It’s Not the End

Many companies are behind the curve when it comes to integrating useful technology into the workplace. The COVID-19 pandemic further brought to light this gap when employees were suddenly sent to work remotely, solely relying on technology to communicate and collaborate. While most organizations found a way to cope with the circumstances, a new hybrid model of work, in which employees expect more freedom and flexibility, was born.

The business landscape has forever changed, as evidenced by a Gartner survey released in 2020, which revealed 82 percent of company leaders plan to allow remote work some of the time. It is also clear business leaders are seeing negative aspects of the work-from-home lifestyle. In 2021, Forbes reported that the downsides of remote work are weighing on employers, and many conclude that at least a partial return to the office after the pandemic is a near certainty.

It is clear the workplace is not dead — but, it has competition, and it must perform like never before. Offices must be more connected, more multidimensional and more productive to show their value.

“Today’s conversation around technology must go broader than ever before,” said Jay Morris, president and founder of Phase Integration, a commercial technology consulting and project management company.

“Businesses have to think about any tech-enabled elements that directly impact engagement and productivity, like audio visual, lighting control, sound masking, room reservation, access control and security. All these elements combine to strengthen the employee experience, and today’s employee wants these solutions to be easy to pick up, touch and start, or so integrated into their everyday activities they don’t even have think about them.”

A holistic approach

Today’s office sits at the intersection of technology, facility and people. Gone are the days of technology as an add-on or enhancement. Now, it is as critical as a physical building or the employee workforce is to achieve success.

As companies plan for renovation and construction, they may not realize that these processes are often behind the innovative curve and have not evolved to address critical technology issues early enough in project planning. This oversight often creates expensive mistakes, a need to redo work or can even lead to businesses compromising on their needs.

Where many businesses run into trouble is only working with firms that specialize in a certain type of work. For instance:

1. Architects are experts in creating functional, safe, sustainable and compliant facilities

2. Interior designers do strategic work refining flow while applying finishes, accessories and furniture to spaces

However, architects and designers are not experts in technology planning, as it is not central to either provider. The issue is technology is not an add on. it is an essential, mainstream project element that must be strategically addressed at the beginning of a project, before putting a plan into action.

Businesses need technology experts who understand the importance of pre-planning for their needs and can represent their technology priorities to ensure better communication and coordination across the various trades and stakeholders involved in a project.

“As one of the only providers of its kind, Phase Integration brings businesses a comprehensive menu of technology services to tackle these challenges, all with an unbiased approach. To increase accountability and results, businesses will want an integrated approach that maximize synergies between applications and streamlines planning, coordination, execution and ongoing support,” Morris said.

This need for more interconnected, versatile spaces has increased complexity in furniture and wall products as well. Yesterday’s monolithic panels, static worksurfaces and simple projection setups have been replaced by integrated workplace designs marrying building materials with technology and furniture.

What businesses need today to stay competitive includes switches, controls, motors, architectural walls and complex materials like double paned glass and integrated power, data, lighting and technology components. The more complex nature of these products requires a much higher level of installation expertise. Years ago, providers needed basic training and tools. Today, a provider must have a firm understanding of construction practices, building codes, electrical requirements, data infrastructure, and much more diverse and complicated furniture systems.

Unbiased vs biased providers

Another compromise many companies fall into is working with traditional build-and-design integrators who are focused on selling particular brands and incentivized to push certain products. This often leads to companies getting a lot of technology, but not necessarily the right technology for their needs. Inevitably, this leads to overspending and underdelivering in shared spaces such as conference rooms, meeting rooms or in the ability to connect in-office and remote workers. A better option is to work with a technology solutions company that is brand agnostic, which gives customers a wider variety of technology, enabling companies to get the right solution to meet their needs.

Looking ahead

Ultimately, the workplace of the future must include integrated technology to be successful. Companies that can capitalize on solutions that push their collaboration and communication forward will be the winners who see more success with the hybrid workplace approach. By implementing easy-to-use technology into the workplace, employees can streamline communication whether they are sitting in a physical office or working hundreds of miles apart. Bridging this gap will enable the flexibility employees are looking for, leading to better experiences, and ultimately making organizations more competitive when it comes to recruitment and talent acquisition.