Smart workplaces are gaining popularity. Grand View Research, Inc. estimates that in 2016, the global smart office market had a value of $18.46 billion. The industry is anticipated to increase at a CAGR of 13.2% from 2017 to 2025, reaching $57.05 billion. Rapid technological breakthroughs in fields like IoT and the growing demand for sustainable methods of managing IT resources are the main causes of this increase.
Increasingly more businesses are implementing IoT for smart workplaces to maximise the productivity of their staff, resources, and inter-organizational cooperation. Although these solutions have not yet become widely used, projections and the advantages organisations experience should show that they are well on their way to being essential.
Grand View Research, Inc. projects that by 2025, the size of the worldwide smart office market would be $57.05 billion.
How the Smart Office functions and how IoT integrates into it.
The philosophy behind smart offices, which are frequently referred to as the workplace of the future, is to foster communication across linked teams and enable a quicker, better manner of conducting business. The experience at work is enhanced by a number of tools and technologies. IoT helps with the process, as it does with the majority of digital transitions.
Data can be exchanged with linked devices using sensors and IoT technology in a smart office system. With the use of this information, businesses can alter the working atmosphere, improve teamwork, or find ways to cut costs.
Smart window blinds, for instance, may monitor the sun’s location and automatically adjust to block sunlight for employees. Users can get a live feed from security cameras on linked devices, providing a global perspective of the workplace.
Benefits and difficulties of IoT and office automation
Let’s look at some of the benefits of smart offices and some of the challenges associated with IoT in the workplace.
The advantages of Smart Offices
Here are some of the value smart offices bring to organizations:
- Lower operating expenses– Smart office IoT solutions are making it possible for businesses to decrease costs across the board. Sensors record occupancy in real time to reduce energy usage. By doing this, overheating, inadequate heating, excessive lighting, and other inefficient behaviours are resolved. Additionally, occupancy data assists businesses in making the most of their space to increase office capacity while lowering rental expenses. With the use of sensors and predictive maintenance, organisations can plan fixes for the best periods to prevent downtime. All of these have a considerable impact on facility costs.
- Boost talent attraction and employee satisfaction– An intelligent office setting improves the working atmosphere and supports employees’ daily tasks. They can use technology to tackle monotonous duties and streamline their work. Additionally, comfortable working environments allow employees to perform their tasks effectively, keeping them satisfied and motivated within your company. When it comes to hiring, the image of a swanky office may appeal to today’s workforce. Such a work environment might attract highly competent candidates who otherwise wouldn’t have thought about applying to your organisation.
- Boost output and performance– Workflows are improved in a connected workplace. This is due to the fact that IoT devices in offices assist in removing obstacles and constraints that hinder productivity. Meetings are easily accessible to employees from anywhere. Reduced latency allows for easier access and smoother transaction execution thanks to high-speed network solutions. By collaborating with on-site employees using cloud-based tools, remote teams can expedite tasks from various places. Workers can move more quickly around unfamiliar facilities with the use of indoor navigation apps. Many smart office automation technologies simplify and scale operations including procurement, product design and delivery, and administrative activities. At all levels, this boosts production and efficiency.
- Reduction of carbon footprint- Smart offices use IoT to embrace environmentally friendly procedures that reduce climate change. Sensors can be used by businesses to optimise how much energy is used in buildings. Collaboration technologies reduce the amount of time spent on commuting and business trips, which lowers a company’s overall transportation-related CO2 emissions. Sorting waste can reduce the number of non-biodegradable materials dumped in landfills thanks to intelligent waste management solutions. These procedures aid in minimising an organization’s environmental impact.
- Make smart decisions at work– The requirements of the workforce change as the organisation expands. Companies use IoT office solutions to foresee these needs and make data-driven decisions rather than relying on assumptions. Organizations may learn how employees use their spaces, the best times to work, dead zones, and the most frequently used equipment. Having access to this data enables them to implement solutions that take into account the evolving needs of employees.
Challenges with Smart Offices
Despite the fact that businesses of all sizes can gain a lot from IoT-enabled offices, there are some rising issues. Let’s examine a few of these issues.
- Security concerns– For IoT and any smart office system using it, a typical issue is the lack of suitable security measures. IoT makers put less emphasis on the security of these systems in an effort to launch products more quickly. They employ a default password for all devices of a particular model and give inconsistent updates, making it difficult for customers to alter it. As an illustration, in 2016 hackers successfully used webcams and digital recorders to launch a destructive internet attack that brought down Twitter, PayPal, Spotify, and other systems. By taking advantage of flaws in these devices and weakening manufacturer-set default passwords, they were able to get access. Organizations run the risk of losing confidential information and trade secrets in the case of a cyber attack.
- Difficulties with interoperability- Smart workplaces are powered by IoT, which is part of an ecosystem. It is made up of a number of parts, including cloud gateways, hardware, sensors, and software, which work together to build a network. As a result, no one technology can provide an all-encompassing experience by itself. But there are issues there because there are so many exclusive enterprise IoT solutions. Many IoT firms are creating devices that are compatible with hardware and software that is particular to the manufacturer. As a result of this lock-in, various suppliers’ systems are unable to share information or communicate with one another. This not only lowers productivity, but it could also raise the price of putting up a smart office.
- Privacy laws- Privacy is one of the main issues with smart offices. Businesses can simply monitor staff to stop theft and gauge productivity thanks to the plethora of networked IoT business solutions. Every action, including conversations, internet use, email, keystrokes, and resources accessed, is tracked by real-time monitoring technologies. Other murky areas, including GPS tracking of equipment provided by the employer, are a rising worry. This is so that businesses can get data on employees’ after-hours activities. Some worries might be allayed by striking a balance and increasing transparency through corporate policy.
What applications are included in Smart Office?
To construct intelligent offices, businesses use the internet of things in a variety of ways. These are a few examples of IoT in the workplace in the real world.
Smart furniture
Long periods of sitting have been linked to chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, according to studies. Employees who are ill are not content or effective. To promote health, experts advise experts to break up hours of sitting with physical exercise.
There are solutions to this, such as stand-to-sit workstations. Standing desks, which automatically alter the height of workspaces, encourage employees to switch between sitting and standing with ease. Users can choose the time and preferences for this changeover. IoT suggestions for offices also include:
Employees can move to any location in communal or solitary mobile workstations.
customizable ergonomic seats for each user’s height, preferences, and needs
Smart mirrors in bathrooms, lobbies, etc. that show the time, weather information, videos, and other information.
Climate control
Thermal temperatures are the most typical environment for which workplace IoT technology is used. To optimise smart offices, these gadgets monitor temperature and humidity levels. Smart window blinds that adjust to the amount of sunshine are one example that protects people from glare. But this technology provides so much more.
For instance, air monitoring systems offer instantaneous pictures of allergens and pollutants that could be dangerous to your staff. Businesses can identify the locations most impacted by each ingredient and their origins using this information. To enhance indoor air quality, these systems may automatically connect with humidifiers and air purifiers.
Smart scheduling systems
Meeting planning is improved with IoT office solutions. From their devices, employees can organise every detail of both physical and virtual meetings. There are numerous business solutions available on the market to address the issues with meeting room underutilization.
As an illustration, have a look at Amazon’s Alexa for Business, which links to your calendar and company information to help you schedule meetings, invite attendees, make reminders, and dial in (for virtual events) at the scheduled time.
It also records parameters for room utilisation and attendance rate for further planning. In addition, businesses may view floor plans, manage equipment, and communicate papers using smart scheduling software.
Efficient energy consumption
Businesses can improve energy use across facilities thanks to occupancy sensors. Smart thermostats and intelligent lighting systems may change the lighting, heating, and cooling settings in businesses by utilising IoT sensor data. According to instructions, occupancy, or weather, the changes may start.
For instance, on sunny days, lights may be dim or off, but they may turn on during cloudy weather. Printers, coffeemakers, and shredders—office supplies that are sometimes overlooked—offer additional cost-cutting potential.
Employers can set timetables for when these devices may switch on or off using internet of things workplace solutions. This enables businesses to maintain effective energy use while avoiding excessive costs.
Smart asset monitoring system
The loss of property has a very significant impact. Theft at work costs US businesses $50 billion per year. Even lost devices could require more business hours to locate.
Technology for asset tracking reduces this danger. Barcodes, QR codes, GPS trackers, and RFID tags can all be used by employers to identify business property. They are able to create utilisation data for each item and manage workplace necessities. Businesses can utilise tracking systems to find the whereabouts of lost or stolen goods.
Advanced security
The way people enter the workplace is changing as a result of IoT-enabled workspaces. Biometric scanners and facial recognition software are frequently used security solutions. By using surveillance cameras, fingerprint scanners, and other methods to identify occupants, these systems allow access to the proper persons.
With smart locks, some smart workplaces take this to the next level. For instance, a mobile app can be used by authorised personnel to enter particular places. Who accessed what and for how long will be made clear by the technology. In the event of a malicious attack, you would be notified and given advice.
Workplace safety monitoring
Keeping employees safe at work is a top priority for businesses. Employers are deploying Internet of Things (IoT) workplace safety technology to lower the chance of accident due to the financial consequences of failing to meet requirements.
In order to improve ergonomics and spot falls, workers are equipped with wearables and RFID tags that track their activity. Bodysuits with sensors have been worn by Ford production workers in recent years to promote better posture and increased efficiency.
In high-risk industries like manufacturing, construction, and agriculture, these solutions are particularly prevalent. Additionally, proactive maintenance and repair are made possible through predictive maintenance for businesses. It lessens the dangers associated with using outdated, potentially harmful equipment by workers.