As the coworking and flexible office sectors continue to evolve, new technology is expected to shape the future of this booming industry. Neal Gemassmer, vice president of International at software company Yardi, said that technology is the main factor in this evolution.
For one, the Internet of Things (IoT) is taking off and research company Gartner expects that 14.2 billion devices will be in use by the end of the year. Companies, notably coworking spaces, have already started utilizing this technology through company-wide dashboards that allow users to locate colleagues within the space, book meetings in conference rooms, and keep the space clean and stocked.
Virtual reality will also make its presence known in coworking spaces everywhere. [bctt tweet=”VR will allow firms to have virtual meetings and collaborate with remote team members.” username=”allwork_space”] In the future, Gemassmer said that VR will allow people to customize their own spaces.
Mobility will also become a larger part of the workplace and is happening at an extremely rapid pace.
“Twenty years ago, less than three per cent of the world’s population had a mobile phone. Today, two thirds of us have one,” said Gemassmer. “Coworking spaces are hotspots of collaboration, and demonstrate how mobile technology can help drive business innovation anytime, anywhere.”
