COVID-19 fundamentally modified how businesses operate and professionals work, compelling millions of people to work from home. Technology’s vital part in the workplace is well-recognised, but the pandemic presented unexpected challenges that brought upon new possibilities in this space.
The pandemic called attention to how businesses utilised technology and whether companies could manage to operate seamlessly, efficiently, and productively with their employees working from home. From securing workplace safety to encouraging employee well-being and enabling a hybrid workspace, tech played a pivotal role in allowing staff to stay connected and productive while keeping safe and healthy from the virus.
These technologies are expected to remain in use even when the threat of COVID-19 is extinguished. It’s clear that innovative technologies will continue to emerge to support ever changing business needs. The impact of technology in the workplace has exponentially increased the rate of production and speed at which business occurs.
Employee Wellness and Sustainability
‘Future-proofed’ workplaces are built around the idea that team members should be able to work wherever they want. Technology needs to connect seamlessly and simultaneously to their work, to each other and to the wider world from anywhere in the office, or when working remotely.
A large percentage of employees will carry on with remote working, at least every now and then, within a hybrid work model. However, studies have shown that while there are a lot of benefits for implementing remote work, it has also resulted in a higher percentage of burnout due to overworking. That’s why companies are constantly strategising, contemplating how they can support the wellness of employees.
As employers continue to prioritise the physical and mental health of their staff, enterprises are now thinking of ways their offices can accommodate the business and employee needs that are in a constant state of flux.
Communication, Conferencing, and Collaboration
We are all privy to the sudden uptake in the demand and usage of communication and collaboration tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams during the pandemic. And the truth of the matter is, these solutions are here to stay.
Some are anticipating that by 2024, only 25% of meetings will be done face-to-face, pandemic or not. We’ve all seen the effectiveness and efficiency of conducting meetings virtually, especially with conferencing platforms constantly updating their interface to provide us with better functions.
As people start returning to the office, more advanced and convenient meeting functions are going to be vital. Seamless conferencing is a necessity, as well as the ability to call colleagues who are working remotely while you’re in the office.
Aside from leading communication and conferencing platforms, a successful modern workplace must also have efficient collaboration solutions that help your organisation foster a seamless collaborative culture for employees in the office, and at home.
When we think about the future of the post-pandemic workplace, it’s evident that technology will play a vital part in dictating what these spaces will look like, offer, and operate.
In-office systems as well as the personal devices that we use day in and day out, will undoubtedly become indispensable tools in not only inviting personnel back into the office, but also in securing employee well-being and safety. These solutions will also be key to maintaining productivity and order in the workplace as companies adopt a flexible work solution.
When choosing the technology for your modern office space, be sure to provide support for a wide variety of devices. Some of your team members may prefer to work on a desktop. Others may prefer to work on a laptop. Still others may do their best work on a tablet or mobile phone. Regardless of the device your employees choose, or even if they choose to use all three throughout the day, the transition from one to the other should be as seamless as possible.
Keeping Offices Safe
Technology played an invaluable part in supporting people’s safety and health during the pandemic. This fact is not seen to change as safety and well-being stays a major issue during the back-to-office transition now happening in enterprises.
IoT devices and contact tracing mobile applications turned out to be exceptionally important tools that help prevent and monitor the transmission of COVID-19, while touchless fixtures and digitally-enabled processes are becoming increasingly common.
Applications will greatly contribute to a contactless modern workplace. By using near-field communication or NFC in lieu of keycards to grant employees access to the office or building, or allowing personnel to call for an elevator through their smartphone, are examples of technologies now gaining traction. In fact, the future is already here. At the Gateway building at Circular Quay in Sydney, for example, Dexus has rolled out Australia’s first fully integrated ‘touchless entry’ office tower using the latest in biometrics technology and data integration. Utilising 3D fingerprint technology, the tower’s workers can pass through security, ride to their floor in a lift and access their workplace all without touching a single surface with their hands.
Ultimately, technology in the workplace has helped organisations and staff become more efficient and agile than ever before. The modern office needs to keep pace, grow and evolve along with all these technological advancements to ensure a thriving business and workplace environment.
