Kino CEO Raviv Nadav on Embracing The New Era of Remote Work
WITH RAVIV NADAV
as companies continue to shift towards a hybrid or remote-first work model, Kino's unique features and customizable platform are poised to make a significant impact on the future of work.
Photography, Julio Nuno
Words, Richard O’Neal In Conversation with Raviv Nadav
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With the rise of remote work, companies have sought innovative ways to facilitate team communication and collaboration. Enter Kino, a cutting-edge video communication tool that offers an all-day engagement hub to foster accountability, creativity, and inspiration.
I spoke with Raviv Nadav, CEO of Kino, to gain insight into the unique features that set Kino apart from other virtual workplace tools and its potential impact on the future of remote work. "In what ways does Kino provide a more inclusive communication experience compared to other virtual workplace tools?" I asked to which Nadav responded, "Kino sets itself apart by staying authentic. Instead of using avatars, we feature actual people. We replicate a conventional office atmosphere, ensuring that Kino provides the same dynamism and excitement that comes with working alongside colleagues towards a shared objective. The Kino Spaces concept allows users to switch between different individuals while still being able to see and hear faint background conversations in other areas.”
But what about the potential drawbacks of relying heavily on virtual communication and the metaverse? Nadav acknowledged the possible loss of face-to-face interaction and social cues that come with it, which can negatively impact relationships and the ability to build trust. However, he explained, Kino offers face-to-face communication that prioritizes productivity and human connection.
From his experience with his team, Nadav concludes that by providing face-to-face interaction, individuals build stronger connections with their colleagues, leading to organic conversations and serendipitous interactions that produce professional development and collaboration.
I was curious about how Kino's technology specifically helps to reintroduce nuances and happenstance into remote communication. "By being present in a Kino session throughout the workday, people can connect, see and interact with others through natural communication. What’s better than talking with someone you can see? The nuances and social cues are easy to communicate because of the face-to-face interaction," Nadav explained.
The future of remote work is more inclusive, diverse, and inspiring.
THE LOOK
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Privacy and data security are always a concern in online workspace environments. Nadav emphasized Kino's commitment to privacy with features like ‘Privacy Mode,’ which allows people to blur their entire video feed, and "Private Spaces," which function like closing an office door when someone is unavailable. Kino also offers customizable roles and permissions, allowing corporations more control over their online workspace environment.
Kino offers a new and exciting way to revolutionize remote work with innovative features prioritizing productivity and human connection. As Nadav states, "The future of remote work is more inclusive, diverse, and inspiring." With Kino, companies can expand, and people can grow better while together, even when not in the same city, state, or continent.
In this follow-up interview with BOND OFFICIAL, Nadav discusses Kino's progress. He also explains how Kino provides an inclusive communication experience than other virtual collaboration tools and caters to businesses' specific needs compared to different online workspace environments.
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RO: Have you ever thought about how relying too much on virtual communication and the metaverse might have some downsides? What could some of those drawbacks be, and are there any ways to address them? We're all spending more time online these days, so it's something to consider.
RN: We need face-to-face interaction with people. It makes such a difference. Even a phone call sometimes is just not enough. The social cues of talking with someone eye-to-eye make us communicate better. Communication is everything when interacting with people. It’s the make or break of any relationship.
This is precisely what we did with Kino. We aimed to bring the real-world way we communicate, engage, or talk to each other daily to an online environment. Face-to-face communication builds connections and prioritizes human contact, so you're not sacrificing productivity for relationship-building. It's the best of both worlds!
RO: Have you noticed any specific ways Kino’s technology helps bring back some of the nuances and spontaneity we sometimes miss out on with remote communication?
RN: Absolutely! It’s not a complicated secret, It’s just people being together and engaging in face-to-face conversations. More than once, I got to experience my teammates jumping between spaces, having a good laugh, and nurturing their friendship. Tom and Francesco, or Arnold and Elvis. Sometimes I’d jump over and join these watercooler moments. There was no awkwardness when we put it to the test and met in person. The team immediately bonded due to them working side-by-side every day, The only thing we couldn’t expect was how tall everyone was. Thanks to Kino, I connected with my team more than I ever could with conventional tools like chats and video calls.
Technology as a tool can positively impact our advancement as a society and as a global village, with communication at its core.
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RO: How does Kino cater to the specific needs of businesses compared to other online workspace environments?
RN: First, it brings forth the persons, the personalities, the characters everyone is. Then, Kino is rich with features that bring structure to any business organization. There’s the option to apply different roles and permission that define the possibilities available to different team members inside the Kino workspace, thus increasing the product's flexibility as a business tool. You know.. occasionally, I stop and think, “Gosh, I’m so proud of what we did here.” I hear from our users how great their teams grow together at the same time while their business flourishes. We are privileged and humbled to be able to provide such value to companies and teams.
RO: I'm interested in hearing examples of how it's been used to improve communication and collaboration in an office setting.
RN: One example I mentioned earlier has those water cooler moments that successfully bring people closer to one another, making them work better. Then, with our team present and working side-by-side, it’s so easy to connect with others to ask a question or simply for help with some challenge. Assisting someone or asking for help is as easy as a double tap. The team is right there with you and for you. It’s so beautiful. We’re a cross-border team, and seeing how people who are far from one another, distance-wise and culture-wise, assist and support one another for a mutual goal is simply invigorating. I always get goosebumps when I talk about it. The diversity is amazing, and then you see that humans are humans. When uniting for a cause, we can do amazing things. I get to see humanity at its best. That’s how I look at it.
RO: I was thinking about Kino's integration with tablets and other devices and how it might impact how businesses communicate with their teams. Would having the ability to use Kino on different devices make it easier for teams to communicate quickly and effectively?
RN: Think about this example.
You’re a team leader with a goal; you’re traveling but also want to ensure the team is on the right track. You could send a text or a DM and get a written response or take out your phone or tablet, jump into the office, and engage with your team. While traveling and coming into the office, I enjoyed sharing my views and experiences with the team. I just made us closer as people, not colleagues.
The better the tool, the better the experience. We have to keep it real, simple, and human.
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RO: How might Kino or other online workspace environments impact a business's overall culture and values, and what steps can be taken to ensure a positive impact?
RN: I’ll be direct; Kino creates one. A company culture, that is. Again - it’s all about the people and only then the work. As to making sure it’s a positive impact, I always try to guide the team to assist and support one another in my company. And even though they all work remotely from home or otherwise. I ensure everyone understands this is now a work environment, and we should all act accordingly. That also goes for the attire; we keep it professional.
