Smart technology can take the sting out of coming into the office

Employers looking to make in-person office work more attractive are turning to smart building tech solutions to ease the transition back. 

Outfitting an office building with smart tech can make the employee experience more efficient, enjoyable and enticing, and creates a smoother transition from work-from-home habits. From automatic bluetooth entry, to apps for desk reservations and even dry cleaning pickup, the global market for smart building tools is expected to increase from over $96 billion this year to $408 billion by 2030, according to Fortune Business Insights.

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"People don't want to have any friction or any negative reason not to come into the office," says Caroline Frith, chief strategy officer at building technology company Cove. "It's already a struggle to get people to come back in, so when I turn up to work, I don't want to have any issues getting into the car park, I don't want to be on my cell phone to the front desk for 10 minutes explaining who I am. I don't want to stop by security because I forgot my badge and I need to show them my driver's license. These are just baseline expectations, but I would say [for] Gen Z in particular, it's an expectation."

For these younger employees, the appeal of being in-office paired with their affinity for technology has put the modern workplace in high demand. Data from Joblist found that 57% of Gen Z workers prefer in-person jobs, and 70% surveyed by Adobe said they would leave their jobs for one with better technology, which is also connected to their work-life balance. 

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Cove offers an all-in-one navigation system accessible through a smartphone, for those who own and work in buildings where their solutions are installed. In addition to basic features such as Bluetooth entry to parking garages and office doors, the platform allows employees to see when coworkers are registered to come into the office so they can better plan their schedule, and receive communication about office events. These types of features motivate workers to come into the facility, while avoiding app overload, as the tools are all in one place. 

"You can see when your friends or people you work closely with are coming in, and  a map where they're sitting and book your desk to be by your friend or coworker," Frith says. "You can go into the app to respond to events. It creates that connection with the physical property." 

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While smart tech is not a hard sell for younger workers, getting all employees on board will give them something to look forward to once they arrive at work, says Frith. Employers can also learn about office usage, which can help them determine leasing plans in the future, she says.

"If people are going to spend their time commuting into the office, [they want to know,] what else am I going to be able to do when I get there," Frith says. "So amenitizing an office space is huge, and then the app is really used to access those amenities."