______ Telerobo: What was the process that led you to consider introducing the temi V3 and Double3?

Before introducing Telerobo, I had an iPad installed on my fixed desk in the office, and connected my telework laptop and office iPad all day long using the video conferencing tool Google Meet. Although I was able to communicate in real time using video and audio, the iPad fixed on my desk made it difficult for office members to recognize that I was at work or that I was there, and I was faced with the dilemma of not being able to express my intentions other than through my voice and facial expressions. With this in mind, I was looking for a tool that would "make communication with office members smoother."

______ What other issues did you experience?

When participating in office meetings using the iPad on my desk, it was inconvenient because it was difficult to find the right timing to speak when multiple people were discussing the topic. Also, when holding individual video conferences with office members, I would check on Slack whether they were available to talk before starting the video conference. At that time, I realized that in order to communicate smoothly, I had to check the atmosphere of the department I wanted to request, the overall state of the office, and the physical work situation of the person I wanted to request before speaking to them. This was something I had done casually when I was working in the office, but it was important for my work to proceed smoothly. And with each passing day, the psychological hurdle of taking action became higher. However, in order to improve the results of my work, I needed to talk smoothly with multiple office members, and I felt the limitations of teleworking.

______ Has teleworking become more comfortable since the introduction of Telerobo?

Yes, not only can I keep track of changes in the office, but I can also see my boss and colleagues at a glance, and it's easier to talk to them, so the productivity of the organization has improved. In addition, we have more casual conversations outside of work. For example, until now, when my colleagues would talk to me about things other than work, such as "the artwork displayed in the shared space in the office has been renewed," I had the habit of giving up because "I can't go and see it anyway," but now that I can go and see it freely, it's easier to join in the conversation. I'm happy to feel that my presence is well recognized even during telework. In addition, it can run in narrow corridors and change direction easily, so there are no problems with operability. I'm happy that office members can call out to me, and I can go and call out to them myself.

______ What kind of equipment setup is required when using Telerobo?

The company provided me with an external monitor. I connected the external monitor to my telework laptop and set it up as a dual display, displaying the Telerobot operation screen on the external monitor. The Telerobot operation screen is a web browser (Chrome). When someone from the office talks to me, I try to talk while looking at the camera. The office prepared a dedicated desk with the chair removed, and placed the Telerobot there. The company has taken care to create an office environment where people can feel its presence. In addition, to prevent the battery from running out, I basically work while it is in the charging dock. Since I always enter the Telerobot during teleworking, the office members can tell at a glance that I am working when my face is displayed on the Telerobot monitor, and I have a strong presence.

Summary

By reading this far, you will have realized that introducing Telerobots and allowing teleworkers to naturally exist in the office is necessary to achieve smooth organizational communication. By knowing the state of the office in real time and working while connecting with other employees, work will become smoother, there will be more casual conversation, and above all, teleworkers will be more satisfied with their work, which will be of great interest to organizational managers.

However, we feel that the success of Company A in implementing Telerobots is largely due to the company culture of "treating employees." Although many companies have this as a philosophy, few actually put it into practice. We will continue to propose Telerobots as one of the "means" to take care of employees so that they can play an active role.

This time, we showed that for smooth organizational management, it is important for employees to gather in a "place" called the office, and that smooth communication can improve work styles and business results. However, there is still much potential in hybrid work styles that introduce telerobots. With the spread of remote work and teleworking, offices are not necessarily limited to one location. By installing telerobots at multiple major bases, it becomes possible to move freely between bases and work beyond the boundaries of the bases. This will improve the lack of communication between bases, and by promoting collaboration, a diverse organization that enables new challenges will be realized. Furthermore, by interacting with external partner companies through telerobots, you may be able to gain new ideas and perspectives that go beyond the boundaries of regions and countries.

In other words, Telerobo is not simply an "alternative to working from home," but a tool that enables new ways of working. Not only will the introduction of Telerobo improve communication and information sharing, but it may also eliminate disparities in environments inside and outside the office and between regions. Telerobo will also lead to the creation of a corporate culture that values ​​human connections. Teleworking will continue to spread in the future, but the importance of the office as a place and the importance of communication will remain unchanged, and I believe that new ways of working will be created by utilizing technologies such as Telerobo to maintain identity.

iPresence Inc. will continue to pursue new ways of working through Telerobo and strive to contribute to society. We will continue to challenge cutting-edge ways of working using technology and strive to realize a more diverse and prosperous society.