#venue software

Twenty years ago no-one could have predicted that Amazon, from its humble beginnings as an online bookstore, would explode in quite the way it has – now accounting for 5% of all US retail spend.

After several years of not making a profit, CEO Jeff Bezos is now worth $150 billion. With a 49% share of all US online commerce it’s only a matter of time before they are making more money than all their online competitors combined.

As a corollary, traditional stores such as Toys R Us didn’t adapt to Amazon and have withered away completely.

The growth of Uberization

Of course, Amazon largely makes its money in the provision of tangible goods.

What is striking about many other well-known online brands is that they don’t hold or ship any inventory at all. “Uber, the world’s largest taxi company owns no vehicles, Facebook the world’s most popular media owner creates no content, Alibaba, the most valuable retailer has no inventory and Airbnb the world’s largest accommodation provider owns no real estate. Something interesting is happening” Tom Goodwin – TechCrunch, March 2015.

The process of Uberization has meant turning traditional business platforms on their head. At its heart it has involved providing the technological tools to match users and providers – often at a massive scale. With the proliferation of smart devices this process has exploded.

Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the travel industry with the growth of online travel agents (OTAs) – this is now the most popular option for the youth and student market for booking flights and hotels.

This is a relatively recent phenomenon – a survey by Wyse found that the number of information sources typically required to book a trip has increased from 3 in 2002 to 10.5 in 2017.

As they also note, a decade ago 70% of travel bookings were conducted in physical travel agents – much of this business has now shifted online.

Look to the future

Although the use of booking systems and OTAs is mainstream in the travel and hotel industries, venues have been largely slow in their adoption of online bookings in spite of the fact that the hotel industry have been selling meeting packages online for a few years now. It is a fair assumption that venues may be missing out on last minute and small bookings.

The emergent generation of young people is familiar with online booking and they are living their lives through a prism of social media.

When this generation gets older and in a position of influence, it is highly unlikely that these digital natives are going to have the inclination to spend time on the phone calling around to book an event when they are used to booking a whole holiday in a matter of seconds online.

While it is important to recognise that there is a place for conversation when booking a complex event, the venue market is ripe for an element of automation to appeal to a new generation of event bookers who want to book a small or late meeting. The industry needs to “morph and change” if it is to keep up with hotels and market disruptors such as Wework who now offer meeting spaces alongside their core offerings of office space and hot desks.

What’s available today?

A recent survey by Meetings Booker suggests that the average size meeting booked online consists of only eight attendees.

What’s more, the clear majority of meetings overall consist of under 20 attendees – 95% in fact.

Given that the majority of meetings consist of such small numbers, with very little complexity, it is obvious that the industry is ripe for the automation of booking these smaller meetings. These meetings lend themselves to online booking.

A further interesting statistic is that the lead times on online bookings are much shorter – often less than 14 days. Given the last-minute nature and prevalence of these last-minute meetings it would make sense to offer at least some room availability online if you want to take advantage of this demand.

It’s often a win-win for the booker as well as the venue as these online meetings tend to attract discounts of over 40% – reflecting the lower cost which automation brings. Doing it by hand takes on average 47 minutes! Time that could be spent on servicing larger more valuable meetings.

NFS have long kept an eye on the market and were one of the first software suppliers to spot this trend and offer online booking to venues.

As part of our Rendezvous Events venue management software the online portal offers a number of benefits:

> 24/7 booking capability – never miss a sales opportunity

> Online payments – easily process payments

> Yield management – sell your inventory at the most advantageous price

The internet is not going to go way and as Gary Vaynerchuk alludes to we are yet to reveal its full potential.

The growing demand for conference space of various sizes and configurations is on the rise in the US. In the past, the size of the conference room depended on traditional meeting needs – either real or perceived. Today meeting space needs have evolved and the user experience tends to rely on the ergonomic design, the digital experience and on the changing workplace with a new generation of workers.

According to the US Bureau of Labor, on the days people worked, 83 percent of employed persons did some or all of their work at their workplace and 22 percent did some or all of their work at home. While there is a significant number of people working as full time employees in the office, there is a growing trend for greater flexibility and agility within the workplace. Increasingly employees are no longer tied to their desks and also they are not going in mass to one conference room.

Not only are the majority of people working in the office at least part of the day, meetings are empowering employees to collaborate at an all-time high. The conference room craze continues and adding more rooms – especially smaller spaces — seems to be a growing trend. So, what does this mean for conference rooms and how they are built, designed and equipped to address the new level of expectations of the user?

The average employee wastes at least 15 minutes of time finding a meeting space, using the space, and getting technology to work within the space. To increase productivity, flexibility and more efficient use of meeting time, here are my top five tips for designing and equipping conference rooms for the best user experience, as well as better utilization of space.

1) A Great Digital Experience.

For a picture-perfect experience, when considering a television most home theater models are sufficient for the workplace. However, the latest 4K display screens offer high definition, non-glare panels and true color from every conceivable viewing angle. If you want a great visual experience, which is key to audience engagement then channel in this 4K display solution.

2) Appropriate Investment in AV Technology.

Having suggested the value of top notch screen technology, the same is true for other and AV technology – so don’t cut corners when deciding on this essential equipment. Do your research, especially since video conferencing allows ‘face-to-face’ collaboration without a physical presence. Video conferencing permits workers to visually connect, allowing businesses to save thousands of dollars on travel costs, while employees save on stress related travel schedules. The connected experience is what your objective needs to be in terms of technology selection, display, other AV elements and room controls to support excellent collaboration, which in the final analysis delivers the productivity gains we are all seeking.

With the above in place, delivering a presentation will result in audience engagement. Here are some simple tips to consider:

– Size: Adapt the size of the screen according to the type of material projected (4:3 for computer data and video or 16:9 for HDTV, for example).

– Shape: It’s possible to coordinate the shape of the screen to become a striking part of the venue’s décor.

– Placement: Is the lowest part of the screen visible from all seats? This can be an important factor – so don’t overlook the visibility of the projection technology.

3) Conference Room/Resource Scheduling.

Due to greater flexibility and a quicker, more reactive demand for conference rooms, the user community needs better visibility of meeting spaces, whether large or small. It’s not sufficient to find the right space – the right equipment needs to be available in the room, as well as the ability to include services like catering and video support. Increasingly, businesses need to connect with colleagues internationally in different time zones through video conferencing. An efficient scheduling platform is the only way to effectively manage room and services as well as video conferencing, potentially in a different time zone. Program the equipment to turn on as soon as the meeting begins – all in one touch. If the meeting time/location changes all attendees need to be alerted and don’t forget the need to include service providers in the notification group. One thing is certain, meeting times, locations, visitors and services change constantly, so an enterprise level scheduling platform is the best way to ensure competent management of complex meetings.

4) Room/Desk Utilization Sensors.

This technology helps solve the problem of locating flexible work spaces especially since today, many meeting spaces need to be located and used on a short-term basis. Sensors can provide real time availability of meeting and flexible workspace. This should be integrated with digital signage for wayfinding – giving employees the best way to find and use the correct space for the task they are empowered to do. Sensors can help with no show management, so space is automatically released back into availability, avoiding valuable rooms standing empty and staff booking space at high costs in external venues. Sensors provide better insight into future space planning needs as real-time usage information can be captured and analyzed.

5) Room Panels.

Companies building conference spaces are increasingly providing the right information on panels outside the room linked to wayfinding technology. This digital equipment allows the user to find the meeting location in a busy facility without wasting time. The signage is a tool to help employees confidently gain access to the space they booked or to find available space. Locating an available room and reserving it directly from the digital panel is also possible. Watch out for the growing use of QR codes and Apps for check in/out in the future.

With meeting rooms in demand, what traditionally may have been a larger conference room, may now be a series of smaller huddle rooms. As a result, the changing workplace focused on greater flexibility and agility, has potentially created a higher demand for the right meeting space – so how a space is created and used is a business-critical productivity question.

Because of flexible working and this new culture – particularly with the Millennial generation’s practice of not holding all meetings in formal rooms – other types of spaces also need to be created around the conference room to provide the user community with opportunities to collaborate.

Today’s knowledgeable worker relies heavily on collaboration and digital tools. Connecting the user with the right space and technology plays a key role in creating a productive meeting through better scheduling, digital signage outside the room, and the ability to provide information through sensors of what’s available now or when the conference room will be empty. There needs to be a strong connection between the facilities and IT staff to design and use technology to make the conference room a more productive experience.

An interview with industry expert Luis De Souza – download the podcast version

Delivering a perfect meeting can play a huge role in clinching the deal – but if the VC won’t connect or the time changes at the last minute, closing the sale becomes hard work.

Luis De Souza, CEO of NFS Technology Group, says there are 4 critical questions everyone should ask when it comes to technology and space planning/management:

How can I organise the perfect meeting?

How do we avoid bad behaviours, which can cause poor utilisation and wasted technology spend?

What factors should I consider when planning my new meeting space or re-design?

How can integrated technology provide better tools so my FM and CIO can improve space utilisation and the user experience?

Luis set up NFS just over 20 years ago as a hospitality business selling into the hotel and restaurant sector, and it’s also now a leader in meeting room software for corporate and conference centres.

“Today we have a whole range of products that not only span the hospitality space but also the meeting room and meeting management space, which is a hot topic in the corporate world.”

NFS’s meeting room software helps employees:

Book space

Manage space

Report on utilisation

Move meetings

Arrange complex multi-location meetings.

“Our meeting room software clients are typically large law firms and large financials but we also have a lot of clients in the mid-market sector where they are arranging specialised meetings that involve collaboration, services such as catering, and using video conferencing,” he said (see case studies).

“When some people are looking at their space or maybe building a new space they don’t always think how they are going to manage it.

“Our approach is increasingly not just about meeting scheduling but about making the meeting perfect. There are so many obstacles to that  – for instance, when you walk into the room and the technology doesn’t work – so in you lose 15 minutes getting everything to work.

“In the real world, too, meetings change a lot. On the day you can have different people attending, people dropping out, locations changing, catering no longer needed.”

Booking meetings is becoming increasingly complicated because they are increasingly global and attendees are becoming more and more mobile. Services often needed to be provided at short notice.

“Rather than thinking about the space, think about the meeting, think about how you can have that perfect meeting experience for everyone” – Luis De Souza.

“It’s not about the people in the room, it’s about the people who are joining that meeting in a collaborative way – and about what meeting room software they are using to do that.

The 3 main elements to consider:

Making sure you have a good scheduling tool that can manage the changes in the meeting arrangements

Ensuring your services are seamlessly integrated so they inform service providers when there’s a change to catering, or AV etc

Remember that attendees may not necessarily be sitting together in a room – they might be in a Starbucks or connecting from home.

“For example, I recently did three presentations in two days on the road. I wasn’t in a meeting room but the participants were – and I had to join through the collaborative tools that were offered to me with one click to join the meeting,” said Luis.

“The world of the meeting is moving on now, and for us it’s about delivering the perfect meeting solution.”

It’s also important to make sure everyone involved gets the right communication: maybe the AV provider doesn’t need to know about what is going on with Reception for instance.

Luis said: “Our scheduling platform has service centre reporting, so the moment you make a change to the meeting such as adding catering, the right people are notified.

“Our notification engine looks at the meeting, looks at the timing and automatically sends the messages out at the best time. It means meeting users and hosts don’t have to worry about all that.”

The way forward with hardware

NFS is primarily a software business and finds that the best model for serving clients is for their meeting room software to connect seamlessly to hardware platforms they have chosen.

“Typically the client is in the best position to decide on the right design, the right hardware and the right format for that meeting space,” said Luis.

“So when we connect we have about half a dozen different integrations, including one with Crestron, a well-established player in the market, who can connect the digital signage with the panels, with the in-room technology and with the building technology.

“At recent ISE show we launched a new app that’s running on the Crestron panel, and has gone down very well.”

NFS meeting room software – Rendezvous – also integrates with other panel and signage providers.

“We’ve moved away from saying ‘we will connect’ to going further back in the chain and asking ‘what solution is the customer trying to solve?’ In the AV industry, we need to do more of that,” said Luis.

“It’s not just about scheduling but about addressing the more complex challenges of the client, and understanding through our partnerships how can we bring people and parties together for the best solution.

“Clients are getting a lot smarter with expectations – they are looking for an overall solution with their meeting room software.”

NFS are meeting experts who understand what goes wrong in meetings and what makes them perfect.

“We take a consultative approach and identify which pain points are recognised in the client’s organisation,” said Luis.

Here’s a common example

No-shows are a problem for many organisations that have invested heavily to create great meeting spaces. Yet there’s often no way to track no-shows or to release unused space.

“Our answer is to integrate our meeting room software with sensor technology so our client can know who is in the room without sending a person to see,” said Luis.

“We can also release the room automatically to make it available for another booking.  In an unused room, the system turns down the lights down and switches off the air conditioning.”

Changing behaviours for the better

Luis says the need to promote good behaviours is becoming a significant driver in the market.

“Our clients are increasingly interested in how we can make the technology more engaging so it encourages users to interact with it, promoting behaviour change.

“One thing we’ve found really effective is how we use notifications.

“So we can send a reminder the day before a meeting, or if there’s a meeting in the afternoon, we can send it in the morning – people don’t read their emails all day.

“The notification asks them to click to confirm if they are going to use the room and if they still want catering. If they don’t confirm you can to call or send a notification to say ‘this meeting room booking has been as you haven’t confirmed’.

Are our UK venues missing a trick when it comes to digital transformation? A new survey of UK venues has proved surprisingly revealing.

The survey – by Londonlaunch and sponsored by NFS and revealed this week – was aimed at discovering how venues are currently using technology.

It gives software experts like ourselves a deeper insight into what the industry really needs, because many venues say their current system and tools for venue management are just not fulfilling their needs.

In today’s challenging trading climate, this is a concern. This is a booming and profitable industry – but to stay that way, it needs and deserves more flexible and responsive technology.

British consumers are becoming increasingly digital-savvy, and expect to access every area of their lives via their mobile.

Hotels cottoned onto this some time ago, and online booking is now the norm, offering potential customers 24/7 convenience.

Hotels often use a single property management system to control their entire operations, and in fact, the UK hotels contacted by the survey were all perfectly happy with their management technology.

We would never suggest that the meeting venues industry – a complex, multi-partner business with specific customer needs – is the same as the hotel business, of course.

But there may be tips that venues (and the technology suppliers who aim to help them) can take away. There are common requirements for controlling operational workflow, and software can fulfill them.

Venues, by their own admission, are using a mish-mash of technologies to run their operations.

They told the survey that they need technology that is flexible enough to respond to a hugely varied industry that works in many different ways, with internal teams and third parties.

Technology that deals sensitively with the needs of different customers, both internal and external.

Technology that ties together scheduling capability with invoicing, sales reporting and sales pipeline management, and helps them manage their limited inventory items better.

Many meeting venues are already stitching together their own patchwork of systems and methods to provide what their operations need on a daily basis.

But we’d argue that technology working in silos is no way to create real efficiency.

Hotels have shown that more integrated operational management systems can create a holistic environment where admin time is saved, efficiency is improved, and staff are able to spend more of their valuable time dealing with customers.

Venues need a far greater degree of flexibility than hotels, because they operate in a far different way – and the venue management systems of the future need to respond to those specific needs.

When we decided to sponsor this survey, we were keen to gain deeper insights into the requirements of this important sector so we can develop our own venue management systems to better meet them.

In many ways, the UK meeting venue market is bucking the trend and doing extraordinarily well despite the trading turmoil much of the rest of the country is experiencing.

Imagine how much more this vibrant sector can do with the help of truly flexible and supportive technology.

With the enhanced understanding we’ve gained from the survey, we’re now working with UK venues to develop further the technology they need and deserve.

Is your working life being controlled by a robot? Or are the bots simply making your job a lot less tedious?

It’s becoming the big question of today’s workplace – and a topic that’s going to continue to get hotter as Artificial Intelligence (AI) works its machine fingers further and further into every nook and cranny of our lives.

Sometimes, the results of AI in the workplace can verge on disturbing.

Some pickers at Amazon’s giant warehouses complain that that monitoring technology forces them to work at a relentless pace – and that the machines also provide the ticking-off if they don’t keep up.

But elsewhere, human beings are finding that robot functions are taking the strain of mundane and repetitive tasks away from them, allowing them to spend their valuable time on more rewarding work.

We can’t even begin to say how far AI and automation will change our working lives. Forecasts say that some jobs will be completely replaced – bookkeeping and telemarketing are among those said to be at risk.

But in other working areas, AI will be nothing less than a liberating force. So in the war of workers v robots, who’s really going to be the workplace winner?

It probably comes down to the kind of workplace and the kind of work.

As commentator Gaby Hinsliffe of The Guardian so correctly says:

“The mark of human jobs is an increasing understanding that you don’t have to know where your employees are and what they’re doing every second of the day to ensure they do it; that people can be just as productive, say, working from home, or switching their hours around so that they are working in the evening.”

As workplace experts, we’d completely agree with this.

Agile working is on the increase around the globe, and that’s a good thing because at one and the same time it boosts worker wellbeing and helps organisations reduce the cost of expensive office rentals.

So what are the good bots working busily away to improve workers lives today?

You’ve probably never noticed them – we’re not talking about Robbie the Robot, with metal hands and flashing eyes…

But if your workplace is enlightened enough to use a workspace booking system with  occupancy sensor technology, the bots are on their way.

These clever systems make it a cinch for workers to locate a hot desk or a meeting room and quickly settle into their work with no need to even look at a booking diary. While this is impressive in itself and time-saving it is the wealth of data that a system with occupancy sensor technology collects where the AI can come into play.

In a complex office environment with thousands of workers using desks and meeting rooms daily there is a premium on real estate.

AI can take the complexity out of crunching data to produce utilisation reports and can save hours modelling savings on future real estate expenditure.

Occupancy sensor technology is just one enabler of AI in the workplace. Other aspects of technology making an impact include:

Drones – they are now being used to clean windows spotlessly. What’s more they are also being used to check on the condition of the building – saving precious and precarious man-hours climbing on roofs or checking the structure of the building.

Autonomous Guided Vehicles – from deliveries to porterage these ingenious vehicles can free humans from low level work. They can do more than that – they can also clean the floors to a high finish. And when they have finished their chores, they will handle the recycling.

Actoids – speaking of cleaning, actoids are human-looking robots which can clean the toilets. When they aren’t doing that unpleasant task they make excellent security guards. The cost savings are significant and your staff can rest assured of 24/7 protection.

In fact, in terms of AI the actoid offers the most utility as they can be deployed in a number of settings where you might usually expect a human, such as on reception.

Smart Apps – application software designed to support business activities which are highly people-intensive and prone to change.

Smart apps can be used for room booking, security control and mechanical and electrical maintenance.

In planned and reactive maintenance smart apps are coming into their own as it’s no longer necessary to schedule repeat task; apps schedule a follow up once the initial task is completed.

These apps will also give the operative all the details they need to do the job and keep an audit trail of completed works.

Where it gets really exciting is in the realm of predictive analytics.

Using all the data collected from such apps it’s possible to, say, predict where a building is about to fail or where cost reductions can be made in real estate in terms of under-utilised meeting rooms and hot desks.

Expert predictions are that robots, while taking over routine functions, will not cause job losses. In fact, a study by Prof Leslie Wilcox of the London School of Economics says staff will be kept on to do more interesting things.

“It takes the robot out of the human,” he says.

What have you booked online in the last few months? A show? Rail tickets? A hotel room?Like nearly everyone else, you’ve probably done at least one of these things.

But are you offering potential clients the chance to book space at your venue the same way? New independent research – sponsored by NFS – suggests that you probably are not.

In a poll of VIP venue representatives, just under half admitted they are not progressing with digital transformation.

What’s more, 53% said their business is not ready for the transition to a more online customer experience.

As leading providers of venue management software, we know venues are complex businesses that can’t directly be compared to hotels.

But is it possible that venues are missing a trick to boost their business with technology?

Let’s face it, for the average British consumer, online booking has become the norm – and mobile use is growing. Earlier this year, it was reported that a third of people had used a mobile to book a hotel room.

Hotels are also using digital transformation throughout the whole process, from enquiry to sales to booking, and even to billing, creating a seamless experience that saves time and money.

So what does digital transformation look like when it’s designed specifically for venues?

Our research, carried out by LondonLaunch found that a significant number of venues are still running their operations with a mish-mash of solutions that don’t share information.

Digital transformation offers venues a chance to replace error-prone processes with a unified system that:

> streamlines operations

> maximises sales opportunities

> improves revenue capture

> simplifies billing.

Venue management software automates many tasks, saving time and driving up efficiency, while simplifying enquiry handling.

An easy-to-understand user interface makes data entry far more efficient than a static Excel file. Reminders are added easily and actioned in a single process, and follow-up actions can be added rapidly.

Even online booking – as appropriate to the needs of the specific venue – can be added.

A good example is found in the multi-million pound Essex conference centre CEME, which organises 160 spaces across 19 acres with the help of venue management software.

CEME sees the installation of the system as a way to streamline operations and boost customer service, and also to grow revenue.

CEME has used venue management software to automate its rates – it automatically offers public sector clients the public sector rate.

The complex, which includes conference facilities as well as training and learning centres and outdoor spaces, will soon provide clients with an online portal where they can:

> log in at any time

> see what space is available

> make an enquiry

> pay online.

Centre director Eamonn Cole says the system “will generate revenue from external sources and agents, and it’s also an add-on for our existing clients who at the moment have to phone us to book space.”

In other words, CEME has taken note of the success of digital transformation in the hospitality industry and had the foresight to see its potential for venues.

As the venues survey discovered, online bookings for late availability and small meeting spaces are a somewhat untapped area of revenue for venues, although hotels are already taking advantage.

Today’s venue management software can be integrated with the venue’s website, and when sensitively used can open up potential bookings 24/7.

We’d never suggest, of course, that one size fits all; venues across the UK are incredibly varied.

Some balance the needs of both internal and external users, while others host events and meetings of incredible complexity.

The overwhelming need uncovered by the survey, and emphasised by our VIP guests, is that venues need extraordinarly flexible management software that can be customised to fit their particular needs.

This insight is informing our further development of our technology, and we’re working hand-in-hand with customers such as CEME to create enhanced capabilities that can help encourage even the most reluctant venues into the digital era.

The meetings and conference business is booming – but customer needs are changing. Let’s make sure UK venues always have the digital tools to satisfy their demands completely.

What did UK venues tell the survey? DOWNLOAD the results free now!

Twenty years ago the perfect workplace was planned for plenty of square footage, cubicles and offices with permanent desks, large conference rooms with enormous tables and monitors or overhead projectors for AV.

And don’t forget the C-suite in all its glory. This was the comfort zone of Baby Boomers and Generation X. Workers performed independently toward a group goal.

The internet and world wide web were in their infancy and email was becoming the new way to communicate. Phone calls were still predominant, and chunky personal computers were part of the business protocol. And in the midst of all this new technology, office design was trying to fit form and function into interiors.

Fast forward to 2018.

Having visited companies around the globe, I’m well versed in today’s office design – and the workplace has certainly evolved.

What do I see today? Open workstations with huddle spaces for collaboration, digital wayfaring, AV and video conferencing technology, social media and mobile apps. Collaboration technology allows agile workers to work when and where they want – so much so that 80% of employees consider working remotely a job perk.

It’s true that this flexible workspace is less easy to control than the old formal version, and it can be a challenge to make sure every employee gets access to the facilities needed to be fully productive.

Fortunately, technology has also evolved to meet the challenge, and today’s workspace management technology enables offices to run smoothly. Once installed, this software can typically be accessed by employees from any location via their laptops, mobile devices and smartphones.

Need a meeting space? No problem, just find one and book it with room booking software.  Add catering, AV, and video conferencing all in one touch. Need a hot desk?  Just secure a place to work for the day, using the same booking system.

Another important development in the modern office is the easy integration of today’s workplace technology, connecting the silos —linking the booking of space with digital signage, sensors and in room controls.

This integration gives office users an unprecedented control over their working environment, and gives managers and FM professionals a genuinely end-to-end view of how the space is being utilized.

For example, global law firm DLA Piper recently moved its Chicago office to a 52-story office tower on Lake Street where it is leasing 175,000 sq. feet. Every day, hundreds of employees attending meetings in 33 rooms – so meeting room management technology was implemented make the process efficient.

The integration of meeting room booking technology with a leading enterprise management system for digital signage and building control created a fully connected workplace.

Thanks to the integration of the two systems, workers can find a suitable meeting space, book the room and services and bring remote offices into the meeting by video conferencing, seamlessly. They can even set up lighting, control temperature and lower window blinds.

Display panels outside the room means workers can see the room’s status, book it from the panel, or release it if it’s not being used. The result? Kevin Wertlieb, Senior Unified Communications Engineer for DLA Piper, says:” This new technology has increased our productivity at DLA Piper.”

So let’s take a look at how this new technology affects how we feel when working in the office (ergonomics), while at the same time enabling an employer to reduce costs, by maximizing utilization of valuable workspace (economics).

Ergonomics

According to the National Institute of Health, our workstations should be ergonomically correct for optimal performance. Twenty years ago, ergonomics included adjustable chairs. Today there are ergonomically correct workstations and desk surfaces for computers, laptops, monitors etc. And don’t forget standing desks.

Karen Ricciardelli, principal at KLR Interiors, located in NYC and South Florida, says good ergonomics and the provision of areas that foster collaboration are key elements in today’s office design.

“I’ve seen many changes in workplace design over the past twenty years, but the two top focus areas now are wellness and lifestyle spaces. Technology has prompted ergonomically correct workstations, standing desks, treadmills and the ever-evolving chair.

“There’s also a design focus on incorporating leisure areas such as office coffee bars and juice bars as mobile collaboration between colleagues can take place anywhere.”

Economics

The change from permanent office staffers to remote workers due to the availability of new technologies and use of mobile apps has helped corporate economics abundantly.

Here are 5 ways companies can save on costs with the help of technology:

1) The use of hoteling or hotdesking –  the sharing of office space and desks, opening workspaces to employees on a “booking basis” rather than for regular use. Desks remain unassigned and are booked through an online office reservation system whenever required. Having less permanent desks and equipment allows offices to cut back on square footage.

2) Room scheduling software is a tool every organization should incorporate into its digital workplace. It not only finds an appropriate meeting space or desk, it also allows the employee to book it via a mobile device before they even come into the office.

3) Resource booking can be a chore but with the correct scheduling system everything from catering to video conferencing can be booked in one step – all together at the same time when scheduling a meeting room.

4) Video conferencing used to be complicated to set up due to different time zones, which sometimes creates a barrier to uptake by employees. Not any longer, when an office is equipped with the correct scheduling software. The system alerts all participants including caterers if the meeting time changes (through Outlook) no matter where in the world they are located – with time zones taken into consideration. Big savings here on travel expenses, and saving time increases employee productivity and reduces stress.

5) Occupancy sensors linked to room scheduling software add a great deal of value. The system intuitively releases the room back into availability when the meeting ends. Dashboards provide access to comprehensive reports that allow managers to quickly analyze usage patterns for future planning.

It all adds up to the greatest opportunity for an end-user to easily find the right space, the right time, the right equipment needed and even the right food. All in a few clicks, saving time and money while reducing stress and improving employee satisfaction.