The new hybrid workplace and its IT needs

We’ve seen how instrumental technology (in particular, ICT), has been to working from home during the lockdowns. Without the establishment of this new hybrid workplace, several sectors of the workforce would not have been able to carry on working, or would have seen their work significantly hampered.

Recently, there’s been a lot of talk about returning to the office. But employees and employers do not want to go back to the old, pre-pandemic models of working.

Instead, employees want a mix between working from home and the office, and they want control over their schedules. That is to say, employees want hybrid workplaces and flexible working. Flexible or hybrid working has been a trend that has been a long time coming, but the pandemic has ushered in this new way of working much faster than anticipated.

Returning to the office, the flexible working way

The hybrid workplace model means that new technology-based systems will have to be put into place to meet organisations’ business and workplace needs. These technologies or digital solutions should accommodate the shift in the way we work and should be able to do so down to the month, week, day, and even the hour. Because flexible working is so individual (for example, some people would want to work primarily from home, others from offices), technology should be able to manage the unique combinations that employees choose for their mode of working.

In addition, technology such as sensors or analytics that manage building access control and that monitor desk use and office occupancy, can limit the number of persons at the office, reinforce social distancing, and identify cleaning needs, thus helping companies keep their employees safe and healthy. Such technology is particularly important, since human error and complacency about applying safety measures tend to thwart even the best thought-out health and safety systems. Automatic systems are more consistent, don’t make mistakes, and never forget anything.

Workspace Management Software

Oversight and Control for Hybrid Working

Workero’s workspace management software is precisely such a tool. As more people come back to the office, it gives both managers and employees a real-time overview of who is on site, registers and traces both employees and guests in case of infections, and allows managers to set a limit on how many desks can be booked per day. As such, through the software one can control how many people is on site, and one has the option of choosing when and where to book a desk (one can, for example, look up where one’s colleagues are, or where people with certain skills have booked a desk or an office, and book a space next to them).

End-user-friendly via our native mobile app and desktop

Besides being a smart logistics system that gives an overview of meetings that are planned, what’s happening in the office, and which areas or desks are available, Workero’s workspace management system is end-user friendly. Employees book desks or meeting rooms in two steps on an intuitive interface: they select the relevant desk on an interactive office floor plan (that perfectly reflects the company’s office space), and confirm the date and time slot. End-users further have the options of accessing the system via our native mobile app, or on desktop. Since the software is easy to use, very little time goes towards training members of one’s company to use the new system.

Notifications and Integrations

Finally, the office management system can be connected with company calendars: it sends push notifications with desk booking information to the end-users. If desired, our software can be connected to the rest of your IT infrastructure, for example, parking management software, or building sensors. Most importantly, it is a secure, cloud-based system that makes use of IAM server identity control in order to ensure that the right users are given access to the right enterprise assets (office, meeting rooms, desks), under the right conditions. SSO authentication can also be implemented, if desired.

Put our system in place at your company with the assurance that it is secure, fast to implement, and that employees and decision-makers will have all the information they need at their fingertips and will find it easy to use. Bring your company into the future of hybrid working, and contact us for a trial period.