A new Logitech study reveals that many UK companies fail to involve their IT and AV teams early in office design, resulting in technological glitches that disrupt workforce efficiency and collaboration.
- Just 31% of UK offices involve IT in early space planning
- Tech failures cause average 12.2 minutes lost per poor meeting
- Only 29% see workplace tech as core business strategy
What happened
Logitech's latest research highlights a critical misstep in how UK businesses manage workplace technology: IT and Audio-Visual teams are often excluded from the initial phases of office and meeting space design. This delay means tech setups are retrofitted after spaces are already defined, leading to suboptimal integration of hardware and higher chances of technical issues.
With the rise of hybrid working models, the consequences of this approach are significant. The study quantifies that audio failures and dropped connections during meetings result in a median loss of over 12 minutes per person per problematic meeting, directly impacting employee productivity and meeting efficiency.
Why it matters
Despite recognizing the strong link between a quality workplace experience and improved productivity and collaboration—cited by 86% and 90% of business leaders respectively—many organizations still struggle to prioritize technology integration effectively. Only 56% feel confident about the return on investment for workplace tech upgrades, and fewer than one-third treat it as a central strategy.
This disconnect creates ongoing disruption for employees and adds long-term costs related to repeatedly upgrading or replacing inadequate technology. Poor early collaboration between IT, HR, and Real Estate teams exacerbates inefficiencies and reduces the potential benefits of modern workplace investments.
What to watch next
Logitech’s report urges businesses to adopt a more collaborative planning approach by involving IT, HR, and Real Estate teams from the start. Early coordination could enable smarter technology integration designed for current hybrid work needs, reducing future upgrade expenses and minimizing disruptions.
Additionally, the study promotes tracking technology downtime as a measurable metric tied to productivity loss, which can strengthen the business case for workplace tech investments. Organizations that apply these insights are likely to see improvements in meeting quality, workforce satisfaction, and overall operational efficiency.