WITH THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC BEHIND US, MUCH OF THE WORKFORCE HAS RETURNED TO THE CORPORATE OFFICE AT LEAST PART-TIME. FOR MANY COMPANIES, HOWEVER, IT’S FAR FROM BUSINESS AS USUAL
More concerned about their physical and psychological health and wellbeing than in the past, employees expect greater comfort and flexibility from their corporate workspaces. Modern technologies and office designs help companies attract, incentivise, and retain a stable workforce and achieve better business performance. Here are five technologies that can improve the health and wellness aspects of a corporate office environment.
Motorised Window Shades
In addition to a reserved parking spot, a huge workplace perk has always been an office with a window. There’s a good reason. Nearly 80% of employees say access to sunlight and views from a window makes them feel happier and healthier at work. Its the simple things in life! This bodes well for employers, too. Happy, healthy employees are generally more productive and engaged.
Still, there are times when the glare from incoming sunlight can be problematic, leading to eyestrain and headaches. A solution: motorised roller shades.
Motorised shades are far easier to control than manual coverings and can move automatically based on the time of day, the preferences of employees, or the outdoor weather conditions. For example, when a sensor detects that an office space has become uncomfortably warm due to incoming sunshine, it can trigger the shades to lower. At the same time, the movement of the shade can signal certain office light fixtures to activate, keeping the room adequately illuminated.
Tuneable LED Lighting
Just as natural sunlight impacts productivity, efficiency, and performance, so does artificial lighting. Many have believed that brighter is better, but that mindset has evolved over the years.
Poor indoor lighting, be it too intense or subdued, can lead to a host of performance and health issues, like headaches due to eye strain. The healthiest source of lighting is natural sunlight. But when that’s unavailable, the next best thing is tuneable LED lighting.
By employing a combination of intensity and colour controls, tuneable LED lights can be dynamically altered to suit the conditions of the office space, the types of tasks being performed, and the employees’ preferences. For example, the lights can be brighter while conducting a videoconference session or dimmer while doing computer work.
In common areas, the lighting can shift automatically throughout the day — a calm, warm light to welcome employees into the office, crisp blueish light to maintain peak performance and engagement during a mid-day slump, amber light during the lunch period, and light that mimics late afternoon sunlight for winding down.
Audio Soundscapes
Listening to music while working is nothing new. People have been hammering out projects at their desks for years with musical accompaniment. A study by the Social Behavior and Personality Journal2 reveals a correlation between music in the office and employee happiness. When workers are happier, they feel more secure, comforted, familiar, and in control, which elevates creativity, concentration, and mood.
It’s no wonder music listening in the workspace has progressed from a solitary activity enjoyed by donning earbuds or headphones to a shared sensory experience broadcast throughout an entire office via an audio distribution system.
Getting the most out of music at the office involves more than simply hitting play. The volume, cadence, and style of music influence its overall impact, as does when and where it’s played. An office’s “sonic signature” can take many forms. While the employees of one office might like to start the day with a compilation of quiet, relaxing sounds, another might work better when the tunes are lively and energetic.
The mood of the music needs to align not only with the functions of the office and the preferences of employees but also with the office design. Here’s where a multi-zone audio system can help. Different music streams set at different volume levels can travel simultaneously to different areas. So, while collaborative spaces could be filled with quiet, instrumental background music, loudspeakers in the lobby could broadcast a series of warm, inviting tunes.
Meanwhile, high-traffic areas and break rooms could play upbeat, invigorating pop songs. Then, there are individual employee offices. Being able to synchronise their own playlists with the system allows them to play what they want, when they want it, on their own office speakers. Some systems are so intelligent that they can kick-start the perfect piece of music automatically as employees enter a room and turn it off when motion is no longer detected. This capability, along with pre-scheduled and zoned delivery, affords a slick, fresh, modern approach to office audio that seamlessly establishes the right mood, ambiance, and energy.
Advanced Videoconferencing
A recent survey shows that 49% of professionals working remotely are mentally exhausted due to numerous daily video calls. Workers in corporate offices, ostensibly, feel the same way. Largely responsible for their exhaustion is the quality of the audio and video. The more a person must strain to see and hear a conversation, the more stressful and tiring the situation.
The cameras and microphones built into PCs may have sufficed at the onset of the hybrid workforce boom, but with employees’ comfort and well-being at risk, it’s time for a better collaboration solution. New preconfigured, turnkey systems with high-quality microphones and cameras built into a single video bar are transforming the corporate environment.
Utilising artificial intelligence, advanced processing, and other innovative technologies, the cameras and microphones can capture more of the meeting space, focus automatically on the person talking, and facilitate a more natural, collaborative mode of communication.
LED Video Walls
An LED display attracts and retains employees with its modern, cutting-edge aesthetic, bright, vivid imagery, and versatility. Its ability to function as digital signage for corporate messaging, a digital bulletin board for company updates and schedules, a canvas for stunning digital art, and an entertainment platform for employees during their lunch break or scheduled gaming events make it a valuable tool for keeping employees engaged and connected while establishing a strong, vibrant corporate culture.
Available in a wide variety of sizes and configurations and integration-friendly, they can be customised for any task or environment — from the break room and lobby to huddle spaces, corporate boardrooms, and even outdoors in courtyards and entryways. A modern tech piece that makes work easier and more enjoyable can be important for morale, team building, and productivity.
It’s time to rethink the corporate work environment. Today’s workforce expects more comfort and connectivity from traditional workspaces — having experienced the efficiencies and ease of working from home. By updating the office with a few new technologies, employees will feel more comfortable at the corporate office, as well as happier and more engaged. Whether it’s with smart window shades and lighting, distributed audio and an LED display in the lobby, or a combination of several technologies, modernising the corporate office is a wise investment in any company’s future.
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Speak with a Luxavo specialist today about your corporate technology solution requirements.
Email: info@luxavo.ie or Phone: (01) 908 1202 or (042) 942 0261
