THE NEW NORMAL FOR ON-PREMISE AND REMOTE GOVERNMENT MEETINGS

What does the new normal look like for local government organizations? Although in many parts of the world more and more workers are returning to the office, many people believe that the massive shift to remote working we’ve seen over the past few months is here to stay. At the same time, returning office-based workers expect to be accommodated in safe spaces, reconfigured to manage social distancing requirements. 

In all of this, what will remain ‘normal’ is the need for local government to keep on serving local communities. Meetings will continue to take place. Debating, decision-making and voting on local matters will carry on. And this demands collaborative working between both remote and office-based employees and councillors. 

However, research conducted on behalf of Shure (before lockdown) cited poor audio quality in meeting rooms as a big frustration for workers taking part in virtual meetings.  Respondents listed background noise, echoes, only hearing partial pieces of speech and side conversations among their primary frustrations. This can no longer be tolerated if the new normal in Local government is a combination of both remote and on-premise meetings.  

Conferencing Systems Anywhere – with Crystal Clear Collaboration 

People working from home want to feel as if they are part of the bigger picture. So, what’s needed in this scenario? 

• Employees, delegates, or other participants must be able to join the meeting while working remotely. 
• Meetings conducted from multiple locations, in both local government buildings and from employees’ homes, should appear as if they are a single event. 
• Remote simultaneous interpretation needs to deliver multiple translations clearly and reliably – whether participants are in transit, at home, or at their workplace. 
• Inherent security and confidentiality, with audio encryption, is essential to safeguard meeting content. 
• Meeting management tools must maintain the democratic process and procedures, no matter the location. 

That’s not all. Regardless of the scenario or remote/on-premise setup needed now and in the near future, collaborative local government working requires conferencing system technology that enables seamless communication for everyone involved. And this ultimately demands integration capabilities with a range of partner solutions.  

There’s clearly a lot to think about. But as combined remote and on-premise meetings continue to be part of Local government life, a flawless sound experience, from anywhere, must become the new normal.  

Find out more about Shure’s collaboration and conferencing solutions for Local government organizations.