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Can you imagine your computer reminding you every hour to get up and stretch? Or never needing to look for something in the warehouse because a spotlight automatically shines light on the item you’re looking for? It may seem hard to believe but perhaps we are not as far away as you think!
Today, innovations that were once perceived as smart, such as smartphones, touch screens, connected devices and even computers, are a given. As a result, a shift has been created in the way the workplace is perceived. Enterprises have begun recognizing that they must do more than bring innovation to their products and services – they must bring innovation to the workplace in order to improve efficiency, retain relevance and continue operating at the speed their customers and employees expect them to.
Thankfully, there are many ways in which companies can easily incorporate cutting edge innovations within their ecosystems – and we’re here to shed light on some of them.
Smart Offices Start with Smart Buildings
Capitalizing on the smart city trend and the shift in the way the workplace environment is perceived, some companies have begun creating innovative solutions to make entire buildings 
smarter by design.
The Cisco Catalyst Digital Building Series Switch is one such example; The idea behind the new Cisco smart solution is to save money and energy for companies through centrally controlled units that monitor and adjust air conditioning and lighting based on the needs of the company and the building volume. Their solution, which has already been piloted in several locations, has been able to reduce energy costs for the companies by 50%, showing a direct cost improvement following the integration of a building-wide smart solution.
Large companies whose operations include production lines and factory floors are increasingly relying on smart innovations in order to keep track of items, monitor and analyze processes and improve auditing and reporting capabilities – something that not only reduces costs but improves overall efficiency and productivity.
Improved Productivity and Efficiency
Beyond controlling the air conditioner and lights of buildings, enterprises are looking to IoT solutions in order to improve employee and company wide efficiency while simultaneously increasing productivity and streamline processes.
VMware recently piloted a smart solution in their Palo Alto campus by installing over 2000 beacons in their main offices. With the beacons and the development of a proprietary mobile app for employees, contractors, and guests, VMware has been able to reduce the time it takes for people to get around the campus, as well as the time wasted searching available meeting rooms, finding parking and more. The addition of the VApproval solution by VMware has been able to streamline approval processes by emailing requests to managers and enabling automatic digital approval of processes, from desktops or mobile devices, simplifying the approval process and overall workflow activity.
The addition of such innovation, in addition to the already available video conferencing capabilities, remote access possibilities, and enhanced automation capabilities not only improve productivity, but they increase employee satisfaction, further improving companywide efficiency and accentuating the value of smart innovations in the workplace.
Increase Satisfaction & Improve Information Retention
Speaking of employee satisfaction – employee retention and overall work experience is something that companies have long recognized as being of utmost importance in the place of work, 
and thanks to smart technology, it’s easier than ever to boost employee satisfaction.
According to a Deloitte study of the workplace environment, the lines between the personal and professional spaces have blurred, making the digitalization of the workforce a necessity for companies. Companies who actively use social networks as part of the workday have seen an increase of 7% in productivity, and over 64% of employees see remote work options as being more valuable than increased income. The recently launched Facebook for workplace is one solution that is quickly gaining popularity as a modern communication and work platform for enterprises that maximizes performance and activity management. The solution, which operates in the same way as the social network, only for the work environment, is already being used by companies such as Starbucks, Renault Group, Booking.com, showing that enterprises are recognizing the importance of employee satisfaction and implementing innovation to increase it.
Smart solutions and improved employee satisfaction also have the power to improve information retention – one of the most painful things companies have to deal with. Through shared productivity spaces, collaborative documents, monitoring file control, and digital messaging solutions, companies are able to do more than increase communication between employees – they are able to ensure that the knowledge is shared in a flat way, minimizing the damage if employees leave the company.
The ability to integrate innovation in the workplace will have a long-lasting impact not just on the employee satisfaction and efficiency, but in the way prospective clients view enterprises and their ability to remain innovative; after all, if you don’t practice what you preach, how can you expect clients to buy what you’re selling?
