It’s no secret that technology is slowly but surely transforming our lives. From the entertainment we watch to the groceries we can so conveniently order. Naturally, these advancements are also having a significant impact on the way we work and the environment we work in.
The humble office workplace, with the exception of a few key trends brought about by Google and the creative industries, has gone largely unaltered for 20 years. But all that is about to change, and the clue is in the little device you take with you every day.
The Role of The Office
Innovation in mobile has meant that we can do more things from more places, more of the time. To adapt to these changes, organizations are having to think hard and fast about the role of the office and the ways in which we interact with customers and colleagues.
The days of being tethered to a desk are fading. Offices as we know them are teetering on the edge of their biggest transformation yet. They are gradually being replaced by digital playgrounds, designed so that the mobile individual can roam more freely and ultimately get more done.
Relaxing Place To Work
We’re already seeing offices that look more like your favourite café than a place of work. Gone are the days of uniform neatly arranged desks. They have often been replaced by lounge areas designed for sitting or standing depending on where the conversation takes you.
It is well known that impromptu settings are better for fostering great ideas. For example, tables with umbrellas tend to draw people together more than those without. Advancements in wireless technology already mean that we no longer need to be plugged in to get productive.
Work From Any Location
Cloud computing will eventually do away with storing information in one place, further increasing the ability for employees to stay flexible and work from any location.
The Internet of Things (IoT) will mean that anything and everything will be connected to, and have access to the internet. That includes the kitchen kettle, your car, fridge and even yourself.
Your smartphone will be your keys to the office, the plant pot will text you when the plants need watering, and the blinds will know when there is too much glare in the office.
The Internet has seen two waves of major development:
- Fixed Internet of the 90s connected 1 billion users.
- Mobile internet of the 2000s connected another 2 billion.
The third wave could connect as many as 28 billion things to the internet by 2020!
The lines between the real world and the virtual world will continue to blur. The rest remains unclear, but one thing we do know is that tech will continue to play a pivotal role in the future of our working lives.
