We talk about smart homes all the time, but using smart technology in the home is only one application. Another important space in people’s lives that can benefit from smart home technology is the workplace. Not the work-from-home space that is already set up on your home network; the not-at-home space that you have to commute to every day, the place where you spend 40+ hours a week.
While there are definitely some IT/network/connectivity issue to consider, there are several ways that the smart technology you are buying for your home could also be used in your workplace to make your time there more convenient, if not more enjoyable.
In Shared/Common Spaces
I don’t know about your workplace, but my workplace could definitely use an automated vacuum. There are a ton of people tracking dirt from their shoes, and a lot of crumbs falling on the ground. The automated vacuum could pick up the little stuff in between the professional vacuuming and carpet cleaning sessions.
In Private Offices
Private offices have a ton of potential for smart integration. The lights and other electronics could be set up for remote or voice control. Using a device like the Amazon Echo or the (forthcoming) Google Home, email and industry news could be read aloud in the background while you do something else. Your calendar and to-do list could be managed with the same voice-controlled assistant. And obviously, that device could also play whatever type of music you need to get through the day.
In Conference Rooms
My least favorite part of every single day is when I go to a meeting that will require the use of technology. No one ever knows how to set things up, or where things are. With a smart network, staff could easily turn on everything they need to show a presentation, or everything they need to show a video, with the press of a button or with a simple voice command like, “turn on presentation theme.”
For Security
Obviously, the bigger companies probably already have some pretty beefy security installed, but what about smaller businesses? If there isn’t a large budget for door buzzers and security observation, businesses could consider using some smart home technology. A video doorbell could be a tool used by a receptionist. Nest cameras could be set up in key places instead of wiring in cameras all over the building. Monitoring could be done by a few selected people that are granted access, and the company owner could always check when the door was opened and closed, and login to view the live or cloud-stored security footage at any time.
These ideas aren’t perfect, by far, but they are just a few things that I thought of. I’m sure there are many more, and maybe even some more practical, applications of smart technology for workspaces.
Has your workplace adapted to any smart technology? If so, what? If not, what would you like to see them use?
