Redesigning & rebuilding from the inside
Many companies are evaluating and planning to completely redesign and rebuild the inside of their headquarters around a new vision for office work, betting that the pandemic has changed how we work. It is unknown exactly what return to work will look like, it is clear that safeguarding employees’ well-being will be paramount because no plan to resume normal operations can succeed without them.
Leading with empathy
One thing that proves to be consistent in our findings is that management teams should lead with empathy and demonstrate an understanding that while all of their employees have experienced this crisis, they haven’t all experienced it the same way.
Businesses will need to make significant changes around health and safety in the workplace. By using data and insights to drive decisions, businesses can manage new operations, technologies, and ways of working, while meeting the needs of their people and business as they move forward.
Smart Workspaces & Digital Adoption From ‘Nice-to-Haves’ to ‘Must-Haves’
The pandemic has rapidly elevated many digital workplace technologies from ‘nice-to-haves’ to ‘must-haves’.
A smart workspace leverages the growing digitalization of physical objects to deliver new ways of working and improve workforce efficiency. Smart Lockers for both personal storage and delivery (or exchange of goods) fits nicely into the overall smart building and smart workplace movement. With the adoption of smart workspace technologies such as: IoT, digital signage, integrated workplace management systems, virtual workspaces, motion sensors and facial recognition — using old school ‘dumb’ locks doesn’t make any sense. Businesses would have a hole in their digital strategy and potentially lose valuable insights along with creating a less than optimal user experience.
Smart Lockers for Agile Offices, Hoteling, and centralized ‘Hubs’
On the other side of the pandemic, offices will still exist, but with a new purpose. Rather than being taken for granted—a place where employees automatically report every day—they will become corporate centers specifically meant to spur innovation and connection. Most likely, employees will not have assigned desking going forward, which will require a place to store personal belongings.
Rather than using a shared keypad on a locker door, employees can reserve smart lockers via a phone app — allowing them to choose their size, location and duration of use. With a shared ‘hub system’, employees can use the same ‘key’ across all locations to access lockers. Or exchange of good, also known as delivery, can help facilitate a touchless exchange of equipment, materials, or packages.