Seamless connections

Workplace Principle 4: Increase Adaptability

When planning a new and improved workplace, the technological environment is as important as the physical office environment. So when it comes to encouraging employees to make the best decisions at work (also known as increasing adaptability, more on that here), providing seamless tech connections is key. 

The 30-second rule dictates that the more time it takes you to move to a new workspace, the more arduous this move feels and the less likely you are to do so. Research shows that seamless technology supports this rule and employee mobility. Making sure it’s quick and easy to connect to a desktop when you get to a new work station is one way to encourage people make the move.

Creating technical homogeneity

Today’s technology offers good conditions for a smooth transition. If the workplace is designed properly, all you need to do is plug in a single cable to continue with your work – that includes connecting to one or more screens, a keyboard, and a mouse as well as charging your laptop.

The re-adjustment is usually perceived as less cumbersome when office tech is homogenous – in other words, that all screens are the same model or at least the same brand and all work in the same way. This makes it easier for employees to get accustomed to the tech, which lowers the risk of handling errors, lessens the adjustment time, and decreases the perceived mental strain of moving to another work station.

If you have the opportunity to change out all equipment at the same time – as is often the case – you will benefit from creating technological homogeneity across floors, zones, or home bases for as long as possible. 

Further reading

This article is based on the five principles for the development of a workplace strategy that we at WeOffice use to create bespoke workplace strategies. You can read more about them here.

References are taken from the book Workplace Strategy for the Flexible Office by Aram Seddigh. For more information on the book and workplace strategy in general, click here.

References

Seddigh, A. 2022. Arbetsplatsstrategi för det flexibla kontoret : metoder, verktyg och case med fokus på hybrid och aktivitetsbaserat arbetssätt, Stockholm, Blue Publishing.

Brill M, S. W. Disproving Widespread Myths About Workplace Design. Jasper, IN: Kimball International; 2001.

Rolfö LV. Activity­based Flexible Office work enironments: Design and implementation processes and outcomes. Stockholm: KTH Royal Institute of Technology; 2018.

van Diermen OG, Beltman S. Managing working behaviour towards new ways of working: a case study. Journal of Corporate Real Estate. 2016;18(4):270–86.

Van Der Voordt TJM. Productivity and employee satisfaction in flexible workplaces. Journal of Corporate Real Estate. 2004;6(2):133 –48.