Owl Labs, a US manufacturer of 360-degree video conferencing and hybrid meeting-room technology, has highlighted continuing problems with hybrid meetings in its 2026 State of Hybrid Work Report. Almost three quarters (73 per cent) of UK workers say they lose time because of technical difficulties, pointing to persistent challenges with the audio and video systems used to connect office-based and remote colleagues.
The 2026 State of Hybrid Work Report is based on an online survey conducted by UK-based market research agency Vitreous World in July 2026 among full-time office workers across the UK, US, Germany and France.
Audio remains a particular source of frustration. Seven in ten (70 per cent) respondents struggle to hear everyone during hybrid meetings, while 69 per cent experience echo or distortion. The research also found that teams spend an average of six minutes getting each hybrid meeting started, adding to the time lost through unreliable equipment and connection problems.
The findings come as investment in meeting-room technology appears to be slowing. Just a quarter (25 per cent) of employees said their employer had installed or upgraded meeting-room video or audio equipment in 2026, compared with 35 per cent in 2025. This contrasts with the importance workers attach to the technology, with 83 per cent rating good equipment as important to their working lives.
Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs, said: “The bigger productivity gains sit in the meeting room, where 73 per cent of UK workers lose time to technical difficulties. The minutes lost to setup, the colleagues who can’t be heard and the daily workarounds all add up. Trust and reliable technology are what keep people productive, and what keep them in the business.”
The report also examined workplace monitoring, finding that 59 per cent of UK employees believe their employer uses monitoring software, while 82 per cent think employers should be legally required to disclose such practices. However, its findings on meeting technology highlight a more immediate challenge for organisations seeking to improve workplace productivity: ensuring that collaboration systems work reliably for everyone involved.
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