As we near the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies are actively planning strategies to return to regular operations for their office personnel. But if there is anything we have learned from the past year of lockdown, it’s that the traditional model of working in an office, Monday through Friday, is in need of a vital update.
A recent Harvard Business Review article reported that many workers believe they have been more productive at home during the pandemic because they can focus on what really matters. Employees are engaging in 50% more activities by personal choice and half as many because someone else asked us to. Similar studies also mention that employees believe that the time saved from not commuting or traveling (54%) has benefited them the most. Overall, the majority of employees agree that the new way of working is, in many ways, an improvement.
As a result, many companies have considered shifting to a hybrid work environment. This includes the implementation of strategies such as “Hoteling” and “Hot Desking” to improve productivity, reduce operating costs, and enable employees to continue working remotely.
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 employee would “book” a workspace before they come to work in an office, much as they would if they were reserving a hotel during business travel.
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. Hot desking is comparable to setting up your computer at a local coffee shop or café – on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The challenge presented by both of these strategies is that employee spaces are no longer their own – so the storage of personal effects, 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. Fortunately, there is a streamlined solution in place.
Forward-thinking companies like Luxer One have been designing solution-oriented Smart Locker technology to provide a simplified and modern answer to this new, commonly arising concern that many companies are facing. Employees who are engaging in hybrid working environments and do not have a dedicated desk space can temporarily store items in a locked locker while they grab a coffee or go to lunch - without worrying if their items are safe. 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.
Organizations are not limiting their locker uses to just temporary storage, bag drop, or package pickup, but are finding lockers to be useful for many other cases as well. IT Support: IT teams can easily deliver or exchange new or repaired technology or parts to employees. Intra-office deliveries: allows for the hand-off of goods between employees. Food Delivery: Keep food delivery personnel from interrupting or coordinating delivery. Swag Storage: celebrate employees with easily accessible swag or prizes. Luxer One Smart Lockers are simply revolutionizing the efficiency of office spaces for package pickups, equipment exchanges, and asset management.
These Smart Lockers have already transformed retail stores, apartments/condominiums, libraries, universities, and many more locations across the country. They are simply managed by a smartphone app, offering an easy reservation system with 24/7 access for mobile workers. Luxer One’s integrated technology easily syncs with equipment databases and provides in-depth tracking on items that are exchanged. Smart Locker solutions by Luxer One are the safe, convenient, and successful option that has quickly proved to be the best and most favorable option for hybrid workplaces.
Get a jump start on upgrading the efficiency of your organization’s asset and package management with Luxer One’s revolutionary Smart Lockers. For more information on how smart Locker systems can help your organization, feel free to contact our team today!