Adam Dover
Senior Corporate Segment Marketing Manager, Sony
More workers are returning to the office at least some of the time but are left unproductive by spaces lacking the right technology and facilities.
Even staff at Zoom are returning to work. The company says its recently announced “structured hybrid” approach is “most effective” for the company, a moment which surely marks the beginning of the end of the 100 percent remote working seen throughout the pandemic and beyond.
While it may mean less lunchtime workouts and sneaky tea breaks it seems most people are keen to be back in the office at least some of the time. According to a new study from Sony Professional Displays and Solutions Europe more than half (53%) of European white-collar workers prefer to work from the office, and just three percent want to work remotely full-time.
While it’s beneficial for employers to have their staff in the office more often – it can improve employee’s focus and create meaningful relationships between teams – they are not keeping up their side of the bargain.
Offices aren’t well equipped
Sony’s study revealed that 82% percent of employees surveyed are asking for improvements to company offices, and the tech within them which is essential to collaboration between employees. With the evolution of the office caused by the pandemic, hybrid functionality and great technology is more important than ever, but employers aren’t making the investment in their offices that’s required to meet their employee’s needs.
There are also more basic issues with the structure and layout of some offices, with over half (58%) of CEOs planning to incorporate hotdesking and coworking spaces into their offices, despite just 14% of employees preferring this approach.
This research clearly demonstrates the mismatch between employers’ actions and employees’ needs when it comes to flexible office working, fortunately technology is providing innovative solutions which can bridge this gap.
82% percent of employees surveyed are asking
for improvements to company offices.
Improving tech to improve productivity
Office management systems like Sony’s TEOS make booking meeting rooms and other workspaces easy, ensuring time in the office is well spent, while large professional displays can help with everything from wayfinding for visitors to showing off presentations in an engaging and immersive way.
Private meeting rooms equipped with beamforming microphones and professional PTZ cameras with AI auto-tracking technology and screen sharing software make it easy for people to jump into a quiet space and host hybrid meetings in an engaging way with minimal setup. Sony is at the forefront of developing these solutions, which make practical improvements to day-to-day office goers.
93% of office workers say their surroundings impact their productivity levels, so making sure offices are comfortable, efficient, and flexible should be a top priority for any CEO. But this issue is further reaching than just productivity – a well provisioned office creates a healthy workplace culture and happy employees – two key ingredients to long-term success.
To read Sony’s latest research whitepaper on The Future of Work and find out more about its Corporate solutions, visit pro.sony/corporate.