Today’s office environment is a drastic change from just 10 years ago, and when compared to the 20th century, today’s office is like something out of a science fiction movie.
It’s due to changes in technology on all fronts. From office furniture to security to basic operations, technological applications to the office environment has transformed the way business is done, and in the near future, it’s going to get even more interesting and bizarre.
The biggest change is with computing and communications. Today’s computing allows for the office to communicate and process information faster and larger, on a global scale if need be. This means a company that normally would be restricted to a reach of local or perhaps national exposure can now reach just about every corner of the world. This now calls for shipping solutions that with computing allows for items to be shipped around the globe as well as supplies coming in. Meetings and consultations can be done via video and new software allows for dozens of people to attend. In addition you can now hold seminars with hundreds of people attending so that you can present new products and services and interact with the audience.
Administrators can apply technology as well in monitoring performance and conduct during working hours. Checking statistics and metrics, customer flow, allows for managers and owners to know what is going on and why. Personnel can be better monitored to make sure they’re doing their jobs and not wasting time. This calls for office furniture to be modified to accommodate the new technologies like cameras and computers, printers and more. Ergonomics is a major issue because it makes for comfortable use of objects such as chairs, desks, keyboards, and more. At first, ergonomic office furniture was laughed at by industry, but then the proof of the pudding emerged as people who had been using ergonomic tools, office furniture, had less injuries and thus cut the costs of hospitalization and losses in productivity.
In the near future, you’ll see office furniture that monitors not only productivity and conduct, but also bio systems like heart rate, body temp, blood pressure. Things will get intrusive but it’s because managers will want to know how healthy their workers are. Yes, the late author George Orwell predicted such things in his futuristic books like “1984” as did author Aldous Huxley in his books. You might even one day find office furniture that speaks back to you and interacts with you as well as holographic applications that demo products and hold seminars.
Old timers would say, “Will wonders never cease?”.
Image credit: skdesign