With workspace flexibility and the adoption of technology on the rise, many buildings have started utilizing internet-of-things (IoT) to start creating a closer connection between IT and real estate. By tracking data, companies such as WeWork are able to tailor their spaces more properly to occupants’ needs.
Data can be sourced from various areas of an office, including secure access points, elevators and even through smart appliances by seeing when bookings occur, music in the cafe changes, or when visitors are admitted into the space.
With this, real estate, design, and facilities teams can create a better atmosphere specifically catered to each member. Changes in day-to-day policies can encourage even better communication and transparency amongst members and staff.
Still, it may be concerning to some as data tracking can come off as an invasion of privacy and create potential bias. For example, Amazon had to abandon an AI hiring system after it was revealed to favor male candidates although it was built to ignore gender.
Regardless, it seems that coworking firms are using these methods of collecting data to improve their own services and amenities and we can expect more traditional employers to do the same in the coming years.
