Page 8 - Spaces Magazine Volume 1

· 08 · Vol 0ne ® Smart Spaces This isn’t just inefficient, but it also creates security concerns when workers leave or are reassigned to a new office. Today, smart building access cards can be integrated into mobile wallets like Apple or Google Wallets. Couple this with a building’s integrated app and we see an experience where a worker merely needs to tap their phone to enter a building, at the same time calling an elevator via the app, meaning that by the time they reach the lift, it’s there waiting for them and primed to take them to the correct floor. This doesn’t just improve efficiencies for the end-user, but provides a better understanding of how buildings are being used. Embracing smart technology in the workplace enables building managers and occupiers to truly understand their workforce. Embracing smart technology in the workplace enables building managers and occupiers to truly understand their workforce. Not only this, but it also helps to drive companies towards their sustainability goals. If certain areas of the office aren’t in use, lighting and HVAC systems can be turned off, meaning energy consumption is reduced. With a large proportion of a building’s carbon footprint coming from its energy consumption, this is a welcome relief and support towards the net zero ambitions of many building managers. We all understand the need to become more sustainable with our daily lives. Employees don’t just want, but expect their company to have eco- friendly policies in place. By taking steps towards building a net zero office space, businesses are encouraging their workforce back. All-in-all, the hotelification of the office isn’t about being waited on, hand and foot, while employees respond to emails. It’s about the holistic office experience. It’s about putting people at the centre of their workspace. Encouraging connectivity, enabling efficiencies, and building a closer community all play a role here. Working from home isn’t likely to go away, but with the right environment, a good balance will be struck which works for both businesses and their employees. With this evolution of what it means to work in an office, we may even reach a stage where people are actually excited about going to work.