From Desk To Destination: Workplace Technology Makes Return-To-Office More Appealing

With the coronavirus pandemic seemingly in our rearview mirror, many business leaders are looking for new ways to incentivize employees to return to the office. However, with only 3% of employees operating entirely on-site, compared to 44% working fully from home, there is hesitation among the remote and hybrid workforces to accept these plans. This lack of enthusiasm is partly due to the various productivity and connectivity issues associated with returning to the office. 

Appspace’s 2023 Workplace Experience Trends and Insights Report shows that 28% of employees believe their organizations still have not adopted technologies or capabilities that support them returning to the workplace. Additionally, when looking at the areas their organization could improve most, respondents ranked sharing updates across the organization, connecting employees around shared personal interests, and helping employees work more collaboratively, regardless of location. This data reveals employees today desire a more connected, purposeful workplace experience. 

Executives must invest in modern workplace technologies to solve these challenges and improve company culture to make the return-to-office plan more appealing. The traditional office setting fails to deliver social connections—and it’s not cutting it anymore. Workplace technologies like employee apps, digital signage, and intranet can shift the employees’ perspective of the office from just a desk to a destination. And in the end, updated technologies help employees optimize their time and motivate them to continue meeting and exceeding KPIs. 

Workplace tech strengthens collaboration and communication. 

Strong collaboration and communication between teams and departments are necessary to drive business growth. In fact, Appspace’s survey finds that employee communications are becoming a higher priority than flexible work arrangements. This is where workplace technologies come into play. 

Employee apps and modern intranets can go a long way in improving how teams collaborate and stay informed about the latest company-wide announcements. A successful employee app does this by reaching employees where they are in an effective and easy manner. Employee apps that include newsfeeds and department-specific pages for employees to interact, ask and answer questions, and share knowledge allow for stronger communication both in and out of the office.

Similarly, companies with modern intranets can easily unify various departments by creating a single information hub. This reduces time sorting through disorganized files at the office and eliminates some of the frustration often associated with simple, everyday tasks. Even today,  many companies still have silos between departments, with separate tools, apps, and hardware. No surprise, these silos limit opportunities to collaborate. Modern intranets eliminate these silos by integrating data sources and communities into one organized platform. 

Increase productivity and engage employees with updated technologies. 

The majority (70%) of employees agree they waste time transitioning from working outside the office to working at the office. However, workplace technologies make the return-to-office experience much more productive. As businesses look to optimize their real estate, the right workplace technology is also critical. Employee apps that include space reservation tools and wayfinding can improve efficiency by helping individuals know where they should go and when. From personal desks to collaborative spaces, this technology can save employees’ and visitors’ time finding the right spot to take their meeting or focus on an important deadline. 

Digital signage can make these spaces even more engaging. Business leaders can install digital signs to display company information, as well as allow employees to use them for presentations,  and more. Their interactive and user-friendly capabilities turn the office into a destination for creativity and innovation. 

Now is the time for executives to turn isolated offices and cubicles into workplace destinations that excite and motivate employees. Today’s office environment is on a redemption tour, and these workplace technologies will help streamline operations and improve business outcomes tenfold. 

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This post was authored by an external contributor and does not represent Benzinga's opinions and has not been edited for content. This content contains sponsored advertising content and is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.