainstorming
In hybrid work, why shift away from familiar tools like Teams, Google, or Zoom for a new whiteboarding interface? Virtual whiteboards offer a seamless, cloud-based solution integrated with these platforms, enabling both in-room and remote participants to brainstorm and collaborate in real-time.
Virtual whiteboards function like traditional ones but are accessible across all devices, from touchscreen displays to laptops. Platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom include built-in whiteboarding tools that sync directly with conferencing apps, capturing everyone’s input.
For those who prefer classic whiteboards, cloud-based whiteboard capture can digitize written notes and sketches in real-time, storing them in the cloud and creating organized slides. It also provides transparency views so remote attendees can see clearly, even if someone’s standing in front of the board.
Key Considerations for AV System Decision-Makers
With these new options, IT, AV, and facilities managers face fresh considerations:
- Room-Specific Hardware Solutions: Finding the best fit for different room sizes—small, medium, large, or open spaces—is essential.
- Balancing Hardware vs. Software Capabilities: Maximizing value means balancing hardware functionality with software capabilities.
- Justifying ROI: With touch-enabled screens and AI-driven audio systems available, decision-makers must assess the return on these investments.
With the continuous addition of features, selecting and deploying meeting technology grows more complex. For example, streaming from multiple cameras raises bandwidth and latency concerns. Hardware vendors generally prefer controlling the capture quality, while software vendors focus on managing the display, creating a push-pull that demands attention.
The Road to True Meeting Equity
“Meeting equity” isn’t just an industry buzzword—it’s vital for productive, inclusive collaboration in the hybrid workspace. Achieving it requires embracing new technology and prioritizing usability. Not long ago, people in AV worried that conference room hardware was on the verge of obsolescence. Today, innovation in both hardware and software is revitalizing the space, giving leaders the opportunity to create truly equitable meeting environments.
Creating this standard isn’t just about gadgets; it’s about rethinking how we connect and collaborate. Understanding the tools, investing in the right solutions, and thoughtfully integrating them into workspaces will transform your workplace into a dynamic, inclusive, and productive space—whether people are five feet away or five time zones apart.
Ready to elevate your meeting spaces for true hybrid equity? Let’s connect to explore solutions that suit your organization’s unique needs. Contact us at www.avitsecuritygroup.com today to start building an inclusive, high-impact meeting experience for all your teams.