November 11, Dubai, UAE –The world is coming out of the clutches of Covid19 and heading back to offices but the perceptions of working from a brick-and-mortar dedicated office environment have taken a paradigm shift.
The changing dynamics and flexibility offered from a hybrid work system has forced people to think and reimagine ways. One such casual talk over a cup of coffee between two ladies has turned into an impressive collaboration of world’s best tech companies with one of the most traditional furniture companies in Europe.
Initiated by the resultant brainchild – claimed to be the world’s first true Hybrid Work Experience Center (HWEC) – has emerged first in the Dubai Design District, where Bene’s regional hub in the Middle East showcased it for the media before opening it up for the public ahead of the Dubai Design Week.
The HWEC is an initiative that brings together the best-of-breed technology partners in a collaboration of nine vendors and two distributors. “Our research shows that 68% of employees believe their ideal work week includes both working from home and the office, which means changing the way we conduct meetings,” said Abraham Mammen, Jabra’s Director of Intelligent Video Systems EMEA EAST. “With more meetings including online participation, a redesign of physical meeting rooms both from a technology and furniture standpoint is essential, to ensure equity for both online and in-room participants.”
The thought process behind HWEC is not just limited to a fancier, integrated and customized solution for physical comfort, as Mr Mammen told Dubai Tech News. “In Zoom calls, everyone is in a different space; even if you are in the same meeting room while chatting with someone at, say, his or her home.
“With Intelligent audio- and video-conferencing solutions, we have tried to create the perfect “new normal” office for the hybrid workforce. As far as our research goes, this is the first such thing to happen in the world and we are proud it has happened in Dubai.”
While all the technology powerhouses had no qualms getting together to offer the best of choice from an end-consumer point of view, the consumer’s requirements have evolved on multiple fronts, both in hardware and software. “Every environment has an influence on how we work: Bene provides flexible workspace solutions for the office and home, in which hybrid teams can collaborate, while enjoying the freedom of working remotely,” said Patrick Toifl, the Bene sales manager for MENA region.
The partners and the kind of technology they bring to the table can be shortly listed under an umbrella theme of ‘Meet, Inspire, Design’ as below:
- Bene Workplace Furniture – with NOOXS modular partitioning, PORTS Storage, DOCKLANDS docks in lounges, PIXEL project spaces, etc
- Microsoft Teams Room System – for video conferencing solutions
- Jabra PanaCast 50, the intelligent video bar built with three 13-megapixel cameras to cover every part of the room. It has a patented real-time video stitching technology.
- Lenovo Thinksmart core+ Controller – adds smaller collaboration technology and adding software enhancements
- ScreenBeam® wireless collaboration – platform connects devices to displays and room peripherals for content sharing.
- ONELAN Room Reservameeting room signage solution
- Jupiter Pana Screens – An 8-foot-wide 21:9 ultra-wide 5K resolution canvas screen display give a front-row feel to video conferencing.
- SHARP/NEC Screens – link devices and connectivity through accessories and integrated IoT sensors such as the MultiSync WD551.
- Nureva Wireless Sharing System – fills rooms with virtual microphones to pick up audio from every corner, besides the Teams-certified HDL300 system for large rooms, a first by Microsoft.
- (DT) Dutco Tennantand Vega will be the distributors
