- Bad equipment is more responsible than chaotic conversations for misunderstandings
- One in four say they spend extra time clarifying their points on video call
- AI may have a role but we need the basis of clear video and sound
Danish video conference equipment company Jabra has blamed bad microphones and webcams for poor interactions, leading to reduced productivity, especially among hybrid workers that depend on the technique.
According to the company’s research, one in four workers regularly feels misunderstood due to inadequate communication tools, affecting productivity, well -being and career opportunities.
More than a third (35%) of British knowledge workers agree that poor sound or video quality is blame when it comes to misunderstanding, ranking it even more than chaotic conversations with more people talking about each other.
Bad video and sound quality is bad for productivity
Jabra EMEA NORTH VP and MD Nigel Dunn explained why bad microphones and webcams can be bad for productivity: “Too many British workers are still being detained by sound and video of poor quality expenses for valuable time to clarify conversations, other guess what was said or worse, missing key information.”
Although the speaker may not struggle with the result of bad sound or video himself, 24% agree that they spend extra time clarifying their point, which takes further time.
More than one -fifth (22%) also feel embarrassed or loses confidence after being misunderstood, with 14% in the belief that being misunderstood could make them miss professional opportunities.
Many workers agree that AIS transcription skills can be extremely advantageous post meetings, but despite this recognition, there is still some reluctance where most British workers trust people over AI.
“We need to start with the basics and enable employees to communicate clearly with total confidence that they can be heard exactly, whether to talk to a colleague, a virtual assistant or rely on transcription tools,” Dunn continued.
Although many tech giants have implemented the now-standard three-day work week from the office, and some take it even further by implementing full-time development mandates, hybrid and remote work remain far more widespread than it was before the pandemic. Having effective communication platforms and systems in place is now a must.
