In our post-pandemic world, we are seeing a lot of changes to the physical office. Many organizations are adopting flexible working schedules and hybrid work options for their employees. But how is technology helping with these new workspaces?

Didhiti Bhoumik from Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG) recently announced at a virtual TenantTalks event their plans to create a digital office environment for their staff. The first phase of the digital offices will be launching soon in their Toronto office. 

“This is a great time to introduce new concepts into the workplace, and to test the long term viability of them,” Didhiti explained. 

 

But what exactly is a digital office? Here’s how it works. 

When you show up to the office in the morning, you sign in through an application. Once you sign in, you will be assigned an office. That office will have your name on the door, and your family photos, artwork, and certifications will all be displayed in the office (digitally). 

The technology behind the digital offices is smart enough to know who you typically work with and will put you in the same area as your team. You can book an office for yourself or your whole team, and you can book for just one day, or multiple days. Once you are finished and signed out of your office, it is cleaned and sanitized for the next person. 

There are two main purposes of a digital office environment. 

The first is the need for a flexible work environment. With so many organizations offering hybrid work schedules to their employees, it can be a challenge to coordinate schedules and office space. Some organizations are offering hoteling or coworking spaces. The digital office is a more innovative, technologically advanced way of offering these hybrid work schedules in a way that works for all staff members. 

The second is the fact that employees want to feel a sense of belonging to an organization, and they want to create a connection with their colleagues.  With hoteling or coworking spaces, employees are often sharing desks, wall space, and offices with other employees. But a digital office gives each employee the personalization they crave. They know that when they sign in, all of their personal items will be digitally displayed and available in their office. Plus, employees know they will be able to work with the other employees on their team, offering a human touch in a digital environment. 

For more information on the digital office, find Didhiti’s full article here. 

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