The symbiotic relationship between serviced offices and technology has been analysed recently, with a focus on the future and what it means for the providers of serviced offices and their occupiers.
At the British Council for Offices (BCO) conference in Geneva, the ‘clickizen’ generation, those used to accessing things with a click of a mouse or the keyboard, was the focus of Dr Chris Luebkeman’s talk. They are likely to be fluid, adaptable, highly engaged with evolving technologies and expect to work at different times and places, across sectors, said the Head of Innovation at Ove Arup and Partners.
Connectivity is identified as a key trend, as is the need to define the concept of normality in a working, serviced offices environment. Clickizens’ perceptions of normality appear to be in a state of flux, added Luebkeman.
Away from the BCO conference, another trend connected with serviced offices has appeared – that of sardine rage.
What is sardine rage? It’s not what happens when someone goes to the office fridge only to discover their tin of sardines has gone missing. Nor is it the feeling office workers get when entering a warm office to find a colleague scoffing a plate of stinky sardines at their desk – with windows closed and mouth open.
Sardine rage, according to experts, is what happens when office staff are pushed together into tight clusters, to maximise cost-effectiveness of space.
They then find their own working area is reduced, provoking complaints about noise, territorial disputes and cramped conditions.
How to combat sardine rage? Serviced offices may have an answer, thanks to its use of technology.
The advent of cloud computing, hot-desking and other innovations offered by the serviced offices sector have increased, as inboxes replace in-trays and hard drives replace A4 folders. This increases desk space for workers – and reduces the risk of sardine rage.
Next task, how to tackle the sardine rage of being stuck on London Underground at rush hour …
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