The workplace is becoming increasingly fast-paced and complex, which means business leaders must ensure they invest in technology that empowers workers with collaboration rather than fostering isolation, if they want to grow.
Quora Consulting research shows that 77% of tech-savvy companies have a culture in which workers are open to concepts that challenge existing workplace practices, compared to 19% of companies that have not implemented forward-thinking based strategies.
Technology is constantly changing the way the workplace operates, but businesses should remember the reason they have an office in the first place – for their staff to work together.
>See also: The time is now to get to grips with the digital workplace and manage consumerisation – Gartner
Businesses looking to bring more technology into their workplace must ensure that it integrates seamlessly with the workflow and empowers users, rather than adding complexity that damages the workflow.
Interruptions during the day can cost mid-sized businesses £6.6 million a year, and research from Deloitte recently found that 66% of business leaders were concerned that their workers are overwhelmed with the modern work environment.
Solutions need to be intuitive and easy to use if they are to improve the agility and productivity of a business. With the right tools in place, business can enable their staff to keep up with the fast pace of the modern office by working together in a collaborative, supportive environment.
Businesses rely on technology on a daily basis for all manner of work purposes, but now companies must look at how technology can help their workspace and ensure they are getting the best out of what they’ve got.
According to global research, the UK is the costliest place in the world to invest in commercial property, which puts London at the top of the global league of places to have offices – so any business needs to know if they’re getting their money’s worth.
With a shocking 58% of desks in the financial services sector going unused for up to half of the day and 71% of meeting rooms not being used, under-utilisation of space is a very real and costly problem that businesses have not yet recognised.
Companies also need to take into account the increasing rise of remote working and the flexibility of laptops and iPads, with employees having more choice to choose where they do their work.
The problem companies face with empty rooms not only impacts on a establishment’s finances but results in unused office space and frustrated workers who waste time looking for meeting rooms that are marked in use but are lying empty.
>See also: Humans vs robots: the battle for the workplace
Organisations are now in an environment of accelerating complexity and feel the new pressures of transforming their business analytically for a competitive and financial advantage.
From letters to emails, telephones to mobiles and typewriters to touchscreens, the workplace has developed drastically and will only keep evolving as technology advances.
Businesses must adapt to the change and implement technology smartly into their offices if they wish to build a smart, efficient workspace that will help them thrive and grow.
Sourced from Paul Statham, CEO and Peter Otto, Director of Product and Design, Condeco Software
