The phrase “smart office” has become a bit of a buzzword over the last couple of years, but what does it mean? A smart office is a high-tech workplace designed to improve the office environment and make employees more productive and efficient using connected technologies and analytics.
Smart offices use a range of technologies, from video conferencing software and analytics tools to desk booking software, which all aim to support an enhanced, more seamless work process. According to some research reports, the size of the smart office market is growing rapidly, and by 2025, its global market size is projected to hit USD 57.05 billion. This all sounds good, but what exactly are the benefits offered by smart offices? Let’s take a look.
Productivity
With the implementation of more smart technology and better devices, you will likely see increased productivity in your business. Technologies like meeting room booking and desk booking software will help employees quickly and conveniently find available spaces throughout the workplace. This improved utilisation of real estate and equipment will help improve productivity throughout the office.
Smart technology gives employees increased flexibility over their workplace, schedules and communication. This leads to increased satisfaction, greater ownership over their work and a happier, more productive workforce.
Communication
Improved communication is another benefit of smart office technology. With smart offices, you can integrate several platforms that make keeping in touch with your teams and employees easier than ever before. Simple to use video conferencing software and communication platforms streamline communication and make emails look like a thing of the past.
Poor communication is a leading cause of poor performance. Therefore, an improvement in communication is likely to provide even more benefits to your business than just enabling teams to catch up, socialise and get to know each other.
Employee Retention
It doesn’t matter how good your employees are if you can’t offer them a good workplace culture and connect them as a team. Without a connected workforce, it will be challenging to achieve the desired business performance. This will eventually lead to most of your top talent leaving you for companies that offer a healthier business culture.
Smart offices can connect each member of the team through improved communication. As we previously mentioned, different forms of communication software can help build relationships, promote harmony throughout your workforce and improve employee retention.
Sustainability
Although it might sound counterintuitive, becoming a more sustainable business can positively impact your profitability and success. ESG (environmental, social, and governance) metrics are often used to determine how sustainable and ethical a company is. According to McKinsey, the higher a company’s ESG, the more likely they are to outperform the market.
So, how can a smart office help drive your sustainability goals? Smart offices can use integrated technologies that control temperature and lighting, etc. That means your smart office can use energy more efficiently, thus becoming more sustainable while also saving money. Smart technology can help you manage your workspace better and make it more environmentally friendly and future-proof.
Security
Employee safety is a major concern for many industries. Most importantly, your employees need to be safe, which in turn can improve productivity and employee wellbeing. However, with increased security measures, companies will find that their liabilities insurance, compensation and social security expenses are reduced.
So, this all sounds great, but how can a smart office increase security? There is a range of smart technologies that can be implemented by a business to improve security. As well as smart cameras and sensors that keep an eye on the activity in and around your business, workplace management systems can help control who enters and exits your business premises with advanced visitor management software. Visitor management software is feature-rich, easy to deploy and highly customisable, making it an important feature of your new smart office.
A Smarter Future
So, there you have it. Technology plays a major part in our everyday lives, but what about the place where we spend eight hours or more a day? It’s time to smarten up your office and watch your business and employees reap the benefits. Workplace management solutions like Cloudbooking help you undertake the digital transformation with technology that can change the way you work.
