Zoom announces innovations for hybrid working model

The conferencing app now plays a key role in the workplace environment

Zoom, a unified video-first communications platform, was widely used during the peak of the pandemic. It still continues to play a key role in a workplace environment.

The company has introduced innovations that might help the hybrid working model.

“It (Zoom) is not just a video application. It has been used as a collaboration platform by entrepreneurs. This involves using Zoom for video meetings, putting up signages in the office, instant messaging, monitoring the CO2 level in the conferencing rooms, and more,” Sameer Raje, general manager, India head, Zoom Video Communications, told Metrolife.

The second wave of the pandemic seems to have eased.

Various companies are planning to bring back employees to the office in a phased manner.

Raje explained how re-entering the workplace and Zoom rooms goes hand in hand.

“Zoom rooms have a lot of features. Now we see employees going back to the office. Obviously, it’s a hybrid environment. Some people will continue to work from home.”

“We are giving a facility to use our high-definition video conferencing room to interact with a colleague working from home.”

“Similarly, we are empowering users to decide whether they want to get into a conference room or not. Because, from the outside, they can see the occupancy level of the conference room. They can take a call based on the social distancing rules in their respective companies,” he said.

Raje spoke about the other fresh offerings from Zoom. “Another interesting aspect is that you can actually check your temperature when a virtual protectionist interacts with you. The IT folks can manage the conference rooms and check the CO2 levels,” he said.

Zoom plans to build more functions to make the collaborative platform more robust and user-friendly. The company recently launched its new technology centre in Bengaluru.

“A centre was launched here because the talent in Bengaluru is huge. Thanks to well-established IT companies, there is ready talent in the city. As far infrastructure is concerned, Bengaluru has much more to offer when compared to Mumbai,” said Raje.