Commercial Integrator October 2022 - 14

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PERFECTING YOUR CRAFT
Meeting Workers Where They Are
Companies are pivoting in response to societal changes and worker demands. Here, we explore
what, exactly, today's team members find compelling. By Alesia Hendley
ONE THING THAT OUR INDUSTRY loves
to do is debate. At times, it feels like I have
a front-row seat to the world debating
championship. We debate about technology;
we debate how the technology can be
used; and we debate about which market
should and shouldn't use which technology.
Everything is an ongoing debate! If nothing
else, it keeps the Twitter and LinkedIn
feeds pretty lively.
One topic that's still being debated -
and that probably will for many years to
come - is whether to work from home.
And, with just one statement, Malcolm
Gladwell turned up the heat on that
conversation. Yes, working from home has
become more of a permanent thing than
many believed it would ever be. However,
in my opinion, the debate shouldn't actually
be about whether to return to the office.
Instead, I would argue, our industry should
shift its focus to meeting equity, regardless
of where people choose to work.
But whatever the parameters of the
debate might be, one fact is indisputable:
The workplace, as we once knew it, has
completely changed.
Aiding in Communication,
Telling Better Stories
Some employers have chosen to go
completely remote, with many offering
the option to work from anywhere.
Some companies have chosen to bring
all employees back into the office. Most
companies, however, have enacted a hybrid
model - for example, two days in the
office and three days at home. Today, your
client base might represent one or many of
these working models. Regardless of those
variables, it's our industry's job to provide
solutions that help people communicate
and tell stories better. Yet, with so much
change within just the last two-and-a-half
years, many people are asking themselves
a difficult question: How do we grow and
14
The debate in our industry shouldn't be about whether to return to the office;
instead, our industry should actually shift its focus to achieving meeting equity.
continue to develop in the unknown?
Jupiter Systems' Justin Shong, vice
president of global sales and marketing,
as well as general manager, Americas, has
been actively navigating the changes in
the enterprise workplace. It's his job, after
all, to keep his finger on the pulse of the
market and find creative ways to utilize the
company's portfolio of solutions.
If employers can make
employees want to be
there, workers will be
more productive and
enjoy higher morale.
" We've seen that the enterprise workplace
has become analogous to the library
at school, " Shong opines. " The purpose of
the workplace is to meet, collaborate, ideate
and do things with your peers in your
work groups or with complementary work
Commercial Integrator OCTOBER 2022
groups. " Then, he adds, you go home to
do your individual work. Shong continues,
citing a parallel trend - workers becoming
more demanding of their companies. This
manifests itself on the metrics of scheduling,
work-life balance and having the tools
to be more productive. Aligning with that
trend, the office must now be a place to
which we entice workers to come. It's no
longer practical to " order " employees to
come to the office from 8am to 5pm, Monday
through Friday.
If companies want to make their office
environments more valuable and enticing
for workers, they can populate those
spaces with new tools. If employers can
make employees want to be there, workers
will be more productive and enjoy higher
morale. From Shong's point of view, Jupiter
systems have empowered clients to give
their team members a better and more immersive
way to work. In particular, he cites
the company's eye-catching 21:9 displays.
As cool as these technologies are,
though, providing the right tools is only half
the battle. There's more to consider.
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Commercial Integrator October 2022

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