By Danielle Myburgh, UK Sales Director, Pixel Global AV
After more than 10 years in the AV industry, one thing has become increasingly clear to me: the best workplace technology projects rarely start with technology.
That might sound strange coming from someone who spends their days talking about meeting rooms, collaboration platforms and workplace solutions, but it’s true. What has changed most over the last five years isn’t the technology itself, but the expectation that every meeting should feel equitable regardless of where participants are located.
The most successful spaces I’ve helped create have never been defined by the cameras on the wall, the size of the displays or the technology sitting on the meeting room table. They’ve been defined by how people feel when they use them.
When hybrid working became the norm, many organisations understandably focused on technology. They needed to keep people connected and productive, and that meant quickly deploying laptops, headsets, webcams and collaboration platforms.
But as hybrid working has matured, so has the conversation.
Today, organisations are asking different questions. Instead of asking what technology they need, they’re asking how they can create environments that people genuinely want to use. How can remote participants clearly see and engage with everyone in the room? How can a space easily adapt between different uses, whether that’s a town hall, training session, presentation or team meeting? How can content be shared seamlessly so that everyone can participate equally, regardless of where they are working?
The home office is now a permanent part of the workplace ecosystem, and many organisations are investing in helping employees create more professional and productive environments at home.
Those questions are far more interesting because they’re ultimately about people.
One of the biggest shifts I’ve noticed is that workplaces are no longer being designed around desks. They’re being designed around experiences.
From an integrator’s perspective, this shift has changed the conversations we’re having with customers. Organisations are increasingly looking for strategic guidance rather than simply advice on technology. Understanding workplace culture, user behaviour and long-term collaboration goals has become just as important as technical expertise. The most successful projects start with people and the experience they want to create, with technology supporting those outcomes.
The office isn’t competing with home working by offering more desks or more meeting rooms. It’s competing by offering something people can’t easily recreate elsewhere: collaboration, creativity, mentoring, culture, social interaction and a sense of belonging.
That’s why we’re seeing greater focus on flexible collaboration spaces, town hall environments, meeting rooms, workplace design, acoustics, lighting and overall user experience. Technology plays an important role, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle.
One of the trends I’ve seen accelerate is the demand for simplicity and consistency. Whether it’s a home office, executive suite or boardroom, users expect meetings to start quickly and collaboration to feel effortless. Platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet have become standard business tools, while organisations are increasingly investing in spaces that provide a consistent experience for both in-room and remote participants.
We’re also seeing growing demand for intelligent cameras, speaker tracking, AI-powered meeting tools, advanced audio systems and wireless content sharing solutions. These technologies help remove friction from meetings and create a more inclusive experience for remote participants.
What I’ve learned over the years is that people don’t define a successful workspace by its features. They remember whether they could walk into a room, start their meeting without delay and achieve what they came there to do.
Nobody wants to think about technology when they’re in a meeting. They want to focus on the conversation, share their ideas with all participants and concentrate on the decisions being made.
That’s why consistency matters so much.
Whether someone is joining a meeting from a boardroom, a small meeting room or their home office, the experience should feel familiar and effortless. When technology fades into the background, collaboration becomes more natural.
I’ve also seen first-hand how much people still value being together. Whilst flexibility has brought many benefits, long-term remote working can sometimes create feelings of isolation and disconnection. The workplace still has an important role to play in bringing people together, sharing knowledge and building relationships.
The organisations getting hybrid working right understand this. They aren’t trying to force people back into the office. They’re creating environments that give people a reason to be there.
Ultimately, technology will continue to evolve. New platforms, new features and new innovations will always emerge.
But the most successful workplaces won’t be remembered for the technology they contain. They’ll be remembered for how they make people feel, how easily they enable collaboration and how effectively they bring people together.
For me, that’s what great workplace design has always been about.
As organisations continue refining their hybrid working strategies, the role of workplace technology will become less visible, not more. Success will be measured not by the equipment installed, but by how effectively people can collaborate, communicate and connect wherever they choose to work.
People first. Technology second.
Danielle Myburgh brings over 15 years’ experience across the AV and technology sectors. Since joining Pixel in July 2025, she has worked closely with enterprise organisations to deliver impactful, future-ready workplace solutions.
Danielle is passionate about the role of AV in shaping modern workplaces, designing connected, collaborative environments that enhance performance, productivity and user experience. From intelligent meeting spaces to large-scale transformation projects, she focuses on aligning the right people, partnerships and processes to turn ideas into tangible results.
