9 Smart Office Trends For 2023

1. Smart Conferencing

Conferences and meetings are now more important than ever in office jobs. The frequency of in-person meetings has reduced recently and hybrid working isn't showing signs of slowing down anytime soon, but businesses must have a well-installed system that supports them now and in the future. A smart meeting room is an essential component of a smart office configuration. Smart technology powers smart meeting rooms, which integrate hardware and software tools into the meeting space to provide a highly productive meeting experience for both remote and in-person attendees.

Employees can host meetings with clients and employees both in-office and remotely in real-time using smart conference rooms. They can also record these meetings for later review, making it easier to keep those who weren't able to attend. Users can now select from a variety of configurations to fit any office or boardroom. The important thing is to ensure that devices can work together to produce high-quality results. A strong system relies on high-quality cameras, microphones, speakers, and screens to allow for better communication from all parties involved. Modern conferencing solutions are designed to work in tandem with well-known software applications such as Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, and Skype.

2. Internet Of Things (IoT)

IoT is another promising modern technological trend. Many "things" are currently being built with WiFi connectivity, allowing them to be connected to the Internet—and thus to one another—hence the term "Internet of Things," or IoT. The Internet of Things is the future, and it has already enabled devices, home appliances, cars, and other items to be connected to the Internet and exchange data.

The Internet of Things is already being used and benefited by consumers. For example, when we forget to lock our doors before leaving for work, we can now do so remotely, and we can preheat our ovens on our way home. Businesses, on the other hand, stand to benefit greatly both now and in the near future. As data is collected and analysed, the Internet of Things can improve business safety, efficiency, and decision-making. It has the potential to enable predictive maintenance, accelerate medical care, enhance customer service and provide benefits we have yet to imagine.

3. Smart Desk Management

Businesses that use a hybrid work model frequently struggle to ensure that employees have access to office resources when they need them. The experience of commuting to work only to find that there isn't an open desk could be distressing for an employee. In order to avoid this issue, your company might want to take advantage of smart desk management. Smart desk management is a system for booking desks. Your employees can view the entire layout of their office floor plan by entering the software app. The floorplan will show the office desks, free desks, and booked desks. They can see who has reserved each reserved desk and sit with their team or a friend if they want to book a desk.

4. Smart Presentations

Smart presentation technology has quickly become the new normal for multi-million dollar corporations all over the world. These systems improve employee teamwork by equipping meeting rooms with a growing number of screens. This provides teams with the tools they need to better visualise concepts and communicate them with coworkers, clients, and partners. Users of smart presentation systems can also present wirelessly, using a handheld device such as a smartphone, laptop, or tablet. This not only improves the technology's functionality but also allows employees to work more efficiently and without interruption.

Smart meeting rooms frequently include a smart whiteboard that allows remote meeting participants to view and share information more easily. They connect to productivity and collaboration apps, allowing content written on the whiteboard during a meeting to be distributed to meeting participants after the meeting concludes. This ensures that everyone is aware of what was discussed during the meeting, even if they were unable to attend. Whiteboards are a useful productivity tool for both in-office and remote workers. They can be used to share ideas and visualise a thought process or workflow with the people with whom they are meeting. Many offices have a standard wall-mounted whiteboard or a rolling whiteboard that can be moved from one room to the next.

5. Smart Security

Smart security can help an office in a variety of ways, from remote system monitoring to accurate people management. Using a smart alarm, you no longer need to worry about the last employee who left the building, since you can schedule the security system to set the alarm for the night, and arm and disarm the intruder alarm remotely if you need to. Access control can benefit both office employees and office management. When combined with CCTV, you can visually verify individuals seeking entry to the office or specific rooms within, then grant or refuse entry. Video surveillance can also provide context for accessing events all throughout the building.

Staff can also benefit from an access control solution because they can be given mobile credentials to enter their workspace, which is less likely to be misplaced than an access card. When biometric credentials, such as face or fingerprint scanning, are used, these solutions become even more unique to the user and thus more difficult to clone. The ability to remotely monitor security systems eliminates the need for on-site security personnel to occupy the building outside of working hours.

6. Wellness Verification Software

This feature was primarily used to monitor the health and well-being of the company's employees during the initial outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic. Wellness verification software is now also useful for effective employee management. Employee mental wellness and employee satisfaction can be difficult to assess when employees are rarely in the office. You can use mental health surveys in conjunction with wellness verification software to determine whether a wellness seminar or retreat is required. With the goal of wellness in mind, the software can also be used to calibrate the amount of light needed in a room based on the number of occupants.

7. Sustainable Office Design

As a society, we are becoming more conscious of our impact on the environment, and this has permeated commercial workplaces as well. Businesses are trying to make their offices more environmentally friendly every day, which has been influencing purchasing decisions. In terms of office equipment, this means using air conditioners, smart thermostats, energy-saving bulbs and high-quality lights that will last a long time. Employers are eager to use sustainable and eco-friendly materials whenever possible, and the number of customers opting for custom-made lighting pieces made from sustainable materials has grown in the past few years.

8. Sound Masking Technology

By 2023, sound masking will be a major office innovation. It's intended to improve workplace concentration by regulating audio levels. It works similarly to white noise in that it raises ambient noise that is specifically engineered to the frequency of human speech, making noise more difficult to understand and thus less distracting. Sound masking does not cancel out all speech noise in an office; rather, it reduces how far away chat can be perceived and comprehended by others. Sound masking, unlike white noise, is intended to be pleasant to the human ear. When properly installed, it should simply blend into the background "hum" of the workplace, with no static, interference, or buzz.

9. Environmental Sensors

Large commercial buildings can pose a number of risks, including VOCs from paints, cleaners, and disinfectants, the use of which has increased significantly in workplaces as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Access to information about air quality can help businesses protect the health and safety of their employees, lowering the likelihood of liability or an insurance claim. Furthermore, maintaining a healthy work environment in these areas will minimise illness and absence in the office, improving the business's functionality.