Work smarter, not harder.
If you’ve taken and efficiency classes you’ll know this is a time-honored practice.
Still, the concept of working smarter, not harder is evolving all the time. A few short years ago improvements may have evolved around software and ergonomics. Now we use cloud-based technology that allows us to work from anywhere, and apps that can multifunction and automate much of what used to take precious time to accomplish.
A smarter work environment today can include many things. Improved working space? Got to have it. A large investment in the latest technology? That’s a given. A security system to take away risk? Mandatory. Consider these as you’re making improvements to your office.
Good design starts with the needs of employees
Ask an employee what they need to be more efficient and they will most likely tell you. It can be something as simple as a better office chair, or something more complex like a program that will help keep their workload more organized. They might not understand the details of how to achieve it, but they usually can provide insight into how to do a better job. Your job then becomes finding the best solutions to improve working conditions. Employees buy into a lot of strategies if they understand it’s for the ultimate benefit of the company, and will improve their lives in the process.
Effective design continues with the needs of the customer base
Just as importantly is your revenue source, your customers. Yes, they may love what you do, but is it the most effective way to get what you have to deliver? How can you improve to make the experience more effective? What can build a stronger rapport and help them become bigger fans? Technology is often at the heart of an improvement to make things better, faster, more productive, more efficient. Ask them what they love about you and how you can improve it and you’ll usually find your improvement points woven within.
Seamless transitions
How many systems do you have in place? Current applications make it simple to streamline many of the processes you use every day. An intelligent office looks for insight on how to use as few of systems as possible to manage and organize large amounts of data, as well as restructuring your technology to be as easy to use as possible. That’s why system integration is so important. That’s why cloud-based systems are essential to today’s working environment. And with a proficient security plan in place, you’ll ensure your data retains integrity every step of the way.
What changes have you made to create an intelligent office?
