Commercial Integrator June 2022 - 39

C llab rati n
TODAY and TOMORROW
remote worker " watching TV or playing video games instead of
working, we heard about " video fatigue " and people working
too much and risking burnout.
Working remotely also opened the possibility of living anywhere
that was desired based on criteria other than commute
distance. Maybe I'd like to be in a quiet neighborhood or a
bustling one. Maybe I'd like to live near relatives or religious
institutions or where the property better suited my family's
needs. All of that became possible without impacting for
whom I worked.
Amazingly, even back then, the tools existed to support this
remote working. Instant messaging platforms replaced the
" Hey, do you have a second? " office peek-ins. Videoconferencing
replaced the conference room. Shared servers replaced filing
cabinets. Then, later on, entire technology suites optimized
for work from anywhere were released, and these enabled true
document collaboration alongside collaborative audiovisual
communications. We had everything we needed to enable this
cost-saving, and soul-saving, model of working.
A 12-Step List of Considerations
With my more than a decade of experience of remote working,
I've learned a few lessons about how to use the technology
to one's best advantage. At CEDIA 2021, I created (another)
12-step list to create the perfect work-from-home experience.
Every one of them is not for every individual. Sometimes, one
simply doesn't have the space. It is, however, a great checklist
to use as one sets up a home office:
1.
Pick a Dedicated Location: It is important for the knowledge
worker's mindset to have a " place to go to " that
subconsciously tells family, pets...and themselves that they are
" at work " . In some cases, this is obviously not possible, but it
should be the target state for everyone.
2.
Ensure There's Enough Bandwidth for All: Once
you've committed to the idea that your home will often
be your place of work, then you need to make sure there
is enough bandwidth for everyone that may be online at
the same time. I'm frankly stunned that the industry hasn't
already published guideline for employees, college students,
grade-school students, preschoolers, etc. As a basic
guideline, you should have at least 15Mbps up and down
per person who might be online from your residence at any
time. Personally, I'd feel more comfortable with 25Mbps per
person of any age.
3.
Have a Roomy Desk: Whether it is a sit-down desk or
one that allows you to stand while working, make sure
you have a surface area that not only holds all the needed gear
but also gives you room to lay out any papers or devices that
you may need to look at during the course of a day.
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4.
Get a Great Camera: When you're actually mobile (for
example, sitting in your yard, at a park or on a train) then
the built-in camera in your mobile device is sufficient. However,
when you're at your home office, get a high-quality external
camera. Clients, coworkers and supervisors are human and
cannot avoid the human nature of judging you based on the
quality of your image. An external camera can be set at the
optimal height (eye level) independently of any screen it is attached
to. If you get a really good one, it will also produce clearer
pictures and truer colors. If you work for a large enterprise,
make sure you check with them before purchasing one. Many
firms provide cameras that are within their standards and can
be remotely updated and diagnosed if there are problems.
5.
6.
Look at the Camera: There is a difference between
looking at the people you are speaking with on your display
and looking instead at the camera. At least when you are
speaking, look directly into the camera. I realize it is counterintuitive
- as you want to see the people you are speaking with
- but to the people on the other end, it makes you appear to
be looking at them in the eyes. It creates an essential subconscious
feeling of trust, just as not looking into their eyes
creates a feeling of mistrust.
Get More Than One Great Audio Device: There will be
times when you will want to wear a headset in your home
office - like when you don't want other people to hear or when
there is noise that is distracting (nearby construction, vacuuming,
gardening, etc.) There will also be times that you don't want
to wear a headset. Good hands-free systems provide sound
good and will prevent any unwanted noises (typing, pets) from
reaching the other end of the call. Whatever you do, don't use
the earbuds that came with your mobile device. Again, you're
not mobile, and in addition, it makes you look unprofessional.
7.
Use Dedicated Lighting: Great video is created through
illumination using a process that is known as three-point
lighting. There are many online documents and master classes
on how to get lighting right. For your home office, it is important
to realize that while you should definitely use this process, you
don't need to invest in expensive video lights or the now ubiquitous
ring lights. Online merchants sell many lamps that cost
only about $30 and are both dimmable and color-temperature
adjustable. Color temperature is also an important topic with
plenty of online education, but at a high level, make sure all light
sources match each other (either daylight at ~5200 degrees or
indoor lighting, historically called " tungsten, " at ~3200 degrees.)
8.
Use More Than One Display: When you work remotely
you will often be on video calls and need to share
content. That means, at a minimum, you will need to see both
your personal computer screen and share another computer
JUNE 2022 Commercial Integrator 39
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Commercial Integrator June 2022

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