Video Window: A way to battle Zoom fatigue

With the current mix of office-bound and remote-working employees, it’s no wonder that a survey done by Achievers in the UK has shown that at least a third of the workforce feels disconnected from company culture.

Video Window has created software to combat this feeling of being disconnected. Stefan Mayer, managing director of Corporate AV Integration, explains: “We have too many scheduled video meetings, especially over the Covid period. And we miss the office banter and social interactions. But Video Window enables this and so much more.”

What is Video Window?

Video Window is a video conferencing software platform with a yearly subscription model. For the software to function at its optimum capability, the system requires a video bar, such as Logitech Meetup, with a 55-inch touchscreen and a small form factor PC.

Should a touchscreen not be available or too costly, a mouse can be used to operate the software with a slightly less immersive input. But a touchscreen is ideal as it allows for touch interaction, such as knocking and whiteboarding. (The latter allows two people in different locations to have a chat and then pull up a whiteboard in an opaque screen, allowing them to draw on the screen and still see themselves. It’s like drawing on see-through paper.)

Depending on the company’s requirements, the screen could be displayed in a common area, placed vertically, to allow for better human interaction. (This allows the workforce to see more than just the heads and shoulders of their colleagues.)

The software can also be used by employees working on their tablets, where they can join a call during the office’s lunch break, for example, to be part of the conversation and to stay involved.

How does it work?

It has a 24-hour or scheduled video stream. An employee can walk up to the screen at any time and knock on it to alert the person on the other side that they would like to have a chat.

The stream is automatically muted, but a knock from the first user will alert the second and allow them to unmute the screen to start the conversation.

How does it combat Zoom fatigue?

Over the course of the last year, the number of Zoom fatigue cases has increased. The digitisation of the workforce, accelerated by the pandemic, has made communication between offices at different locations much easier, but the element of human interaction is still lacking

With Video Window, the feeling of human interaction can be restored. The orientation of the screen and the unscheduled calling feature make the conversations that stem from these interactions more natural.

“I think we are all missing out on real social connections,” says Mayer. “We have online interactions with our colleagues, but they are all scheduled and mostly work-related. Video Window takes the ‘meeting’ aspect out of video conferencing and becomes a tool for spontaneous connections. When a team has the ability to have these spontaneous interactions, it alleviates the feeling of being disconnected – helping teams grow and be more productive.”