Virtual meetings have become a necessity in today's remote and
The video conferencing market has seen tremendous growth over the past few years and shows no signs of slowing down, increasing from $6.62 billion to $7.26 billion between 2022 and 2023, according to transcription platform Notta. While data from Gitnux shows nearly 80% of corporate companies use
Norway-based tech company Neat is tackling the delays, screen switches, far camera distance and other annoying pain points that make virtual meetings feel less inclusive. Their hardware devices connect to a chosen meeting platform, like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, to enhance video and audio and automatically frame the meeting's participants, among other features.
"[Previously], the only way to be present in a global organization was to fly people in," says Jean Bays, Neat's head of people. "That's no longer needed. With the right technology, everyone can contribute."
Neat's products include a physical device that connects to the video conferencing service, as well as other products like a 65-inch interactive board with a touch screen, camara, annotation and whiteboard capabilities, as well as a smaller, personal-size device for meetings and a touchpad that allows organizers to book and manage their meeting room.
Another recently-released companion device, the Neat Center, gives remote attendees a more in-person view, with a broad capture of the room, automatic zoom-in capability when someone is speaking, and improved sound so no part of the conversation is missed. Only one party in the meeting needs to have Neat installed for both sides to enjoy the benefits.
"When you can see the face of the person or the faces of all the people who sit in a meeting room, that immediately builds trust," says Bays. "You don't have the feeling that something's going on that you can't quite catch because you're not in the room."
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Outside of employee collaboration, businesses stand to benefit from more inclusive video conferencing experiences to support recruiting efforts, customer meetings and reduced travel budgets. Eighty-six percent of companies now conduct their job interviews online, according to research from Gartner, and the ability to meet virtually cuts down on the expense of airfare, along with hotel and food expenses, for an in-person meeting. Bays notes that enhancing meeting capabilities is also crucial with the growing number of caregivers in the workforce today, allowing them to work remotely when necessary without falling behind.
"Real inclusion means thinking about the hidden workforce — people who might not be able to come into an office," she says. "How can we get these very talented people into our company structures to be part of the success stories?
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Neat's technology benefits its own employees as well, as Bays has a work-from-anywhere policy for her team. As long as they have internet access, it is a great feeling to say yes when they ask to work from a distant location, she says. Neat's all-in-one devices are also used by companies across all industries, and even President Biden had them installed in the White House in 2022.
"From a human resources aspect, we are all trying to integrate work-from-anywhere these days," Bays says. "[Now] this is much easier; we can go to other setups and we are able to let people have these experiences, take care of family and still have a successful career."
