Workplace Tech & Software

Guest Blog: How to Give Your Office a Smart Tech Makeover

David Spence
October 2nd, 2018
how to add smart technology to your workplace

Thanks to technological innovations such as the Internet of Things (IoT) you can connect everything from your office’s lights and security system to its computers and other equipment so that you have remote access to them. This may make your life as a business owner easier. In some cases, they can save you money, improve security and more.

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Security Concerns

As beneficial as smart technology can be for modern businesses, there may be a few risks that may need to be addressed and mitigated. For example, some business owners are concerned about enabling remote access to their office environment in different ways. Hacking may give outsiders access to computer systems, entry through the office’s front door and more.

While these are only some of the vulnerabilities present with smart technology, there are ways to ensure that your business stays safe. Common safety measures that you may use in other areas of the digital world also apply to smart technology. For example, choosing difficult passwords and changing passwords regularly is beneficial. You can also use two-factor authentication as an additional safety precaution.

Benefits of Smart Technology

smart technology benefits and security concerns

Investing in smart technology for your business in some cases requires convincing the C-Suite and changing some processes. However, in exchange, you can enjoy numerous benefits. These include:

  • A fast and easy way to review all processes connected to the system
  • Real-time data on connected machines and equipment
  • The ability to quickly identify and diagnose issues
  • A faster response when addressing various issues with systems or devices
  • Improved overall productivity because of simplified management
  • The enhanced ability to quickly predict or analyze data, enabling data-driven decisions for new potential business models

Smart Technology Solutions That Are Best for Your Business

solutions that smart technology can bring to your workplace

As you might imagine, not all smart tech solutions are essential or even cost-effective for all business models and types. If you are wondering which solutions are best for your specific stage of business, consider some of these guidelines:

For Startups and Small Businesses: As soon as your startup or small business has two or more workers, internal communication and collaboration become vital. Many startups and small businesses are increasingly taking advantage of the benefits of remote workers, so finding a way to share files, communicate in real-time and more is essential.

With many collaborative and communicative tools available through smart technology, these may be some of the most pertinent uses of tech in today’s small businesses. Some ideas include Slack, DropBox, Google Drive and others. Interactive presentation tools, such as video conferencing with screen sharing capabilities, are also important for smaller businesses to use.

When considering your growth projections, this is an ideal time to look into software that will scale with you as you grow. There is nothing worse than being held back by your analog or manual systems.

For Medium Players: Many of the same applications that are critical for smaller businesses and startups also play a role in medium-sized and rapidly-growing businesses. In addition, these businesses may benefit from the investment of a few additional smart tech features.

If you have an e-commerce business, you may dramatically reduce overhead and improve customer satisfaction through the use of auto fulfillment solutions. You may also take greater control over your workplace through the use of smart thermostats. Smart locks are also essential for building security. Another idea is to provide your team with wireless charging stations so that they can keep all of the devices fully charged throughout the day.

For Enterprises and Industry Leaders: As your company grows, advanced smart technology features may be cost-effective and beneficial.

For example, biometric scanning can be used for access to different areas of your facility and for time clock management. You may also benefit from or need air quality monitoring. This may be essential in labs, warehouses and manufacturing facilities. Smart lighting can help you to save money and provide easier control over your facility.

Smart Technology Solutions for Your Business

benefits of smart technology in the workplace

It can be difficult to sort through all of the smart tech options available to find the right solutions to use in your business. If you are ready to explore some of the more popular or useful options available today, consider learning more about these smart tech solutions as a starting point:

Zapier: This platform is ideal for remote work environments. It facilitates collaboration across smaller or larger remote teams. Some of its features include internal blogging, text-based chatting, video conferencing, file sharing and more.

Nest: Nest takes the concept of a programmable thermostat to the next level. It enables customized temperature control in each room so that you can save energy on climate control needs throughout the year. More than that, these thermostats have remote access capabilities.

Office Space Software: Facility management becomes increasingly complicated and time-consuming as your business grows. This is a mobile and desktop software that lets you see the entire layout of your workspace, including where each employee sits and that lets you complete office moves in real-time. It also makes facility requests simple, among other things.

If you have not reviewed the many smart tech innovations available for business use, you may be missing out on some incredible opportunities to reduce overhead, improve productivity, simplify operations and more. Taking advantage of technological innovations may help your business to remain competitive going forward.

Photo Credits: Keith ChongPixabayHelena Lopes, Priscilla Du Preez