In March 2020, the workplace made a rapid and dramatic shift. We all learned how to work from our homes, but only after an adjustment period. As vaccines are administered and cases are declining, companies are looking at how to bring people back together face-to-face. Many are shifting to a hybrid work environment, where yet another adjustment period will happen there’s going to be another adjustment period. So, as you return to the office you’ll learn new things everyday about how you work and what capabilities you need to keep your employees as safe and in-the-know as possible. That's why our team at Stonewall is committed to developing custom tools for our workplace management software based off of requests from our client’s unique needs
1. Your office needs are changing, your software should too
The pandemic has changed the way we all work. Businesses have saved money on office expenses, mileage reimbursements, and utility fees by reducing unneeded work spaces and flexible work schedules. After a year living in quarantine, many employees don’t want to return to the office full time, nor do many employers deem it necessary.
While people are eager to be together again, the past year has shown us that the future of the workplace will look different– and we can’t always predict what it will look like, but we do know that it looks flexible.
Office and desk reservation management tools aiming to help businesses should reflect this new mindset. When bringing employees back into the workplace, a reservation management tool needs the flexibility to create solutions that fit your unique business.
2. Hybrid workplace reservations require more than a spreadsheet
Distancing regulations, space availability, and desk reservations make the reality of maintaining an up-to-date spreadsheet tedious, time consuming, complicated and ultimately, impossible. An online portal allows managers and employees to easily navigate both building, room, and desk reservations based off of parameters managers choose to set for employee access.
Instead of having to worry about the implications to the organization of your spreadsheet of an employee changing their mind of where they want to work for the day, or a meeting room being double booked, this portal allows you to be as hands off as you want.
Set up your portal for employees to choose their own spaces, or create guidelines for managers to set specific schedules for each individual. The ability to set parameters based off of your company’s current needs work both for hot desking/hoteling and specific reservations.
3. Real time analytics help inform business decisions
Automatically capture data to assess your company’s long and short term needs. When do your employees prefer to come into the office? Which desk was used by which individual? How is the space being occupied? The answers to these questions provide valuable insights to how your company will manage your hybrid workplace.
If someone who returned to the office tested positive for COVID-19, run an instant report for contact tracing.
Look through analytic reports to regulate how your spaces should be used. Perhaps a smaller percentage of employees are choosing to come back to the office and reports show that your business can confidently get rid of an unused space. Running a report may indicate that previously underutilized spaces are now being used frequently by employees in order to maintain safe distances apart.
This visibility allows an organization to make confident, data-backed decisions on how to regulate office space.
4. Flexible software leads to customized solutions
Our dedication to build out solutions based off of your needs allows you to feel confident bringing your employees back to the office.
Some examples of customization based off of current clients’ needs that we’re currently implementing into our portal include:
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Parking Reservations.
- Added functionality for an office with limited parking options allows employees to reserve a parking space when they prepare to travel to work.
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Wayfinding Technology.
- Stonewall is developing GPS technology that allows a person to visualize where they are in a building and easily locate where they need to go in the most direct route possible, limiting unnecessary exposure.
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Space filtering.
- Many conference rooms have different features. This filter allows employees to select rooms based on specific criteria like technology and seating needs.
5. A portal creates confidence to come back to the office
For employees to feel confident that their safety is prioritized when returning to the office, visibility is key. An online portal allows employees to navigate spaces safely by regulating specific office needs set by management.
In-app Health Screening provides a way for individuals to fill out a survey each time they enter the building. This helps limit allowing people who are potentially infected from entering and spreading infection.
Online reservations highlight areas that are on and off limits to meet social distancing regulations.
Real time analytics provide insights into how often spaces are being used to ensure companies are meeting the needs of how employees interact in the office.
As your remote workplace transitions into a hybrid workplace, the right software should be seen as an aid rather than an obstacle. Returning to the office looks different and poses many logistical hurdles and challenges. Our team at Stonewall is here to help prioritize the tools and functionality you need to make being together again a little easier.
