The Future of Workspaces

No significant discussion on the future of work and the workplace takes place without at least touching on the topic of technology. This year, Worktech 2017, will see the biggest names from real estate, technology, facilities, architecture and design join in on a truly enlightening discussion that will cover the hottest topics in the workspace technology genre, and what the future of workspaces holds for us.

As a workforce powered by digital technology, the current generation of working professionals has access to an unprecedented number of tools and services designed to improve not just their work lives, but their entire work-life balance in the process. Commenting on the latest in cutting-edge technology, tools and advancements in the field of Smart Spaces & Big Data, the upcoming speakers at Worktech Dubai 2017 – each a thought leader in their respective Industry – share their insights and expert opinion on the topic.

The App-centric Workplace

The Future of Workspaces — Linkedin Dubai by Perkins+Will

As the CEO and Founder of UnGroup, Philip Ross isn’t just a driving force behind Worktech, he’s also a world-renowned author, consultant and commentator on emerging technology and its impact on work, the workplace and people’s lives. With a wealth of knowledge on the digital workplace, Philip will be sharing his insights and discussing the pros and cons of apps in our lives.

“In the context of designs, business owners should keep the end goal in mind and design accordingly. Companies can now design spaces that, coupled with the latest in technology, can promote collaboration, thereby inspiring a culture of innovation,” noted Philip.

As we delve deeper into the topic of future workspaces, the futurist within him can’t help but mention the benefits of the Internet of Things (IoT) and sensor technology. “There is also an increase in using sensors in buildings to map occupancy and utilization of space. This technology allows designers and business owners to see what space is being used most frequently and what activities are being done in order to effectively design the space based on these results, with the aim to increase productivity in the long-term. For example, if employees spend 60 percent of their time in meetings consisting of four or fewer people, do we really have to allocate closed meeting rooms that accommodate up to eight people? The data we get from sensors can now answer these questions.”

Future Proofing Your Workspace: Integrating Adaptability Into Your Business Strategy

The problem with preparing for the future is that you never know when the ‘future’ is going to be. That’s the true power of technology – the ability to disrupt entire industries and business models within an instant. Keeping this in mind, any firm, large or small, should be considering future-proofing an integral part of their business strategy.

Mirage Project Point, Dubai The Future of Workspaces — Mirage Meeting Point by Pallavi Dean Interiors

Brian Kelly, MEA Sales Director for Haworth, believes that businesses in the UAE are definitely in tune with global trends and technologies, and are the last to be left out in the race to stay ahead. “Many companies have their regional corporate real estate teams based in the UAE who’re very aware of global trends in the workplace and are participating in the global workplace conversation. We’re seeing more offices in the UAE reflect global trends in the workplace. This is evident in the increased requirement for adaptable furniture solution and products that respond to the need for future-proofing your floor plate.”

And it’s not just individual businesses, but developers as well who’re looking to future-proof their projects, with developments such as Dubai Design District (d3) and One Central on the rise. “Corporate real-estate teams are creating ‘smart offices’ that are enhancing the employee experience to increase productivity, attract and retain talent, support wellbeing and promote corporate brand values. Smart buildings are also being used for space effectiveness and flexibility, reducing costs and the impact on the environment. At the same time, town planners are creating ‘smart precincts’, ‘digitally enabled, mixed-use districts that combine the latest technologies with new property strategies to support and catalyze the tech-led economy seeking to unite different social interests and groups’. These precincts keep people within its boundaries to make them more valuable and productive,” says Brian.

But the sheer speed of the development of new technologies and the push for employees to bring forward their own device poses a challenge to those tasked with planning years ahead for emerging technologies. Brian goes on to say that “new generations of people in the workplace are bringing new norms into the office environment, always connected, working anywhere, and working in nontraditional spaces. Organisations are under increased pressure to quantify workplace performance whilst also considering other outputs such as creativity, innovation, retention and employee satisfaction. We’re always looking to our analytics as a way to assess the effectiveness of the current space and anticipate future workplace design.”

Automation, Artificial Intelligence & Robots: What the Future of Work Will Look Like

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on its way to becoming a major part of our everyday lives. With just about every industry using some form of automation and intelligent system (including automated billing systems and complex machine learning programs), the current generation of working professionals is coming to terms with allowing a set of algorithms to take away the headache of the trivial aspects of their work lives.

But while many embrace the inclusion of artificial intelligence, there are those that oppose it as well. The loudest argument is being made for the loss of jobs due to automation, and how large portions of the population will have to deal with their livelihoods being taken away by computers. In the UAE, the onus of this falls on the government; governing bodies and authorities are not shying away from upgrading their systems and take the nation as a whole to the very forefront of digital innovation, but at the same time are looking to ensure 100% employability of their people. The Smart Dubai project is one such city-wide initiative to transform Dubai into the world’s smartest and happiest city through delivering world-class smart services and infrastructure.

Aiham Al-Akhras, Director at Gartner, is looking forward to his talk on “The race towards smartest workforce: artificial intelligence, blockchain, and robots” at Worktech 2017. As a thought leader on the Internet of Things and Smart City, he will be touching on how automation and emerging technology will affect jobs, and to what extent will robots influence the future of work.

The hot topic of the season is without a doubt ‘blockchain’. A noteworthy step in this regard is Smart Dubai’s launch of the Dubai Blockchain Strategy: a bold move to implement blockchain services in the city services with the objective of transforming and enhancing city experiences. Bold, because of how nascent the technology is and the how unaccustomed it is for a government looking to integrate new and fledgling technology into its services. And with organizations like Dubai Future Accelerators and the Office of the Future making the headlines, Dubai aims to not just embrace, but to drive the push for disruptive technologies that will fundamentally change the way we work.

Visit Worktech 2017

Explore the future of Work & The Workplace.

WORKTECH17 Dubai is the forum for all those involved in the future of work and the workplace as well as real estate, technology and innovation and will attract some of the biggest and brightest names to debate, discuss, and divulge the last thinking on the Future of Work and the Workplace.