This is how Microsoft revolutionizes work meetings with The Hive

In the early years, the big meetings at Microsoft – like those all-hands gatherings and other big events – were somewhat one-way affairs. If you were calling in from afar, the experience might feel more akin to peering through a small window as an outsider rather than being fully included in team dynamics.

But today, it’s different. In The Hive, a special meeting room laboratory belonging to Microsoft, future collaborative and inclusive meetings will be developed. This is where transformation occurs—changing an ordinary meeting room into an equally friendly and efficient environment for people participating from different places as those physically present in the area.

The Hive is not just a fun idea; it points toward a genuine need in the age of hybrid work. As the COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to start working from home, the significance of making each participant feel involved regardless of their place has increased greatly.

Microsoft’s Teams Rooms platform plays an essential role in this change, assuring that technology supports the flexibility to work from anywhere instead of blocks.

However, the problem was not just about smaller rooms. The main difficulty involved bigger spaces where events with many participants were held. In past times, these locations did not involve remote attendees well, and they would appear as small figures on a screen – almost invisible. It was clear that minor tweaks wouldn’t cut it; a complete overhaul was necessary.

The Hive team rolled up their sleeves and started from scratch again with these big spaces. They didn’t just make do using current technology; instead, they invented fresh answers to guarantee that each participant feels involved and appreciated, whether they are dialing in from home or sitting in the third row of a conference hall.

Creating audio and video for areas not initially planned for hybrid meetings posed various problems. However, the team steadfastly made the meeting more comprehensive and interactive for everyone involved.

They tried various arrangements, smashing and reconstructing their prototypes to achieve an ideal equilibrium between the requirements of participants far away and those in the room.

The results of The Hive’s actions are shown below. They have created meeting spaces that give everyone a sense of being involved, regardless of where they are. Multiple cameras have been set up in these areas to capture the room’s energy and ensure those participating remotely no longer feel like they’re forgotten. This is a big move towards making hybrid meetings feasible and fun for all participants.

However, the story doesn’t conclude with this. The Hive keeps working on its designs, utilizing input from actual usage scenarios to enhance and perfect the meeting experience.

Microsoft’s experience with The Hive teaches us one thing: In the hybrid work era, inclusivity is a luxury and crucial. The Redmond-based tech giant demonstrated this with the new Intelligent shared spaces.