WebEx-pectations – Are We Still Zooming Into The Future Of Work?

When we started ThinkersOne, it was clear to us that the use of video and video chat tools in meetings was a permanent change.

This has come to pass.
I don’t know what we call “work” these days, but it’s more of a hybrid model than ever before.
Not for everyone… but for a much larger percentage of the population.
Business travel seems to be coming back.

The rules of work are changing.

With that, it seems (no scientific data here) that people are shifting back to voice-only calls when possible (usually for one-to-one meetings).
If we were getting Zoom’d out during the pandemic…
We might be feeling it even more now.
Video chat tools like Zoom, Teams, WebEx, etc. promised to change the way we work.
This week, The Verge published this article:

The video call revolution is dead.

The promise of what could be with video and work has not evolved.

According to the article:

“Three years ago, video chat appeared set to revolutionize the way we work. All we actually got was slightly better video chat… the actual experience of video chat is maybe in its most boring state ever. Now that many people are gathering as they did before the pandemic started (even Zoom is demanding that some employees come back to the office), the market is largely run by tech giants and the pace of new and interesting features has slowed to practically nothing. This is the case with many tech changes brought on by the pandemic, but video was supposed to be the one that stuck around.”

So, is it really about a stagnant technology or the content that takes place in the meeting?

It’s probably a little bit of both.
It’s hard to deny just how much video technology helped us with work, family and friends (and continues to do so).
The digital connections video meetings fostered were essential, bridging geographical gaps in business, education, and personal relationships.

Maybe The Verge and others are misjudging the situation?

Maybe the perceived stagnation reflects maturation rather than failure.
Though the industry’s evolution may seem slow, features like virtual reality, augmented reality and what’s coming with Apple Vision Pro are hinting at an underlying transformation.
A focus on stability and usability may indicate a gradual shift rather than an immediate revolution.
We also can’t understate how the normalization of video communication has altered the professional landscape, offering flexibility and remote opportunities but blurring the lines between work and personal life.
While enhancing convenience, the reliance on technology also raises questions about its effect on workplace dynamics and human interaction.
There’s a need for more empathy and human-centric design in our digital tools… and the content.
So, while The Verge (and others) might see missed opportunities and wasted investments, others (like me… and what we’re doing at ThinkersOne) recognize a subtle transformation that continues to unfold.
The challenge is to understand how we leverage this technology to enhance our digital lives without losing our essential human connections (think valuable content and timing).

What do you think?

What is Tech Tuesday?

Every Tuesday – for just a few minutes – I join Heather Backman (my old buddy from her days on CHOM FM and Jack 103) on the air at 95.9 Star FM to give a quick blast about the current state of technology, media and Internet culture.
We call it Tech Tuesday (and we do it in just a few minutes).

Once the segment goes live on 95.9 Star FM, I will post it here for you to listen in, learn, share and engage.

Before you go… ThinkersOne  is a new way for organizations to buy bite-sized and personalized thought leadership video content (live and recorded) from the best Thinkers in the world. If you’re looking to add excitement  and big smarts to your meetings, corporate events, company off-sites, “lunch & learns” and beyond, check it out.