Worktech 2019 was held in Singapore on September 17, 2019 at Capitol Theatres. The conference sought to explore the future of workplaces as they evolve under the influence of global trends and how real estate service providers, facility managers and technology solution providers can act in tandem to meet the new needs of the workforce.
The event started with a discussion about the trends in the workplaces of Asia featuring representatives from BP, Avaloq Sourcing Singapore, RICS and CapitaLand Singapore. A key takeaway from the panel was the fact that the workplace is becoming ‘wireless’. With 5G around the corner, the panel believed that we can expect more cords to be cut and in the future we may even have wireless power, data and connectivity in every office.
Providing proof that the ‘trends’ changing the workplace have tangible impact, Richard Claydon, chief executive misbehaviourist at Organisational Misbehaviourists, explained that ‘enriched’ spaces improved productivity by 17% and ‘empowered’ spaces, where the user has some control over the environment, improve productivity by 32%.
A discussion between representatives from Sennheiser, BPG, Edenred and Veldhoen + Company explored the steps being taken by companies today to enrich their offices. In particular,
Martin Low, managing director for Sennheiser Asia, shared how the manufacturer shifted its Singapore office towards an activity based working model which incorporated feedback from employees to ensure constant improvement.
Getting the end user perspective added to the conversation, Colliers International, M Moser Associates, Csuites, Netflix and Avaloq came together to discuss how they manager their respective spaces. It was interesting to hear the representative from Netflix say that it is currently spending money on its workplaces rather than saving money. The reason for this is the fact that the cost of replacing an employee is greater than the cost of building modern workplaces that attract talent.
The representative from Csuites brought technology into the mix stating the ease of use, intuitive user experiences and interoperability topped the list of requirements when it comes to solutions being deployed for modern workplaces.
Thankfully, a number of representatives from the AV industry were able to address any technology concerns. Crestron, Sennheiser and avt were joined by Cisco in exhibiting at Worktech 2019.
avt showcased a range of software-based solutions suited to the new breed of offices. In particular, Mark White, executive director for avt, highlighted how Airtame can proide wireless connectivity, Joan can enrich meeting spaces and Mezzacast can help streamline the user experience in meeting rooms. He also talked about Utelogy, a platform that can tie together all the technology solutions and provide data and insight into their usage.