The new year often brings with it a sense of a fresh start, and has many of us looking to improve our wellbeing, either physically or mentally. Whilst most businesses understand the importance of an inclusive workplace, when it comes to employee wellbeing programmes, inclusion is often overlooked.
The Business Disability Forum’s Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey 2023 found that disabled people face a number of disability-related barriers at work, limited career and development opportunities and inaccessibility of programs and initiatives intended to support wellbeing. It’s therefore of great importance for businesses to make improvements to ensure all staff are offered equal opportunities and support for their wellbeing.
One way businesses can make improvements in the workplace to offer these opportunities is to implement audio visual (AV) technology solutions and use these to their full advantage.
What is AV technology?
AV technology incorporates a wide range of technology such as displays, microphones, speakers and cameras – in fact, most of the technology that’s used for meetings in a typical office falls under the AV umbrella. There’s a strong chance AV technology is already being used in many workplaces, but not to its full potential.
How can inclusive AV technology boost employee wellbeing?
Effective training and development can be delivered to all
Whether used for in-person or remote training, AV solutions, such as lecture capture systems and video conferencing systems, can be used to deliver e-learning courses and allow businesses to offer interactive and engaging training sessions. E-learning courses can be tailored to be fully accessible and include necessary adjustments to meet the needs of every employee.
The Research Institute of America found that e-learning increases knowledge retention rates from 25% to 60%. It’s this effective training that leads to greater job satisfaction for employees and that can help reduce stress within the workplace by giving them the skills needed to feel confident in their roles.
This training also contributes to professional growth which can assist with keeping job satisfaction and staff retention levels high – a recent survey by Monster found that 45% of employees are more likely to stay in their roles if they receive training.
Flexible working environments can be offered to contribute to a better work-life balance
In the hybrid-working world, companies who have implemented audio visual technology to allow their employees to successfully and efficiently work remotely can offer their staff a better work-life balance.
The Office for National Statistics revealed that hybrid workers saved an average of 56 minutes a day by not having to commute, which they then use for rest, exercise and other wellbeing activities.
In terms of inclusivity, this ability to use AV technology to work flexibly opens roles to those who may previously have had to turn them down. Employees with caring responsibilities outside of work can now be at home when needed, allowing them to care for their families as well as work. The ONS data supports this, stating that parents were more likely to hybrid work. This flexibility encourages diversity and inclusivity in the workplace, with people from all walks of life being able to be part of the workforce.
Encouraging a supportive workplace culture
AV technology is easily adaptable and can support a range of accessibility features such as closed captions, intuitive navigation and adjustable contrast, which cater to a wide range of employee needs.
Utilising AV correctly ensures that the workplace is inclusive for all employees and that it is a space where everyone feels they are supported.
Using accessibility features for AV technology can assist with communication between employees. Good workplace communication is vital, not just for productivity, but to ensure employees are stress-free and avoid burnout. Grammarly’s 2024 State of Business Communication Report revealed that 51% of workers surveyed say that issues with communication in the workplace contribute to increased stress.
It’s not just AV for communication that can help with inclusivity and wellbeing. Sound masking, an AV solution that helps to reduce the perception of sound in an office, can be particularly useful for those who find noisy environments uncomfortable and overwhelming, which can be common for those who are neurodiverse – in the UK it is estimated that more than 15% of the workforce sits under this category.7
All of these adaptable technologies assist a business in growing a supportive workplace culture.
Ultimately AV technology can be a really useful tool for ensuring business offer inclusivity. Implementing simple changes to AV systems like switching on live captions for online meetings or using AV for bettering existing processes like training programmes, can really make a difference to how supported employees feel and their overall wellbeing.
Happy and healthy employees stay with businesses longer and are more productive at work, so it’s a win-win for both employees and their employers to work on inclusive wellbeing.
Mark has 27 years of experience in the audio visual industry and has spent his decades-spanning career working closely with integrators and representing manufacturers. Currently based in North East England, Mark provides AV solutions to a range of corporate, education and local authority customers.
