We not only spend hours on our smartphones, but there are many less obvious ways of technologies that penetrate our lives. As most people spend around 8-10 hours a day at work, it is just natural that office automation using the Internet of Things is getting more and more popular. How much digitisation is needed? How can you do it smartly? Let’s have a short look at it.
From smart home appliances to various sensors and wearables, there are dozens of “connected things” we interact with every day. By using IoT in office buildings, you can increase productivity, better engage your workers, and make more comfortable working environments for your employees. Certainly, it’s easy to be seduced by the allure of new technology, but be careful: simply throwing IoT tools and AI into the mix might not deliver the expected results unless management, business issues are considered, and the innovations are consistent with the company culture.
As people become increasingly “plugged in” to their workspaces, leaders should not only pay extra attention to cybersecurity and privacy issues, but should also ensure that employees are not overwhelmed by all the gadgets and technological innovations. So where to start if you think smart?
Concerning the office layout, multi-space solutions combining open plan, some private offices, meeting rooms, and communal breakout areas seem to be achievable for most companies. Especially if workers are given choice over where and how they work, including working remotely as required.
Employees like if they are given more control over their experiences at work. So another smart solution can be individual control over workplace lighting and temperature. It is not a big deal, but means a lot for employees’ workplace satisfaction.
The following smart office features are also popular among workers: self-adjusting lighting and window shades, while decision-makers would rather opt for meeting rooms where screens work seamlessly with personal devices.
How can smart offices increase company productivity and help employee engagement? We will continue with these topics next week. Stay tuned.
