There is a worldwide shift to remodel offices into living workspaces. Workspaces are evolving from cubicles and silos, nine to five office-bound hours and on-premise technology; to fluid and flattened structures, anytime-anywhere workspaces and cloud technology.
New technologies and workplace trends are nudging local businesses to assess whether their workspaces are future-proof in terms of technology, collaboration, creativity and efficiency.
Collaboration is the cornerstone of modern culture
Technologies such as WhatsApp, Skype and Google Hangouts have brought family, friends and colleagues together with collaborative group chats. Slack is streamlining communication in the workplace by keeping time-sensitive group discussions separate from emails. These silo-busting tools drive timeous information sharing and productivity.
Game-changing insights do come to the fore when there is seamless collaboration between teams. However, greater connectivity often results in multiple but separate communication platforms. The challenge is to keep important details from getting lost by streamlining communication. Integrated business solutions providers such as Nashua, offer document and device management solutions that can promote greater collaboration.
Big data, algorithms and analytics
Insights can be unlocked with optimal management, structuring and usage of big data. This is possible with managed document solutions that safeguards against vital information being stolen, compromised or destroyed; and takes into account the volume, management, accuracy, quality and speed of access to data. Future workplace solutions based on algorithms will speed up the workflow and simplify data analysis.
Remote workforces out of sight but not out of mind
Apart from gaining remote access to documents, mobile workforces need to connect to work with their own devices. There are various connectivity solutions available to achieve this. Managed document solutions concentrate on internal documents but extends to the mobile workforce. It takes into account the type of document, its location (cloud or local server), access privileges and if the document can be saved to the employee’s device.
From cubicles to inspiring workspaces
Furniture should provide inspiration at work. However, careful consideration must be given to the business technology requirements, how it will be used, and if the chosen workspace furniture offers a flexible platform that can accommodate the requirements of shifting technologies. Nashua will conduct a workspace audit to investigate size, layout, equipment, software and processes and to make recommendations to effective and efficient solutions that build productivity and minimise overheads.
Immersive technologies
Rooms intended for meetings, brainstorms and training, should stimulate creativity, collaboration and overall productivity. These spaces require high quality sharing of videos, audio and infographics through video collaboration platforms, call recording services and teleconferencing services.
For next-level ideation in the workspace, digital whiteboards can enable direct interaction with a range of static and dynamic content on screens. It is the presentation of the future and opens up a two-way real-time interaction amongst participants in different locations.
Security: Physically and virtually everywhere
Managed document solutions allow businesses to track and protect important information. When printing confidential information, document release solutions holds documents in a secure server and can only be accessed with employee authentication. The future workplace will be protected by biometric fingerprint and facial recognition technologies to give comprehensive access control.
The digital native workforce
Future workforces will mainly consist of digital natives that will have needs vastly different from previous generations. As the forerunners, Millennials function optimally when they can work when and where they want to. They are already showing great affinity for inspiring and trendy workspaces that resemble the open and interconnected digital world.
By Afrika Tau, Nashua Chief Sales Officer
