Sharp is helping to optimise every working environment

Businesses are still investing time and money on bringing teams together, but in the current unprecedented circumstances the environment has changed, with many more of us working from home. 

Sharp’s research has found that the average European worker spends around 25 hours per month in meetings. This number has surely increased during the current pandemic, as remote working is sparking a surge in video meetings to help colleagues stay in touch. 

Studies have repeatedly shown that uncomfortable environmental conditions can negatively affect performance in the office and meeting rooms, and this is no different in our home workspaces. This provides a strong business case to control and adapt these conditions to boost productivity and performance in meetings.

At Sharp, we explored this further with our report into meeting room environments with behavioural psychologist Nigel Oseland. The research found that environmental factors can have a significant effect on employees’ productivity – for example, businesses could improve worker performance by up to 20 per cent simply by increasing the fresh air supply in workplaces. In addition, 20-25C was shown to be the ideal working temperature. Good lighting was also found to improve performance by up to 15 per cent.

As our research shows, few factors are more important to maintain concentration than access to fresh air, natural light and a comfortable temperature – which can be a challenge for many. Business leaders can support their teams through these times by making remote workers aware of the impact of environmental factors on productivity and serving constant reminders that treating the home like a workplace extends to these three factors too.

As staff start returning to the office over the next few months, the Windows collaboration display will allow them to monitor environmental conditions such as temperature, light, carbon dioxide levels and meeting room occupancy through its advanced internet of things sensor unit, feeding back to the Azure Digital Twins platform. From here, Sharp’s new subscription service, Workspaces, provides insight into how meeting space is really being used, helping facilities managers to monitor workspaces and ensure optimal working conditions. 

This subscription service unlocks the true power of the Windows collaboration display, turning regular office environments into smart meeting spaces. When combined with Microsoft Teams it will be a key tool in returning to work, keeping remote and on-site workers connected. 

Chris Parker is senior product manager at Sharp

This article was originally published in the Summer 2020 issue of The Record. To get future issues delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for a free subscription.