Have you heard? The \u201creturn to the office\u201d conversation is coming back. And, yet as employers attempt a return to in-person work, they\u2019re facing a barrage of new obstacles.<\/p>\n
Early thinking during the start of the pandemic in March of 2020 was that a full return to the office was just a matter of \u201cdefeating the virus.\u201d With COVID-19 evolving into an endemic issue, remote and hybrid workplaces are now a staple. Gartner estimates that more than 1.1<\/sup> billion people around the world were remote workers last year, up from 350 million in 2019.1<\/sup><\/p>\n Staggering new research shows that remote work isn\u2019t just a \u201cnice to have, \u201d but a condition of employment. Employee expectations have shifted, causing companies to shift. 40% of Americans surveyed who were working at home said they would look for another job if their employer forced them to return to the office full-time.2<\/sup><\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking to help your employees safely return to the office space, here are 10 innovative office technology trends and innovative office solutions to consider in order to create a modern workplace that is more welcoming, productive, and collaborative.<\/p>\n Whereas the technology of yesteryear were founded upon ensuring there were enough workplaces\/space for employees<\/a>, today\u2019s software and productivity challenge is to ensure that the right amount of people are in the office at one time while also fostering community, collaboration, productivity, and creativity. As Leena Nair, Chief Human Resources Officer at Unilever PLC explains: \u201cThe goal is to make offices more like a destination\u201d.3<\/sup> For instance, Unilever has created specific days when multiple teams can gather in the office at the same time. Accenture, too, is implementing new technology in the workplace<\/a> that allows employees to easily find their colleagues \u2013 even on different floors.<\/p>\n Most of us have recognized the power of cloud technology solutions \u2013 storing information not on our local devices but as an accessible and safe place for an entire company. Cloud computing solutions can transform the modern workplace\u2019s \u201cwork from anywhere\u201d aspiration into a viable reality.<\/p>\n It\u2019s time to kick your old-fashioned visitors \u2018 log to the curb. In today\u2019s technological race to make everyday tasks easier and faster, a new, innovative solution has arrived. Boasting modern touchscreens, the new software allows for automatic identity confirmation, floor directory assistance, and real-time views as to who is in the office.<\/p>\n Without permanently assigned desks or cubicles, there\u2019s a need for smart office features<\/a> that provide the ability to safely and securely transfer documents, badges, laptops, and other physical resources within a work environment. Leveraging smart lockers<\/a> as a distribution system works; employees can retrieve items within 10 seconds at the locker kiosk or contact-free using a unique barcode from their mobile phone. \u201cEveryone wants to control their personal effects,\u201d explains Jeffrey Gay, an architect and designer for MOI.4<\/sup> \u201cWith the open office colliding with the hybrid workplace, you don\u2019t always know who is in the space. You want to know that your things are safely locked away\u201d.<\/p>\n Although configured early on as safety precautions monitoring social distancing, the number of riders in an elevator, or temperature screening, today, artificial intelligence technology solutions are being used for thousands of other applications. As Adam Stanley, Chief Information Officer and Chief Digital Officer at commercial-real-estate-services giant Cushman & Wakefield PLC, is quoted as saying: \u201cI think AI will help buildings get better with traffic management,\u201d and \u201cIt\u2019s no longer just nice to have.\u201d<\/p>\n Deloitte, too, sees AI as an important innovation and key to making sense of HR. From detecting employment trends to gauging employee satisfaction to understanding the financial impact of programs, these algorithms leverage technology to help managers make better decisions.<\/p>\n Say goodbye to one employee shivering while the other one is sweating. Smart thermostats and related innovative office solutions can sense how many people are in the room, the time of day, and the outside temperature to regulate the heat\/cold. Smart lighting technology can help an office building conserve energy by using motion sensors to power off lights after a designated period of inactivity.<\/p>\n Monitoring air quality is also key. Metrikus highlights this point: \u201cA recent study suggested that enhancing indoor air quality could be as effective in reducing aerosol transmission of viruses as vaccinating 50-60% of the population\u201d.5,6<\/sup><\/p>\n The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects \u2013 \u201cthings \u2013 that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the Internet. In fact, the number of IoT-connected devices is expected to skyrocket to over 75 billion by 2025.7<\/sup> You\u2019ll soon see how IoT sensors work to lower heating, lighting, and air conditioning bills, as predictive software can alert facility managers of sharp shifts in usage. Even more fascinating, this technology can also monitor office supply usage and alert managers as to when it\u2019s time to reorder.<\/p>\n Automation is an innovation that can help improve efficiency for modern office systems. A Harvard Business Review study estimates that 65% of the tasks that a manager currently does have the potential to be automated by 2025.8 Similar to Deloitte, HBR sees the HR function as being in dire need of innovative office technology and automation to manage performance reviews and peer assessments.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re asking, \u201cwhat is smart glass?\u201d you are not alone. Smart glass is a new and cool technology that alters its color based on time of day, sun exposure, cloud coverage, and light. This new glass is designed to save energy, but experts predict it could eventually work as an interactive display (think Tom Cruise in Minority Report).<\/p>\n If you\u2019re using Siri or talking to your remote control, you recognize the power of voice recognition. As we\u2019ve all learned, we speak faster than we type, resulting in improved efficiency. The modern office is embracing this technology \u2014 using it to send emails, schedule meetings, and more.<\/p>\n The workspace and office are evolving to meet the demands of the new workforce. Now\u2019s the time to leverage technology, retail lockers<\/a>, and smart commercial lockers<\/a> to become an employer of choice.<\/p>\n Ready to discover how smart lockers and parcel locker <\/a>solutions can be an affordable, innovative solution for your office building? Contact a Parcel Pending by Quadient representative today.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sources:<\/b><\/p>\n Have you heard? The \u201creturn to the office\u201d conversation is coming back. And, yet as employers attempt a return to in-person work, they\u2019re facing a barrage of new obstacles. The Permanence of Remote Work Early thinking during the start of the pandemic in March of 2020 was that a full return to the office was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":22566,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[241,242],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-commercial-en-gb","category-blog-en-gb"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n#1 Scheduling Software<\/b><\/h2>\n
#2 Cloud Computing<\/b><\/h2>\n
#3 Electronic Visitors Log<\/b><\/h2>\n
#4 Smart Lockers<\/b><\/h2>\n
#5 Solutions Powered by Artificial Intelligence<\/b><\/h2>\n
#6 Climate, Lighting, & Air Controls<\/b><\/h2>\n
#7 IoT-Powered Technology<\/b><\/h2>\n
#8 Automated Tasks<\/b><\/h2>\n
#9 Smart Glass<\/b><\/h2>\n
#10 Voice Recognition<\/b><\/h2>\n
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