In the modern workplace where team members are connecting from the office, home, and everywhere in between, collaboration is key. Hybrid meeting spaces should inspire productivity and innovation—not stifle it. While meeting fatigue is nothing new, it has certainly grown since the workforce dramatically shifted in 2020. However, we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief as there may be a reprieve in sight. As innovators continue to discover new applications for AI powered meetings, the technology is poised to reshape the meeting experience and liberate us from unproductive meeting cycles of the past.
Combating Meeting Fatigue
Meeting fatigue is pervasive as 67% of US employees say they grapple with the burden of excessive meetings that hinder productivity1. Although remote and hybrid work environments have greatly contributed to improved employee well-being, they’ve exacerbated this particular challenge, necessitating new solutions that increase meeting engagement. Enter AI, armed not only with the power to enhance meeting efficiency but to instill purposeful engagement to eradicate meeting fatigue.
Prioritizing Solutions to Alleviate Meeting Fatigue
Organizations are at a crossroads, tasked with redefining virtual and physical meeting spaces to enhance engagement and fuel in-person collaboration. Bottom line, traditional approaches and even those that we’ve relied on in recent years aren’t necessarily going to be the most effective in today’s modern workplace. AI offers a dynamic and transformative solution, transcending the limitations of conventional collaboration tools.
- Intelligent Automation: AI's prowess lies in the automation of routine tasks that consume valuable meeting time and can decrease overall meeting productivity. Imagine walking into a space and the room begins the meeting for you, opening the conferencing platform for hybrid attendees, pulls up the meeting deck and materials, and asks to record. With Microsoft’s Surface Hub collaboration device paired with Teams and its Copilot capabilities, it will take notes throughout the meeting, track tasks and assignments, and even deliver a post-meeting report to all participants.
- Personalization and Engagement: With new AI capabilities, you can tailor meeting experiences to ensure maximum engagement in the conversation. For instance, Crestron’s advanced portfolio of intelligent video solutions uses automatic dynamic camera switching and voice-activated speaker tracking to help direct attention appropriately throughout the conversation as speakers change. Moreover, AI can gauge attendee engagement and offer adjustments that foster inclusivity, keeping everyone involved and energized in the discussion.
- Streamlined Agendas: An effective meeting agenda helps keep participants focused for a more productive conversation. AI-powered tools add an extra layer of historical intelligence by analyzing past meeting data to optimize future agendas. By identifying critical topics and contributors, it’s easier to reduce redundancy while prioritizing relevant, purpose-driven, and efficient collaboration that keeps the group moving forward towards their goals.
Training for Seamless AI Adoption
While the concept of AI in meetings is exciting, and even a stress reducer for some, it is still just technology—a tool that requires training and understanding. It will only be as useful as the person who understands it the least. The future of AI necessitates a cultural shift and the cultivation of new skills. Not only should teams address the pivotal question of AI as friend or foe, but it should also contextualize its best applications across their organizations. The ultimate effectiveness of leveraging AI in any technology strategy is dependent on the needs of the individual and how comfortable they are using it.
- Demystifying AI: Training programs must simplify AI to alleviate intimidation. It’s not there to replace people but to augment their experience. With the proper understanding of AI's role as a collaborative tool that enhances human capabilities, it can foster a positive perspective, new thinking, and a sense of partnership.
- Job-Specific Applications: Emphasize the overall practicality of AI. By showcasing how AI streamlines the more mundane tasks and amplifies meeting efficiency, employees can better understand and appreciate the tangible benefits to their daily routine.
- Embracing Change: Change is one of the few constants that will forever define the human existence. It’s ubiquitous and inevitable. Yet, it feels as though every step of the way, we commonly resist change, favoring what we know more than what we could know. Overcoming the fear of the unknown involves fostering a culture that not only accepts but actively embraces change. Organizations that encourage employees to explore AI's potential to enrich their work experiences will witness AI partnerships that enhance, not diminish, human capabilities.
Looking to the Future
There’s no doubt that a brighter, less fatiguing meeting experience is on the horizon as AI’s capabilities and presence in the workplace continues to grow. However, ensuring a smooth cultural transformation within the organization is just as crucial, if not more so, than the technology shift itself.
- Seamless Integration: The future promises seamless integration of AI into the existing meeting ecosystem where technology fosters a more fulfilling work culture. Effortless and enhanced communication afforded by AI will create a more unified environment that maximizes productivity and creativity.
- Invisible Technologies: As AI continues to evolve, the technology will become almost imperceptible in the workplace. Imagine having Microsoft Copilot, and other smart devices everywhere as your always ready office assistant, keeping your day moving effortlessly by making tasks like starting meetings a natural part of the workflow without disruptions.
- Physical Space Transformation: AI's influence will reshape physical meeting spaces and further remove hybrid boundaries. Traditional conference rooms are being reimagined as dynamic, purpose-built environments that bring together teams from everywhere, promoting collaboration and innovation.
Intrigued by the future of AI and the new possibilities it can unlock for your organization? Diversified and our industry leading partners help organizations prioritize, implement and adopt AI at any scale to eliminate meeting fatigue and enhance productivity. Together, we can pave the way for a future where meetings bring new connections and energy to the work experience. Through targeted training efforts, employees can seamlessly adopt new meeting habits powered by AI, creating a workplace where technology emphasizes human potential rather than overshadowing it. The future is a technological landscape where AI is an ally, fostering an environment where all can flourish and thrive. Are you ready?
1 Korn Ferry, “Working or Wasting Time,” November 13, 2019.
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