There’s no doubt that offices have changed in remarkable ways over the last few years. Some offices will ultimately return to the traditional work culture, but many offices embrace new technology as they enter the new office life.

Intelligent automation can make it easier than ever to embrace the efficiency of technology in the office. These five pieces of smart automation tech can redesign office life; get started on this essential growth by learning more about them today.

1. Mobile-first

Not only is it essential to have all of your websites set up to be mobile-friendly in an increasingly mobile world, but it is also important to make sure that your support software and management tools are mobile-friendly as well. In fact, it is arguably more important to have things functioning on mobile devices before standard computers as the world shifts into a mobile-first tech system.

Those using office spaces or co-working spaces want to reserve rooms, check into the Wi-Fi system, and access any other remote tools from their phone and desktop. Security measures to enable this should be considered and set up to ensure safe access points are available for those who need access.

In some cases, businesses might take a heavily decentralized approach to manage security through these digital apps and devices. No matter how you decide to set up and secure things in the office spaces that you manage, it is clear that mobile accessibility must be a high priority.

2. Digitally-managed workspaces 

Smart management systems are key as office life changes. Meeting rooms, communal spaces, and even shared “floating” work desks are more common than ever, and managing those spaces can get complicated very quickly. 

Utilizing management software and a digital management system for these spaces is key. Through these programs, employees and visitors alike can view calendars for shared spaces, book time, and ensure they can access the area they want to use safely.

For desk space that needs to be reserved, no one will show up without a reservation or space to get their work accomplished once a management system is in place.

Additionally, these digital management tools can often be integrated into many types of commercial door locks, enabling the registered individuals to easily access user restricted areas through the specific access points. The tools also allow admins and IT teams to accommodate any equipment requests as needed, making for a smoother overall workflow.

3. Improved access control with smart locks

Another part of new office life is considering how employees will enter and exit buildings and other spaces within the building. Are there locked doors, and if so, who has a key? Does someone need to enter the building daily, or can those doors be utilized through a smart access control system?

Many types of commercial door locks allow for a vast amount of personalization and flexibility in this respect. Cloud-based security systems can be programmed, so doors open to specific individuals at specific times, enabling a safe location without needing too many on-site staff members.

As offices continue to find ways to work around the risk of COVID-19, touch-free and keyless entry systems for buildings have become essential for easy yet safe access to controlled areas. These types of access control systems come equipped with smart technology integrations to minimize risk and costs while creating a safe, secure, and accessible office environment. Modern offices will not be truly complete until this type of smart automation is added on site.

4. Integrated Wi-Fi access

The functionality of most offices relies heavily on the ability to access the internet, so automating an office’s wifi access should be a priority in every space. When possible, integrated wifi access should be implemented on all devices, including printers, phones, projects, and smartboards.

Additionally, it can be useful to automate access to these wifi systems as much as possible so that employees can “plug and go” at work as much as possible.

Shared meetings paces, for example, should have automatic connect points available for meeting participants. In-room devices can be automatically linked to the meeting lead’s device for simple control. Integrating wifi access and connections between devices like this is a smart way to improve every standard meeting room.

Automating connections in these spaces improves efficiency, lowers costs, and makes the space more productive for everyone.

5. Automate HVAC and lighting

An automated building control system is one of the first smart automation pieces modern office owners use today.

HVAC and lighting can be controlled automatically so that these systems use as little energy as possible while still creating a comfortable, safe, and usable environment. 

IoT technology makes it possible for the lighting to adjust based on where employees are working in the space. At the same time, smart HVAC systems can regulate temperature based on usage patterns, weather forecasts, and planned building activities.

The power of this type of automation is a win-win. The business saves money through lowered costs, but the automation systems also ensure that energy is not wasted unnecessarily.