UK blog - kerry newell, ISS technology and innovation manager

Using technology to create better user experiences

2021 will see offices reopening and employees returning with new views on how they want to work - technology has a key role to play.

One of the key things business should reflect on is how they can make the offices of 2021 the true cultural heart of a business, rather than just a collection of desks, office and meeting rooms. And technology has a critical part to play in this, supporting a better customer and employee User Experience (UX).

Get it right and employees will embrace the return to work.
Get it wrong and companies could see employee churn rise.

places that work

Taking control of the basics

Offices functionally have to work. But simple technology, like being able to check if there’s a free workspace, helps building users take control of their day. Room booking, wayfinding and self-check-in hubs enable people to be more productive, safely. Technology that can take live thermal readings of work areas and to order on-demand cleaning of an area by expert ‘Hygiene Stewards’ can ensure the highest levels of safety at all times. Great for employees nervous about working from an office rather than home.

Helping employees reconnect with their work environments, by ensuring a hygienic, safe place to work should be a number one priority for businesses. Enhanced cleaning, testing using ATP technology, and highly visible reporting shared with their employees can help build confidence in the workplace.

Temperature checks of people as they enter the building can also help in ensuring employees feel safe when returning to the workplace.

places that think

Making your day simpler and more efficient

Getting people back into the office is one thing, but using design technology that makes people’s days simpler and more efficient – places that think – is important in the step change for offices in 2021. Occupancy monitoring enables building users to receive live updates on the capacity of the meeting rooms, gyms or in the washrooms, meaning employees don’t need to wait in line.

‘Contactless‘ click and collect food and coffee ordering also means there’s no time spent queuing or waiting around unnecessarily. You can use an app to book into gym classes, the hairdressers and onto educational courses in the building. This not only saves time for employees, but makes places work better. In a cluttered world where a few seconds can build up to some good additional focus time for employees, these small wins are a must.

places that give

Experiences that go the extra mile

Business should strive to design workplaces that can delight – places that give.

And there’s a whole host of digitally supported experiences that are developed to create fun and enjoyment in the workplace. The best offices can support a workday where you can book into an onsite massage for lunchtime and order a personalised card and birthday banner from the reprographics centre to collect when you leave the building later in the day.

You can monitor and manage your carbon footprint by receiving recommendations about making sustainable choices and get food delivered to a breakout area in the building to dine with a colleague.

The possibilities for technology to support places that work, think and give, are endless. And at ISS we work constantly to innovate and find ways to make the world work better.