Introduction
The digital upheaval in the field of IoT that is sweeping our lives has brought numerous perks to the workplace that we can no longer imagine living without. The rate of digitisation has accelerated in the last 50 years, especially with the arrival of computers in the workplace. We used to have to use a modem to connect to the network, fax clients, or floppy discs to transfer data.
The significant improvements in workplace technology nowadays are less about office mobility and more about providing the greatest possible work environment, where administrative hours are cut, employee welfare is prioritised, and monetary and environmental expenses are decreased. Smart devices and systems are at the heart of this business transformation, but IoT security should be a top priority when getting started.
With data breaches and GDPR fines at an all-time high, bringing additional gadgets into the office that consume large amounts of data must be considered seriously. However, recognising the advantages of the Internet of Things to a business may help organisations make educated decisions about whether or not to employ this technology.
So, let’s take a closer look at how IoT affects the workplace:
1. Know where everything is, all the time
The Internet of Things has the potential to make office life and corporate procedures far more productive and efficient. One important way the Internet of Things can boost productivity and efficiency is by making location monitoring easier and more seamless. Internet-connected equipment and gadgets will all be spatially marked, similar to how it is done in hospitals, saving workers time and money by lowering the loss rate.
2. Managing assets
It’s an understatement to say you have a lot on your plate. It’s difficult to keep track of everything from building systems and hardware to office furniture and varied technology in today’s hybrid workplace. The Internet of Things allows you to keep track of everything and obtain real-time data on how each asset is functioning. The potential to use the Internet of Things for predictive maintenance is one of its biggest advantages.
Preventive maintenance is likely already in use to keep building systems and equipment from generating larger, more expensive issues. Predictive maintenance takes this a step further by utilising the power of IoT sensors to detect the exact state of each asset. To avoid unexpected failures, you can predict when problems are most likely to occur.
3. Digital Assistants-
Digital assistants are one of the most well-known IoT applications, which many people utilise in their homes nowadays. Even chatbots are becoming increasingly popular in supporting employees with their jobs and inquiries. However, these gadgets are not widely used in the workplace. The most obvious application of a digital assistant in the workplace is to assist employees with their individual tasks and phone calls. Regardless, they possess far greater potential. Digital assistants can help you with controlling the conference room equipment settings and purchase supplies, it also lets you know which meeting rooms are free, update your calendar, set up meetings, and many more.
4. Smart desks
Employers are estimated to spend about $1 billion every week addressing the impacts of poor workplace ergonomics, such as terrible posture, heavy lifting, and burnout, according to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). While many firms already have policies in place to educate their employees, the Internet of Things may also be utilised to assist avoid these issues by giving real-time statistics on employee health and welfare.
Smart desks, for example, can inform you if you’ve been sitting for too long, and smart chairs contain sensors that can detect poor posture and provide suggestions for adjustment. Furthermore, wellness wearables may be provided to employees to remind them to take a walk, alter their computer’s light settings, or even drink a glass of water. Using up-to-date analytics in this way can assist employees improve their working environment by enhancing concentration and helping them be more productive.
We are only at the beginning of the curve for smart devices in the office, with the smart office market expected to be worth $57 billion by 2025. Employees and enterprises may use innovative IoT solutions to make better judgments regarding their daily activities and long-term operations. These technologies can not only help employees become more efficient, but they can also help organisations save money and the environment.
5. Increased device management complexity
The complexity of managing connected devices develops in lockstep with the quantity of linked devices. Today’s workforce, for example, uses smartphones for communication, productivity, and entertainment. They will have a new purpose with IoT: controlling IoT-connected devices. Many IoT-connected devices in the future will lack a display. Smartphones will be the primary means of controlling the gadget. The multiplicity of operating systems will further add to the difficulty. As a result, staff and IT departments will have to deal with a wider range of platforms than simply Android and iOS.
Employees may need the training to understand how to operate and manage linked, cross-platform devices in each of these cases.
Changes in IoT implementation in the office
The first barrier arises when businesses anticipate that a new environment would necessitate high-cost expenditures. Pilot versions or minor IoT infrastructure integrations might help you avoid unnecessary costs from the start. The long-term goals need tiny, solid efforts to attain a global vision.
Second, the threat of data leaks might exacerbate the problem. As a result, the many parts of IoT security evaluations can aid in the development of increased security measures for IoT systems.
Third, despite the infancy of IoT standards, firms may face these difficulties when they construct their strategic plans. The manufacturing process can be fine-tuned after the possible system failures are considered, as we already know.
It is up to you to determine whether or not to implement an IoT system in your office. When it comes to the most important advantages, however, the wonderful offices of the future are the best option. The benefits cover a wide range of office requirements, and this choice might be a huge step forward in the workplace’s future.
Conclusion
The usage of sensors in the home and at work is only expected to grow in the future. This will make it easy to track almost everything that happens in the office. This will improve office infrastructure efficiency, but it may also present new challenges: employees may not enjoy being monitored by their smart desks, IoT employee badges, or other systems, and managers will need to be cautious about how the data is generated by these systems are utilised.
Looking ahead, one possible area of growth is the integration of wearable gadgets with the smart office: it’s not hard to envisage a wristwatch being able to unlock the door to your workplace and log you onto our PC. However, these gadgets have a variety of additional sensors that may be beneficial; for example, if everyone’s pulse rate began to rise when dealing with a particularly unpleasant boss, HR could receive an alarm.
