It’s undeniable: Recent advancements in technology and social media are having an impact on the workplace. The distance between one another is continually becoming smaller. Everyone, in and out of the workplace, is more connected to each other than ever before. While our new devices, platforms and systems are generally meant to enhance and improve the human experience, their rapid development can be problematic in terms of large-scale adoption, for example, across an entire company. Fortunately, there are some existing strategies that allow for new technology to be easily and successfully integrated into an existing space.
A Timeline of Technology
Traditionally, it has taken a great deal of capital, large amounts of space and long lengths of time to integrate new technology into the built environment. In the 1950s, mainframe computers were very costly and also took up large volumes of space. By the 1970s, we saw the development of the mini mainframe computer, which led to the development of the contemporary workstation of the 1980s. In the 1990s, the personal computer was developed, followed by the laptop in the 2000s and now by mobile smart devices. Over time, computers have become increasingly smaller but simultaneously more powerful and more affordable. In 1975, the price of the fastest supercomputer was $5 million; today, an iPhone with comparable computing power costs $400 and can be carried around in our pockets. Computing technology is moving toward ubiquity. By thoughtfully embracing this trend, our workplaces can become increasingly effective.
A related and highly significant shift in technology is the wide adoption of cloud computing in which remote computer servers (rather than local servers) store, manage and process data that is accessed via the Internet. Especially when combined with wireless Internet access, the cloud has been a critical influence in today’s employees becoming less dependent on a specific physical space, like a workstation, when using technology. Through the use of the cloud, people can access and update data from anywhere on any Internet-ready device. When this approach is adopted company-wide, it allows businesses to respond more quickly, communicate more widely, collaborate more effectively and generally become more agile. From a real-estate perspective, the use of the cloud also results in companies and office buildings not needing to house and maintain their own data centers, which creates additional room for more flexible, transient and human-centered spaces. The cloud is not ideal for every business, but it can be a valuable and multifaceted asset for many.
Vital Office Space
While near-ubiquitous computing and the untethering of workers from a specific workstation have resulted in many people predicting the end of the physical office, the truth is the office isn’t going anywhere. What is changing is the office’s primary function; increasingly, the office acts as the social hub. Even though technology allows for real-time connection from distant locations, most people still feel a great desire to gather, share and interact with others in person. In fact, the recent uptick in working remotely has made face-to-face human connection and, therefore, co-location more important than ever before.
To effectively support this change in function, there needs to be a change in design of today’s workplaces. Designated spaces, where everyone has an assigned desk or office, in addition to having access to a certain amount of discrete meeting spaces, are decreasingly appropriate. Instead, the office should be designed around teaming zones, the particular work styles and job functions of employees to allow for increased social interaction. “Going to work” needs to become less about going to an assigned seat and more about going to a place that allows you to perform the task at hand in the most appropriate way. Even small shifts in an office space, such as removing partitions or bringing in shared table spaces, can create significant change and improve performance.