As the world continues to navigate a nagging pandemic, businesses have turned to a variety of hybrid work environments to keep employees happy and engaged. It’s difficult to see most offices returning to the regular 9-to-5, five days per week schedule. Employees have demanded more flexibility with work, and now that the technology exists to offer it, there’s no looking back.
A critical component of hybrid offices and working environments comes from smart locker systems. An intelligent locker system placed within an office can maximize the space being used and instead of more seating and parking at an office, companies can now invest in more amenities and benefits for employees. Smart locker systems can also be used to capture employee data, such as who is using the lockers, at what time, and when they’re coming and going. This data can be helpful for planned expansions or to accommodate a larger workforce returning to the office.
With upwards of 50% of employees partaking in some kind of remote work, the concept of ‘hot desking’ or hoteling has become commonplace. Hoteling is a process where workers dynamically schedule the use of existing workspaces such as desks, cubicles, and offices. Desks are not permanently assigned in this system, but instead are reserved in advance. An alternative method is “hot desking,” which removes the reservation process. Instead, it presents employees with unassigned, open, available desk spaces in the office, rather than reserving in advance.
The challenge presented by both of these strategies is that employee spaces are no longer their own – so the storage of personal files, and any equipment, tools, and other specialized resources that facilitate collaboration and productivity, must be carefully coordinated. Items must be kept in secure, centralized locations which are available to employees whenever they are needed and can be easily checked back in when they leave.
That’s where intelligent parcel locker systems can make a huge difference for your employees. Employees in hybrid working environments who do not have a dedicated desk space can temporarily store items in a smart locker while they grab a coffee or go to lunch – without worrying if their items are secure. For employees who only come into the office periodically, lockers are available to securely hold items so they do not have to continually lug personal items back and forth between locations.
Because fewer workers are coming into the office, that means businesses need not provide as much desk space or as much parking. Such flexibility means less furniture, however. Lockers are essential components that have replaced desks as the new storage option. This means more room for amenities such as gyms, kitchens, daycares, expanded meeting spaces, and more. With offices and businesses coming to grips with what the future of work may look like – parcel locker systems will only become more important. Companies like J.P. Morgan have purchased more than 3,000 lockers for a single site, which is saying something about change.
Rather than parking space, amenity-rich areas designed to support the company culture and ensure employee retention are becoming the norm. This means game rooms and fully stocked eateries – benefits that make the workplace more of a destination than a sterile, cold environment.
In the pre-pandemic office, the desk was an employee’s central hub and place for work accessories and personal items like photos, artwork, and plants. Now that desks will be limited, lockers are a personal space where a person can add creative touches that make the office more interesting. Made from a range of materials including wood laminate, glass, and phenolic, lockers are transformed from simple storage units to unique features.
Lockers used to be an afterthought, relegated to a hallway or tucked away from the main floor. Now, with smart parcel locker technology, they have the power to transform your workspace and can be used as architectural elements, breaking up the space between walls, or perhaps used as a wall.
If you’re looking to modernize your office to attract top talent to your business, please contact us. DeBourgh provides Smart Secured systems from Intelligent Access Control, Asset Management, School Lockers, Parcel Delivery Lockers, Weapons Lockers, and Military Lockers, to Smart Cabinets and Desks. Empower your storage today!