The workspace is not what it used to be – it has evolved. And for that reason the meeting rooms need to transform too. We are used to gray meeting rooms and standard meeting structures where people share a couple of presentation slides and at the end, answer questions. But, do we really expect this way of working to prevail in 2016?
With a big rise in collaborative spaces, the common meeting is changing and so are the expectations of people.
Collaborative working is using the right tools to communicate, share and develop projects in a more strategic and efficient method. In order to achieve a ‘collaboration state‘, companies need to provide spaces that encourage employees to become participants and not just attendees.
It’s becoming more common to see companies incorporating collaborative tools in the workplace, like communications and sharing platforms. However, this is not enough. Employees are feeling more comfortable using new technologies in the office, but these aren’t necessarily improving the way they meet, brainstorm and present their work.
Future meeting rooms will become places for external clients and private events. Everyday meetings will be hosted in collaboration spaces where participants can book spaces themselves using room booking software. In addition, collaborative spaces need to be designed in a way that motivates and inspires participants to be creative, share and engage with each other. This new way of working promotes brainstorming and openness helping to create agile organizations.
So, we should ask ourselves: how can we be part of this new way of working and how can we encourage this change in our workplace?
