AVIXA Women’s Council UK - Recognising and supporting strong women in AV in 2023

2023 has been a fantastic year of celebration, gratitude, awareness and recognition. The AVIXA Women’s Council UK, part of the global AVIXA Women’s Council, goes from strength to strength every year, thanks to the commitment of the Council’s committee, its diverse members and continued support from industry driving forces. The Council meet virtually once a month and face-to-face whenever possible around industry shows and networking events to plan new topics and ideas. This year, the Council organised a series of webinars around themes that were not only close to the hearts and minds of the council but that appealed and encouraged positive interactivity from all areas of the AV world.

Visit the AVIXA Women’s Council UK Events page to watch the following webinar recordings from this year.

* Men’s Mental Health Webinar, 14 November #ZEROSUICIDE

The last event of the year was a first for the AVIXA Women’s Council UK, in response to feedback from male colleagues and connections for an open forum around International Men’s Day. For over 20 years, the day has been held globally on 19 November, in celebration of men’s contribution to society, highlighting positive male role models as well as raising awareness of men’s well-being. This year’s theme was around ‘Zero Male Suicide’. Iffat Chaudry of Involve and the ‘Whatiff?’ podcast hosted the webinar and was joined by panellists Stephen Davies, Nuvias UC, Matthew De Gannes, AREC - JacobsMassey AV Specialists, Russell Harpham, Sound Control Technologies, and Dan Rowe #ANDYSMANCLUB.

* Creating a Menopause-Friendly Workplace Webinar, 18 October

According to research from consulting firm Ipsos, women in Britain are more comfortable talking about menopause that any other nationality. There is certainly a large improvement towards destigmatising menopause in recent years. However, although something that all women on the planet will potentially experience in their lives, it is still a taboo subject to many. Changing this sentiment, especially in the workplace, is so important so that women can feel more supported, comfortable and confident in their daily lives. In this webinar, workplace wellness coach and author Clare Davis provided insights into the intricacies of this natural life transition, and how it impacts not only individuals experiencing it, but also those around them.

* How to can stand out and land your dream job in the AV industry Webinar, 23 July

AV Recruitment Specialist Denise O’Keeffe delivered this webinar, imparting her wisdom on the skills and qualifications that are desirable in the AV industry, the importance of having a diverse and inclusion AV workforce, why networking is so important to boost confidence, exchange ideas and meet people of all professional levels.

* Beat burnout at work Webinar, 27 April

This was the first webinar with author and coach Clare Davis on a topic that many are likely to have experi- enced with research showing that burnout is on the rise worldwide and has been at an all time high since spring 2021 amongst Gen Z, young millennials and women especially. Watch the recording to find out the tell tale signs of individuals that may be struggling in the workplace and learn tips to combat feelings of mental distance from one’s job, energy depletion and negativism.

* How to be an Ally Webinar, 24 January

The first webinar to kick off the year was focused on promoting the power of allyship and advocacy in fostering a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Hosted by Bubble PR’s CEO Sadie Groom and joined by Iffat Chaudry and Northamber’s Kiel Hillier, discussions centred around how everyone can become an ally and actively support those in less advantaged positions, not just at work but in the world around them.

Look out for upcoming events from the AVIXA Women’s Council UK and join the conversation in 2024! The next in-person meeting will be held at Integrated Systems Europe in Barcelona, 30 January to 2 February. In 2023, the AVIXA Women’s and Diversity Council co-presented: “Technology at the Service of Inclusion” at the AVIXA Xchange Live booth. For further information and registration, email AWCUK@avixa.org.

We no longer just work in offices. In fact, we increasingly work remotely and for longer periods of time. From home, at a flexible workplace in the area, in a local cafe, or even from the beach. Companies have found a mix between working from home and working in the office in different ways. This balances the advantages and disadvantages of working from home. However, the need to collaborate has not changed.

Whether in groups, with your own team, or with colleagues from other departments, working together can be a challenge. This is especially true when working remotely. How can you ensure that those working in the office can collaborate well with colleagues working from home? And what about all those creative ideas that emerged during a brainstorming session? How can you make sure that they are not lost when everyone is back in their own little room behind their laptop the next day?

Good technology is essential. The success of teams depends on the tools they are provided with to do their work. And that goes beyond just having a good laptop or monitor to share your screen. Touchscreens can add a lot to a hybrid working environment. We have listed the six most important benefits of an interactive touchscreen in a hybrid working environment:

Be honest, how often do you check your watch during a meeting? And how often have you fallen asleep during a colleague’s endless presentation? We feel your pain. With a touchscreen, you may not be able to change the quality of the speaker, but you can certainly improve the quality of the meeting. You have the ability to stand up and actively share ideas with colleagues on the digital whiteboard. You can swipe, tap, drag, enlarge images, and draw.

This provides a more intuitive and natural way of interacting with the content on the screen. This not only sparkles up the meeting, but also allows you to give each other insights into plans, ideas, and work to be done more quickly and effectively.

2. You’ll present better

Do you sometimes struggle with a presentation on your laptop? No? Of course, you never have any problems with that. But your colleague certainly does, right? You see them sweating, walking back and forth from the presentation screen to the laptop every time they have to switch to the next slide. And there goes the connection again. Start over. “Oops, sorry, the laptop battery is almost empty, does anyone have a cable?”

Well, presenting with a touchscreen is much easier. You can smoothly play the presentation from the USB-stick connected to the screen. You can stand relaxed in front of the group and concentrate on your story. This gives a much more professional impression when you have to present something to a client or group of people.

3. Knowledge sharing and collaborating becomes more efficient.

Teamwork works better (and faster) when interaction is optimal. No problems with systems freezing, lost post-its, or projects that don’t fit together well. A robust digital infrastructure is the foundation of hybrid working. And a touchscreen is the central digital point in your workspace. Unlike a monitor, with a touchscreen you can collaborate with multiple people at the same time, such as in a brainstorming or meeting room.

This way, everyone can contribute to that new project or important assignment, so you can really work towards results in the short time you have. Moreover, many collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams, Miro, and Trello, support touch. That’s not without reason. Touch is particularly valuable for stand-up meetings and digital scrumming.