Open offices have revolutionized the workplace, prioritizing collaborative spaces and shared work areas over cubicles and personal offices. Hybrid office setups are also becoming increasingly popular.
Hybrid office environments combine the best of both worlds: the flexibility of remote work and the collaborative benefits of in-office work. But where are people supposed to put their stuff in this new, flexible workplace? Business lockers meet the storage needs of these new spaces without consuming premium real estate.
The Evolution of Office Spaces
According to the International Facilities Management Association, as many as 70% of offices in the U.S. are “open plan.” This trend, beginning in the 2000s as a counter to the cubicles of old, supports collaboration and encourages effective teamwork. More recently, open-plan offices have evolved into hybrid environments where employees come to the office to work in more flexible spaces that provide varying degrees of openness.
Hoteling, hot desking, and coworking spaces are three popular approaches in these hybrid office environments:
- Hoteling: Employees have no permanently assigned work desks. They choose from unreserved workstations or collaborative spaces that suit their needs for the day. This setup is also ideal for freelancers, consultants, and employees who frequently move between offices.
- Hot desking: Multiple employees use the same workstation for different time periods. This approach is common in major cities with high real estate prices or offices with flexible schedules, where a single desk is shared over several shifts.
- Coworking spaces: These setups let companies open new regional outposts without investing in real estate, give mobile workers an office setting to work from (rather than home or a coffee shop), and provide the accountability and motivation of going to an office while lowering the financial costs of office upkeep.
Hybrid Environments and Storage Solutions
These environments all share a similar problem: where do people store their belongings? Business lockers provide employees with a secure, reliable place to store personal belongings, laptops, and other supplies.
Lockers Support Business as Usual
Locker walls are a common way to turn unused wall space into productive storage. Business lockers can also be incorporated into the office space as free-standing storage, creating partition walls or integrated as islands that double as a workspace for standing meetings.
You can also design business lockers to fit the office's overall aesthetic. They don't have to be silvery steel; there are plenty of finishes, locks, and configurations to pick from.
Security is a top priority for many organizations — whether open-plan or not. Government offices and information technology environments integrate business lockers where security clearance and intellectual property protections are crucial. The lockers provide staff with a safe place to put their devices before entering a conference room for top-secret or highly confidential briefings.
Day-use lockers also have various convenient locking options, including combination locks (with a master key for those who forget their combination), keypads, and RFID codes linked to an individual’s work badge. Businesses can even customize lockers with USB or power charging options.
A New York City firm found another advantage: employees who shop online could have their packages sent to the office. Office support staff would use the master key to access the lockers and deliver the packages for retrieval at the end of the day.
Integrating Smart Lockers in Hybrid Offices
Smart lockers are an innovative solution that can further enhance the efficiency and convenience of hybrid office environments. These lockers offer advanced features such as:
- Automated package delivery: Employees can receive packages directly to their lockers, reducing the need for a mailroom and ensuring secure delivery.
- App-based access: Employees can access lockers using a smartphone app, eliminating the need for physical keys or codes.
- Real-time notifications: Users receive alerts when they have deliveries or when their locker is accessed, providing added security and convenience.
- Flexible usage: Smart lockers can be easily reassigned to different users, supporting the dynamic nature of hybrid workspaces.
Smart lockers also support contactless transactions, an essential feature in today's health-conscious work environments. They can be integrated with existing office systems, such as employee badges and building access controls, to streamline operations and enhance security.
Unlock New Possibilities with Business Lockers
Across industries and environments, business lockers provide space savings and peace of mind that employee belongings are secure — without sacrificing aesthetics.
Updating your office with smart lockers and adapting to today's dynamic work environments ensures your workspace is versatile, efficient, and ready for the future. Unlock new possibilities and make the most of your office space. Contact us for a free site survey today.
