After more than a year of remote work and trying to adjust to new processes and habits, the return to the office might seem more challenging than before. However, it’s also an opportunity to take a step back, review the major changes you have been through, and plan for an updated office environment. As employees return to workplaces with new perspectives and skills, they are more prepared in terms of communication than ever before.
So, how can you ensure a work environment that respects and adapts to their new values and priorities?
Reevaluating your communication tools
When it comes to improving your communication tools, an idea would be to start reevaluating your existing communication technology—identify features, devices, or equipment you don’t use anymore. Ask your employees what they need and what can be improved.
Then, determine if the services you’re currently using are right for your organization and the recent changes. Do you have enough capacity? Are you satisfied with your current provider? Are your current voice solutions meeting your needs?
It might be time to assess your collaboration tools and decide if they are still the right solution for your company. You can also ask your teams if they would be more productive using a single unified platform or if they need separate, specialized tools. While they decide, see if they also require new training or if there are gaps in your employees’ skills.
Back-end processes might also be revised, and you can always reevaluate remote work policies, evaluation standards, and managing principles and rules. It’s essential to understand how you can change the old, before-the-pandemic environment going forward and create a better-suited office for your teams. You will probably need to simplify processes and methods that are no longer working.
Introducing Mixed Reality
Communication tools like Zoom, Slack, and Teams have been enabling employees to meet in digital locations, merging real and virtual worlds to create a new environment. However, augmented and mixed reality are now more advanced than ever before, being implemented in several industries and growing increasingly popular.
Today, almost half of American full-time employees are working remotely, further accelerating the development of new mixed reality tools to assist them in virtual offices. It seems like this technology is starting to redefine the future of work.
This comes as no surprise, however, since the benefits of mixed reality applications are boosting employee engagement, creating more revenue, and lowering costs. In the long-term strategies of many organizations, mixed reality is seen as an opportunity to create collaborative environments that are better than traditional ones in person.
Virtual offices and focus groups offer real-time collaboration, which will be key trends streamlining an organization’s communication moving forward.
Embracing tech trends at the office
As technology becomes more a part of our lives more often than not, the office environment will see a number of trends that will all be aimed at improving productivity, efficiency, sustainability, and interconnectedness.
Among these trends, you can expect to see:
- 3D printing—helping research and technology companies to develop quick prototypes affordably
- Augmented reality—devices that have been used in areas like education will be beneficial in the office environment
- Internet of Things—audiovisual equipment, smart coffee machines, and different gadgets will anticipate employees’ needs
- Cloud computing—allowing businesses to double or triple in scale, without moving offices
- Renewable energy solutions—from green office supplies to energy-saving lighting become increasingly popular
Conclusion
To stay relevant in today’s world, your office has to evolve to meet new employees’ needs. It also has to provide the best technology solutions, whether it’s about communication, data management, or other parts of your business. But most importantly, your office needs to be ready to change and adapt with agility and flexibility.
