Reimagined Offices

Even before COVID-19, the evolution of the office was a hot topic.

The availability of new and innovative technologies, as well as insight into how an environment can impact productivity, creativity, well-being and company culture, have for some years now been central to a vibrant dialogue on creating the ideal working environment. No longer simply a place where work is done, the workplace is a strategic tool that can help businesses to be more efficient, agile and resilient. It’s an office, but not as we know it.

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Key Benefits:

Workspaces which actively support business objectives

The reimagined office is about more than beanbags and adult slides, however (though those may have been the office design characteristics that grabbed the most headlines over the past decade). Human-centric workspaces which merge optimal physical and digital resources can unlock the potential in all kinds of organisations. By employing the right tech solutions that support the progression of a frictionless working day, you can free staff to focus on their operational objectives, improving efficiency, productivity and quality – as well as augmenting the employee experience. The latter may not have always been a priority for businesses in the past, but it becomes increasingly important as the proportion of the Millennial and Gen Z workforce grows (especially so for knowledge businesses, who rely heavily on the quality of their talent).

Key Benefits:

Streamlining for success: a frictionless working day

Removing common hold-ups from day-to-day activities may seem like a small thing, but it can make a big difference. Streamlining activities from entering a building (with facial recognition, an interactive welcome kiosk, and augmented reality wayfinding) to daily necessities such as storing belongings and having lunch (digital touchless lockers and a contactless micromarket, for example), enable people to get on with their working day unhindered by niggles. Environmental comfort can be optimised, too (through intelligent controls, and intelligent spatial design) so that staff aren’t distracted by screen glare, low light levels or uncomfortable ambient temperatures. Additionally, one of the biggest factors in setting the right cultural tone – internal communications – can be augmented through a dedicated mobile app, as well as in-office digital screen installations, streaming appropriate types of content and messaging.

Key Benefits:

Fostering productivity, raising quality, improving experience

Facilitating easier working days is important; facilitating efficient and effective workflows is perhaps even more so. The 21st-century office does this through a melding of physical and digital workspaces which enable people, devices and data to interact seamlessly and securely. Augmented print and workflow technology is key to streamlining office activities, increasing efficiency, productivity and operational effectiveness – ultimately leading to a stronger, more resilient organisation. Managed print is a win-win – usually offering an instant cost reduction as well as improved quality – while workflow software digitises formerly paper-based systems for better efficiency, and document scanning and storage systems achieve significant efficiency gains and archive space reduction. Where there’s a need for high-quality or volume printing, central production print and hybrid print and mail services offer maximum value and quality.

Key Benefits:

Designing the perfect workspace for its purpose

With a variety of working spaces available, from hot desks to huddle booths, conference rooms to casual meeting areas, the reimagined office utilises occupancy management sensors and a digital booking system to ensure that staff can find the right types of space at the right time. Additionally, the usage data gleaned ensures that business decisions about real estate are informed by dependable facts. Spaces are designed to augment the work being carried out in them – smaller rooms for teamwork, quiet booths for individual deep thinking, conference rooms for larger meetings. Collaboration workspaces are also equipped to enable interaction between on-site and remote participants, whether the requirement is to connect a small team together or enable an instructor to deliver training to a large number of remote and in-person participants.

Key Benefits:

Tech-enabled workspaces take businesses to the next level

The spatial organisation of workspaces has, until quite recently, been mostly concerned with the place of work – the physical location. However, with the advent of increasingly sophisticated technology designed to augment working practices, the way we think about the office must be expanded. As such, a holistic view of current and future business requirements, across digital and virtual spaces, forms the best basis for an office design that matches current (and future) needs. Providing the optimal working environment in this way not only raises quality and productivity, cuts costs, improves sustainability, and mitigates risk, but by improving employee experience attracts and retains the best talent, and facilitates greater agility and resilience in the face of challenging market conditions. In short, the reimagined office embodies the idea of working smarter, not harder.