After a period of dominance by video conferencing, a shift is underway. Many have grown weary of the distractions that come with being on camera, where appearance can overshadow the actual discussion. As a result, audio conferencing is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. By stripping away the visual aspect, audio conferences allow teams to focus on the conversation itself, accommodating dozens of participants without the burden of video connections or concerns about looks and demeanor.

Why audio conferencing is coming back

Let’s delve deeper into the benefits and business advantages of audio conferencing. To set the stage, we recommend starting with our in-depth article on audio conference technology, which provides a solid foundation for understanding the benefits and advantages of this efficient and effective communication solution.

Armed with this knowledge and with the highlights below, you’ll be equipped to make the case for audio calls as a go-to meeting solution in your organization.

1. Most employees are distracted during virtual meetings

If businesses think video calls keep people more focused, they’re wrong. One survey found 67 percent of workers are distracted during Zoom meetings. People check their email messages, work on other projects, and hang out on social media. At the same time, they’re feeling exhausted from video-conference fatigue—not the best recipe for a great meeting.

2. Audio calls enable people to listen more deeply

Even if employees aren’t checking chats, emails or social media during a video call, they might still be distracted by how they look on camera. One study in the journal Clinical Psychological Science researched how people watch themselves during video calls and how they felt after. The results? Rates of anxiety and depression increased after long periods of watching themselves.

Not only does this highlight how your team members aren’t fully engaged in video calls, but also how video conferencing can negatively impact productivity in the long run.

3. The use of voice calls is growing

For more than a decade, experts have claimed that new technologies would replace voice calls. However, audio communication continues to be the easiest and most effective way to provide customer service or collaborate with other team members. Furthermore, voice calls enable work performance both on an individual level and as a team.

4. Lots of businesses turn to audio calls for customer service

A whopping 61 percent of consumers still prefer to speak to someone over the phone when they have problems. Furthermore, 75 percent of customers believe calling a business will result in the fastest response time.

Similarly, employees often call their remote colleagues because they will get a faster response than email or chat messaging. By implementing an advanced audio conferencing functionality like the one provided by VoipNow, team members can communicate better and easier.

5. Audio conferencing can appeal to multiple generations

Every employee has different communication styles. While you might assume only older workers still prefer face-to-face meetings or phone calls, members of Gen X prefer one-on-one phone calls while Gen Zs like one-on-one conversations.

Ultimately, providing access to audio conferencing for your employees allows everyone to access their preferred communication format.

6. Audio is essential for hybrid work

Collaborating with colleagues is one of the biggest challenges that employees face with hybrid work environments, with 35 percent of people citing it as a major issue thanks to lack of tech integrations and feeling of disconnectedness.

With audio conferencing, a team member can simply pick up the phone when it’s time to start the meeting. Plus, the meeting can happen no matter where your employees are located—making it perfect for hybrid environments.

Audio conferencing is back on

Keep these talking points in mind when you draft the best communication flow for your your team. You can discuss the value of audio conferencing for hybrid work or bring up video-call fatigue and distractions.

Either way, audio conferencing saves the day, being one of the easiest and clearest forms of communication.