Our current timeframe has seen huge advancements in technology, both on- and off-line. The technological level we enjoy now – use of small actuators included – is something which has been moved towards since at least the mid-twentieth century, so it is not which has suddenly appeared for us.
While technology has changed the way in which we work, it has not rendered work completely unnecessary – labour-saving devices merely make our lives easier and less complicated. Secretarial work in particular has remained largely the same through the years of advancing technology, just with more complicated machines being used.
Automation is something which is taking hold in the office space, as a way of making life more flexible and smooth as people go about their business. Automation is present in both large and small areas of the office, including in drawers and doors which close themselves, automatic drinks dispensers, fold-away shelves which can hold any number of items, and much more, depending on what the office in question needs.
The cloud, as it is usually referred to, is a completely digital method of computing and storage which is becoming more widespread in both office and home environments. Broadly speaking, the cloud can do anything which is required of it. Rather than simply being confined to a single computer and its resources, the Cloud allows people access to huge amounts of processing power and memory storage which can revolutionise the way they approach using their computer.
The Cloud is being adopted by more and more offices as a means of extending their capabilities and the capabilities of their workers. Using the Cloud means that workers can collaborate more easily with each other, as sharing documents becomes a matter of viewing them on the Cloud. It also means that an office can be completely inter-connected, allowing for better sharing of resources and work knowledge than ever before.
Mobile Work Forces
Remote working, as might be surmised, is the new working habit whereby office employees do not need to come into the physical office to do their job – they can do it from wherever they want, provided they have the means to do so.
With remote working on the rise – more and more employees wanting the ability to work from home or their favourite coffee shop – businesses are seeking out ways to make it easier for this to happen. Flexible hours, mobile devices which can connect to the business and its accounts, and various types of collaborative software all work to create an environment where remote working is possible.
Bring your own device (BYOD)
BYOD policies are on the rise. This is because companies are becoming less afraid of employees using their own devices at work and instead starting to embrace the flexibility it allows. BYOD has both benefits and risks, but smart companies realizes that this is the way of the future, especially as freelance and remote work become the norm.
Modern office management is all about increasing efficiency so employees can get more done.
Activity Based Working
Rather than having an office space where everyone has their own clearly defined area for working in, activity based working has the idea of creating an office where people move around based on what they are doing at that moment. This means that there will still be specifically zoned areas, but that they are formed in such a way as to encourage movement and collaboration.
