The dominant shift to hybrid and remote work came on almost all at once due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Society was already slowly moving in this direction, but the online working landscape was quickly propelled by the pandemic and is here to stay.
Currently, more than 4.7 million people in the US work remotely at least half the time, while 59% of individuals are more likely to choose an employer who offers remote work compared to those who don’t. As remote working increasingly becomes the new norm, more and more workers desire and demand a more flexible working style. But therein lies the problem of feeling disconnected due to the lack of in-person connection.
One individual who noticed an opportunity to adapt the way we use and interact with technology is Elizabeth Bieniek.
“We’re enhancing a technology-centric experience to include and highlight multi-dimensional elements of normal human-centric interactions,” she says. The innovation is referred to as a real-time, photorealistic holographic collaboration experience, a substitute for in-person interaction. There isn’t a replacement for face-to-face but hybrid and remote work has been elevated with groundbreaking technology.
Bieniek considers how technology can be used to build trust and a sense of belonging to make hybrid and remote working more ‘human.’
A female powerhouse, Elizabeth Bieniek pioneers internal startups for Cisco’s multibillion-dollar collaboration and security business. She is an innovator, writer, speaker, and soon-to-be author of “Diary of an Accidental Intrapreneur.”
Bieniek’s most recent accomplishment is Co-Founder of Webex Hologram, the industry’s first holographic collaboration system enabling a feeling of co-presence by delivering photorealistic holograms in real-time. With experience in industries such as technology, art, marketing, and education, she brings a unique flair and perspective to whatever she undertakes.
Her expertise lies in building empowered teams that effectively navigate internal corporate workings to operate like a startup and deliver bleeding-edge products and solutions inside of a parent company.
Bieniek looks at how she can improve the interface between people and technology. She aims to make people’s lives happier by applying technology to improve certain aspects of daily life.
There is still a large debate over whether or not remote and hybrid work is a step in the right direction regarding work productivity and well-being. Many view technology in a negative light as they see it replacing in-person social interactions, but Bieniek is here to prove those naysayers wrong.
Virtual meetings are great for face-to-face communication, but to take it a step further, Bieniek enhanced this concept.
“When you can use technology to add multidimensionality, whether that be something like holograms, that we’re doing today, or layering on things like haptic interactions where you can touch and feel inside of a virtual interaction, you get that much closer to real life and authentic communication,” says Bieniek.
Civilization relies on human connection. And working remotely completely diminishes a vital aspect in people’s lives where they’re surrounded by social interactions 5 days a week when working in an office. But as technology advances, so do the possibilities to maintain that connection virtually. Technology does not exist to erase human connection- it’s there to facilitate it.
In the not-so-distant future, a confluence will occur between “real” and “virtual” and we’re already seeing it happen with Webex Hologram. The next big business disruptor is here for hybrid work and offers a truly immersive experience.
Bieniek’s team built a holographic collaboration experience that focuses on human connection, and uses technology to help establish trust between people working virtually. It was a long journey to get to where she is today, but pushing the bounds of the “impossible” motivated her every step of the way.
As a disruptor in her field, no and why are some of Bieniek’s favorite expressions. Referencing Greg Mckeown’s book Essentialism, “no is the freedom to get to yes,” she explains as “it’s a way of chiseling away to get to that perfect Yes.” No is often accompanied by negative connotations, but for Bieniek, it’s a way to challenge ideas and encourage deeper thought.
Her ability to innovate and think up new ideas gives her an edge not many have. A truly inspired thinker, Bieniek is changing the technology landscape one hologram at a time.
If you’re looking to be an innovator yourself, Bieniek has a message for you: “Just do it. Don’t wait for permission,” she encourages, because “people will tell you ‘it can’t be done.’ That just means: it’s hard, other people have failed, and they don’t know how to do it. It doesn’t actually mean it can’t be done,” she says.
To keep up with Elizabeth Bieniek’s innovative work and learn from her journey, follow her on LinkedIn today.