More and more companies are embracing\u00a0smart office technology\u00a0to streamline their processes and operations. It\u2019s time to get smarter at your\u00a0office. Smart offices embrace\u00a0technology\u00a0to create the hybrid\u00a0workplace\u00a0of the future. Here are the six must-have features of a\u00a0smart office.<\/p>\n
A smart office is more than just installing a\u00a0smart device, like a\u00a0smart TV, for your employees use. And the\u00a0smart office market\u00a0is not a temporary pivot, but a long-term trend. Mordor Intelligence values the intelligence\u00a0office\u00a0industry at a staggering\u00a0$33.53 billion<\/a>. The benefits of a\u00a0smart office\u00a0include:<\/p>\n Higher Employee Retention<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 One in four employees in the UK<\/a> said they would resign from their current job if they were forced to return to the office, yet more than a third of respondents<\/a> said they felt less productive when they are not physically in the same space as their colleagues. Those employers who adapt properly to hybrid working are able to retain their key employees.<\/p>\n It appears that COVID is becoming endemic \u2013 meaning that we must permanently adjust to living with the disease and its variants (much like the flu). If you haven\u2019t already, implementing a few small\u00a0smart\u00a0technology\u00a0changes can yield big results in your\u00a0smart office. Handwashing and\/or sanitation stations continue to be a great first-line round of defence. Of course, moving towards contactless light switches, water faucets, lift buttons, and entry systems can also minimise germs.<\/p>\n Adam Stanley,\u00a0chief information officer and chief digital officer at commercial-real-estate services giant Cushman & Wakefield PLC explains smart\u00a0technology\u00a0this way<\/a>: \u201cSmart software can help support a range of advanced safety-monitoring tools, such as contact tracing, health check-ins, contagion-risk alerts and social-distancing notifications that flag overcrowded\u00a0office\u00a0floors or conference rooms.\u201d.<\/p>\n Organisations must invest in\u00a0technology\u00a0to assist with\u00a0desk,\u00a0office, and\u00a0meeting room\u00a0scheduling. OfficeTogether, Crestron, and Robin, for instance, were all created to manage hybrid work.<\/p>\n Dojo, an AI\u00a0technology\u00a0platform, was founded\u00a0to track the movement of people to feed a data-driven scoring system that generates\u00a0workplace\u00a0layouts and seating charts to maximize the likelihood of serendipitous informal interactions. And, in August 2021, biosafety firm R-Zero gobbled up Reno-based CoWorkR which develops AI-driven\u00a0sensors\u00a0that determine\u00a0where people are in a given\u00a0space. Grant Morgan, CEO and co-founder of R-Zero is quoted4: \u201cCreating and maintaining physical spaces that promote\u00a0productivity\u00a0and health is both the objective and obligation of every organization.\u201d<\/p>\n Say goodbye to the days where some employees are shivering while others are sweating. A\u00a0smart thermostat\u00a0can leverage\u00a0sensors\u00a0to detect how many people are in the room, the time of day, and the outside temperature to regulate the heat\/cold. Using IoT\u00a0technology\u00a0is a win\/win for the environment (lower\u00a0energy consumption) and for the employee (better\u00a0employee experience).<\/p>\n Monitoring air quality is also key. IoT solutions provider Metrikus highlights this point<\/a>: \u201cA recent study\u00a0suggested that enhancing indoor air quality could be as effective in reducing aerosol transmission of viruses as vaccinating 50-60% of the population.\u201d<\/p>\n And\u00a0smart lighting\u00a0technology\u00a0leverages\u00a0IoT sensors\u00a0to give you and your facility manager the opportunity to monitor and manage a building\u2019s lighting needs. This allows you to further optimize your building\u2019s\u00a0energy usage\u00a0and efficiency.<\/p>\n With hybrid work, it\u2019s difficult to predict who will or won\u2019t be in the\u00a0office. As a result,\u00a0technology\u00a0collaboration tools are critical to a\u00a0smart office\u00a0experience. Slack, for instance, works as a great communications tool. Google Docs foster collaboration as authorised users can see changes in real time. And\u00a0video conferencing software\u00a0like Zoom and Microsoft Teams enable remote workers to easily jump into a meeting.<\/p>\n As the\u00a0office\u00a0pivots,\u00a0so too must its design and accessories. For example, the smart offices of today are offering sit\/stand desks.\u00a0If you want to go one step further, there is even\u00a0technology\u00a0such as\u00a0smart office\u00a0chairs that record data, such as the user\u2019s sitting and standing time.<\/p>\n Since most employees no longer have dedicated desks or offices,\u00a0storing personal effects can become an issue. As\u00a0Jeffrey Gay, an architect and designer for MOI explains7: \u201cEveryone wants to control their personal effects. With the open\u00a0office\u00a0colliding with the hybrid\u00a0workplace, you don\u2019t always know who is in the\u00a0space. You want to know that your things are safely locked away.\u201d<\/p>\n Enter smart office lockers<\/a>, which\u00a0can function as a secure\u00a0central distribution system for the transfer\u00a0of laptops, files, ID materials, parking passes, documents, and more.\u00a0David Janes, Channel Manager, Parcel Locker Solutions at Parcel Pending by Quadient, predicts parcel lockers will provide the solution for distributing all kinds of things at work \u2013 not just packages \u2013 giving users the ability to avoid crowded areas and face-to-face contact. He refers to this transformation as a Corporate Hub, \u201can exchange point for different items, outside of mail and packages.\u201d<\/p>\n Adding tracking\u00a0technology\u00a0can reduce theft, save staff valuable time and some additional costs. Learn how Sodexo transformed incoming mail management with parcel tracking and smart lockers from Quadient.<\/a><\/p>\n Smart\u00a0security\u00a0solutions go beyond CCTV cameras. IoT\u00a0technology\u00a0uses voice and face recognition to provide valuable\u00a0occupancy analytics\u00a0(e.g., who has entered a building, where they are, and how many people are in the\u00a0office\u00a0overall). These devices can also alert you when the last person leaves.<\/p>\n Clearly, smart offices are the future of work. They leverage\u00a0technology\u00a0for the new hybrid work world, thereby realising significant savings for building managers and increasing\u00a0employee engagement\u00a0and satisfaction.<\/p>\n If you are working on a\u00a0flexible office design<\/a>, smart lockers should be a part of your plans. To discover how to step into the smarter\u00a0office\u00a0with smart lockers,\u00a0contact a Parcel Pending by Quadient representative<\/a>\u00a0today.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" More and more companies are embracing\u00a0smart office technology\u00a0to streamline their processes and operations. It\u2019s time to get smarter at your\u00a0office. Smart offices embrace\u00a0technology\u00a0to create the hybrid\u00a0workplace\u00a0of the future. Here are the six must-have features of a\u00a0smart office. Benefits of a Smart Office A smart office is more than just installing a\u00a0smart device, like a\u00a0smart TV, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":13394,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[241,242],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-commercial-en-gb","category-blog-en-gb"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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6 Must-Have Features of a Smart Office<\/strong><\/h3>\n
#1 Health & Safety Changes<\/strong><\/h4>\n
#2 Scheduling & Space Utilisation Software<\/strong><\/h4>\n
#3 Climate, Lighting, & Air Controls<\/strong><\/h4>\n
#4 Collaboration Tools<\/strong><\/h4>\n
#5 Smart Office Accessories<\/strong><\/h4>\n
#6 Security Solutions<\/strong><\/h4>\n