How Internet of Things is changing things at the workplace

Internet of Things (IoT) is here to make a noticeable difference in lives of us all. It’s a transformational technology that can bring in huge changes in a business and to employees working for it. Managers have just begun to spot the new possibilities created by IoT based systems and solutions; from a lighting fixture to an air conditioner. Above all, IoT connected devices generate huge data that provide a base to a business’ cost-saving strategies and automation plans.

Here are 5 ways the technology of IoT will help businesses in executing their operations more productivity and cost-effectively.

Comfortable work environment

Workers and employees often have issue with setting the right AC temperature in shared offices. There we see lots of disagreements among coworkers. But the issue can intelligently be solved with the blend of IoT.

With an IoT-enabled AC system, it won’t be up to people which temperature setting is more comfortable for them. The AC system will learn from the manual settings provided and persisted for a long period of time and then adapt its functioning to provide comfortable temperature, instead. One good example of this IoT system is Google’s Nest Thermostat, which learns from users’ preferences that are manually set few days in a row and then the system adapts functioning fitting your needs. Additionally, the system delivers extra benefits of 60 percent of electricity bill saving.

Telepresence and virtual meeting

IoT technology can be applied to realize the concept of telepresence. Telepresence robots are being deployed on an experimental basis to let you have a face-to-face meeting with a person, who may be thousands of miles away from a work location. These are self-guided robots, which are created in a way that lets them simulate an in-person meeting or navigate hallways controlled by a remote user. Once a meeting is over, the robot can automatically move to the next scheduled destination or return to its charging station.

Pepper is already in use as a robot greeter. Image: Softbank

No doubt, it looks fun, but at its practical side, it allows bosses, managers, and supervisors to reach a place where they cannot immediately reach as they do in real.

Enhanced efficiency and productivity

IoT powered solutions will enable workers and employees to do more in less time. The technology can help people complete large-scale tasks quicker, without making mistakes.

A business owner will be able to follow various operations carried out at the workplace. From controlling and monitoring inventory to managing field service employees, IoT can be connected with tools and devices to have better performance of people and processes at a business. Also, these IoT-enabled tools and devices can be connected to a centralized system, which helps a business has easier control over the workplace and its workflows.

The data generated out of the IoT-enabled office/workplace-operations will firstly improve the overall performance of a business and secondly, provide it with better opportunities to expand its business.

An organized workplace and safer workplace

Work is worship! That’s what we have been taught since childhood. But how someone can take his work as worship if his workplace has overflowing trash bins, stained or spotted coffeemakers, unmaintained elevators, and unnecessarily lit up lights.

Thank god we have IoT technology at our rescue! With IoT devices and sensors, these office-administration things can easily be automated. IoT can also go a step further and help in proving who has been leaving break room refrigerator’s door open all the time.

Access control systems

IoT technology can even smartly replace the typical system of locking and controlling accesses. Many companies have already provided advanced electronic access control systems which do not need any sort of key. They do not even need any pass-code or access card to provide access to workers and employees in a specific area or facility.

An IoT lock in action. Image: Scymyn

Biometrics-locks are already working at place, but now, IoT-enabled smartphone apps can manage your workplace security better than them. They can be programmed to provide access to specific people or specific accesses can be secured only for specific people. IoT can also support remote locking. In fact, there can be tens of ways to use IoT for access control.

Wrapping up

So, workplaces are seeing changes led by the Internet of Things and related mobile app development technology. Smartphones have become the key platform for IoT application development. They are portable to easily carry out in a pocket. They provide the high power internet connectivity with no any need of the additional duct tape and bubble gum.

As we know, the concept of Internet of Things is not new. It exists for more than three and a half decades. But, the real hurdles in realizing it were the lack of hardware, no stable wireless technology and high-speed internet, and dependencies on desktop PCs, which could not be carried out anywhere in so many practical instances. Together they turned IoT as in impractical technology, but now things have changed. We have smartphones, which themselves are a complete device, with desired portability, mobility, speed, and power.

Author Bio :- Sofia is a digital marketing expert at Rapidsoft Technologies, an offshore software development company which develops Software for Education, Automation, Construction and Finance sectors across the global. She loves to write about the latest mobile trends, technologies, startups, and enterprises.

How Internet of Things is changing things at the workplace was originally published in Hacker Noon on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.