Your workplace converted to the best experience and most efficient practices
Updated: 6 days ago
#connectedworkplace #wxefficiency
The workplace just isn't as intuitive as our consumer world, why?
Source www2.deloitte.com
There are natural barriers to adoption of technology in business
- Single decision maker in consumer v investment cases in business
- Personal security decision times v business sign off times
- Personal value decision v multiple business personnel and their value perception
Deloitte nailed the reasons in their Growth of Human Capital reports
These studies cover many countries and senior figures in business, their views and trends and are worth a read, especially in these times.
They deliver on highlighting exactly the challenges businesses are facing, so if your in B2B or B2b then worth a read. Albeit you need a pot of tea or coffee as they are comprehensive but well researched!
So why the issue?
We have used this image before however its:
- Representative of a typical workplace and the problem or challenge the CTO or Facilities or Corporate Real Estate folk are trying to crack.
- Lots of different areas in their businesses, each with a system that is siloed and isolated.
- Each system with different vendors the businesses have selected, who have developed their solution to meet a need:-
- However their developments have been completed in isolation, narrow in context.
- Never thinking of the customer that consumes the siloed end service and product and how they are impacted.
What do I mean?
Let me explain, each solution has data or events that would be really useful to another system, but the integration just isn't there!
Let me colour that in with a practical example(s)
- An IWMS or integrated workplace management system (bit of a misnomer) holds useful data and images, floor plans, as an example.
"Imagine your in a workplace an its a big building lots of contractors or visitors arriving daily"
- The floor plan in the IWMS system isn't integrated to the Map provider so they cannot use the data to give you a visual guide of where you are on your mobile phone!
- The map provider relies on GPS or a mobile signal to relay your position in the building relative to the map. Mobile signals are often poor in buildings!
- The Wifi or Beacon Technology that may be in the building (HP Aruba) isn't linked to the Internal map provider (although if John Howells has anything to do with it he'll advise you how to get it done)
In those three instances, you can see how an IWMS system integrated to a Map provider, who in turn links to sensors, beacons or wifi can transform "the experience for your employees, visitors or contractors" - hence the term connected workplace. #connectedworkplace
So, returning to the diagram let's explain the wider context:
- The MESH iron grid signifies a "reinforcing grid" in a wall, ie concrete isn't strong when used in a wall unless it has a grid the reinforce it.
- Similarly, the workplace and its experience and efficiency are weak without data and events passing between the different vendors.
- In fact the health of the workplace in terms of its optimum performance to deliver the best workplace experience for the employees and the most efficient use of all of its assets.
So what do you need to do to start driving the "Connected Workplace" in your business?
1. Identify how many of your workplace Vendors have APi's
- what's that in layman's language?
Whilst that's a wikipedia version here the Simon Hunt version, An APi is a chat between two pieces of software, exchanging data, from each others database.
Example Siri is just Apple's tool for interrogating 100's of APi's to give you the answer.
How do they work?
This is actually very simple
One piece of software asks another a question, the other responds.
Essentially asking one database have you got this and then updating its records
Here's a simple tip to Remember how they work:
C reate
R ead
U pdate
D elete
There are many types of APi however they all do the same 4 things.
So if one piece of software know's something that its been told to write into the other piece of software's database then one system can use data or events from the other.
Practical Example or Use Case - Transform your visitor management
In the example below
- The Condeco system is talking to Microsoft via an APi
- Feeding Host and guest details for a meeting event from one system to another.
- Condeco feed that via a Visitor Management APi, so that an invite is sent to the visitor or guest from the visitor management system.
In summary Microsoft talks to Condeco that talks to the visitor management system, hence the term, "Connected Workplace."
Here we start to get into three key world's
- Microsoft Digital Transformation
- Microsoft Workplace Experience
- Microsoft Workplace Efficiency
The Wow Visitor Experience Part 1 - "I can find it I have everything I need"
The guest receives a really smart invite
All the details you'd love them to have as well as:
The Wow Visitor Experience Part 2 - "A great arrival and a slick experience, that works!"
How to get hold of their host
- And a barcode to scan them into the building on arrival, rather than have them bother reception
- The code hits the visitor database and tells the visitor management system to do two things:-
- send and SMS to the meeting host
- send the host an email
Benefits:
1. A wow first impression for guests
2. An uncluttered reception
3. Less mundane work for reception staff
4. Less reception staff if you want to achieve that cost objective
5. A more efficient, safer reception area
6. A host that's informed instantly
7. A bar code that can also be enabled for security gate access
8. Collection of every visitors details and who they saw and when
9. The ability to ask visitor certain questions (multichoice on arrival)
10. The ability to alert security if the visitor is on a watchlist
11. The ability to safely operate in a pandemic with less stress and more traceability
Want to know more?
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