Thanks to technological advancements, employees have access to programs, devices, and tools that can streamline their work and save time. Effective office technology improves productivity and efficiency and helps employees stay on top of their work at all times.

In this ultimate guide to office technology, we’ll define the term and explain how to choose the best options for your company. We’ll also discuss the most common types of office technology and their benefits.

What Is Office Technology?

Office technology represents all technologies a company uses to operate smoothly. This includes computers, scanners, printers, copiers, Wi-Fi routers, cloud software, and other solutions.

Office technology can have many benefits:

  • Makes your business more competitive – If you’re not using modern office technology solutions, you may fall behind compared to your competitors.
  • Improved collaboration and communication – Employees use office technology to communicate and collaborate inside and outside the company. Without office technology, remote work would be impossible.
  • Enhanced security – Office technology can help identify and prevent cyber threats and security breaches.
  • Improved efficiency and productivity – Employees can achieve more in less time with modern office technology solutions. They can automate different tasks and focus their valuable time on more important issues and drive the company forward.

Choosing the Best Technology

If you want to enjoy the benefits of office technology, you need to choose it carefully. With thousands of options on the market, finding the office technology that suits your company can be difficult. Here are some tips that can help:

Consider Your Company’s Needs

The first step toward finding the best office technology is considering your company’s needs. Every company is unique, so it’s no surprise not all office technology suits every organization. Think about your company’s size, number of employees, and goals and priorities. These could be better customer service, enhanced security, improved productivity, etc.

Talk to Your Employees

Since your employees are the ones using office technology on a daily basis, it’s important to ask for and acknowledge their opinions and suggestions. They may have preferred technologies that could make their work easier.

Another benefit of asking your employees for their opinion is making them feel appreciated and heard.

Don’t Forget About Scalability

Investing in new office technology can be quite costly. But, the right technology should last for years, so the investment is worth it. That’s why it’s vital to consider scalability.

The selected office technology should be able to support your business as it grows. A lot can change in a few years, and you don’t want to invest in technology that won’t be enough in the near future. Look for technologies that can support your company through different stages of growth.

Talk to Professionals

Equipping your office with the best technology can be challenging, especially if you know little about available options. That’s why it may be a good idea to consult experienced and reliable professionals.

Different Types of Office Technology

There are many types of office technology solutions you should consider applying to your organization, depending on your needs and goals. Here are the most common ones:

Safety and Security Office Technology

One of the most important concerns for many businesses is security. Business owners want to be sure their data is safe from physical and cyberattacks. When it comes to safety and security office technology, the options are practically endless. However, many of these options aren’t very user-friendly and can cost a lot. Therefore, many business owners choose standard technologies that offer reliability and efficiency.

Here are a few examples of safety and security office technology:

  • Access control technology – Thanks to this technology, you can control who is allowed onsite and who isn’t.
  • Visitor screening – Visitor screening technology lets you set entrance criteria for your workplace and analyzes visitors based on them.
  • Cameras and lighting – Lighting and cameras let you monitor the workplace, identify intruders, and lower the risk of break-ins and burglaries. In case of a breach, you can use camera footage as evidence.
  • Emergency notification system – If something important happens, you can use the emergency notification system to communicate with your employees in a matter of seconds.

Hybrid Office Technology

More and more companies are adopting hybrid working models, allowing employees to work from home or the office. While this working model offers many benefits, it’s not sustainable in the long run without proper hybrid office technology. Here are some examples of technologies that can improve communication, teamwork, collaboration, and productivity regardless of your employees’ locations:

  • Video conferencing – Thanks to video conferencing, your employees can meet wherever they are. This technology includes video cameras, conferencing programs, and audio equipment.
  • Instant messaging – With different instant messaging technologies, employees can send direct messages to each other and keep communication flowing at all times.
  • Project management tools – Project management tools help employees keep track of the progress of their projects, review their to-dos, and communicate with their coworkers.

Visitor Experience Technology

Many office technology solutions are directed toward employees, helping them complete their tasks quickly and efficiently. However, office technology can also focus on visitors or customers. Depending on your industry, you may often have people visiting your company. With the right tools, you can make their experience much better.

Here are some visitor experience technology solutions:

  • Parking management – Through parking management tools, visitors can reserve a parking spot in advance, thus saving time. These tools also help your company organize parking and ensure enough room for everyone.
  • Visitor registration systems – With this technology, visitors are required to sign in upon arrival. Besides keeping a log of every visitor on the premise, these systems inform employees about their visitor’s arrival. That way, waiting times can be cut short.
  • Wi-Fi provisioning – This technology ensures visitors can connect to a safe Wi-Fi network when visiting your organization.

Rely on Professionals

Choosing and implementing office technology can be overwhelming for many business owners, regardless of their company’s size, goals, and needs. If you want to take advantage of the many benefits office technology can offer, you should rely on industry experts. They can evaluate your current workflow processes, costs, and technology usage and offer the best solution.

If you’re in the Philadelphia, eastern Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Delaware areas, reach out to KDI Office Technology for a free evaluation.