The key to a successful flexible work environment? It’s the ease with which you can get settled and do your work wherever and however you need. And that’s where your smart locker system comes in. This article discusses 5 Ways how smart lockers help improve employee experience.

1.  Flexible storage supports flexible working

Employees choose to work at the place best suited for the task at hand. In a nutshell, that’s what flexible work environments are all about. This also means that when employees go to the office to work, they choose to do so for a specific reason.

“When employees visit the office, they do so for a purpose. It could be seeing friends, a social event, or a meeting with team members, a client or a supervisor.” - David Kamen, Real Estate Services Leader, EY Americas.

Organizations that have embraced hybrid working recognize this effect and, with that, the value of creating a flexible and inviting work environment. Instead of fixed desks, they offer a variety of rooms and collaborative spaces to cater to different work needs. And they make sure to incorporate the key ingredient that makes working in and moving around these modern offices both practical and attractive: smart storage. 

Access to an electronic office locker wherever you need

With smart office lockers, you have access to storage wherever and whenever you need, regardless of the floor you’re on or the building you’re in. For instance, you start your day in a high-focus work area where you store your personal belongings in an office locker nearby. In the afternoon, when you make your way to a meeting in a collaborative workspace on another floor, you switch lockers and select one close to your new work location. 

Read more: What is a smart locker? 

2. Easy on-demand access to office lockers

A smart locker system turns office lockers into an on-demand service. Via an app, terminal, or colored indicator lights integrated into the locker doors, you can easily find an available locker nearby. Next, you can use that locker, release it afterward, or switch lockers without the involvement of the Facilities Team. It’s fast, easy and convenient. 

User-friendly

Smart office lockers are easy to use. They don’t use keys or PIN codes, which are often lost or forgotten. Instead, employees use an access method they already habitually carry with them or always have with them. This can be their company access card, an app on their smartphone or biometrics (i.e. fingerprint, facial recognition). You simply choose the best fit for your organization. The terminals and apps work with an intuitive design that guides you through a few brief steps as you go.

A smooth work experience

‘Easy access to a locker’ can mean different things depending on the person and particular setting, and entails more than a user-friendly method of operation. An inviting and inclusive work environment requires a customized approach. A smart locker system comes with a broad range of settings in the management software which allows you to create that optimal work experience for your organization. From setting the general rules for locker use to personalized assignments like a locker at an easy distance or specific height for an employee with a disability. 

The whole experience changes from an inflexible office locker that comes with a labor-intensive manual administration to an easy, automated on-demand storage solution. Locker access privileges can even be extended to other locations connected to the locker system. Moreover, smart lockers can cover a multitude of storage needs in the office, making work even easier.

Read More: Smart vs. Traditional Lockers - Why offices need to transition to smart lockers

3. Multiple storage solutions for easier work

Office lockers are often simply thought of as a place for employees to safely store their personal belongings. In a day’s work, in a hybrid work environment, smart storage has a lot more to offer. There’s a broad range of uses and settings to choose from, to make work life even easier. 

Sharing lockers, parcel services and more

Smart lockers and employee experience are interconnected. As employees shape and plan their workday, smart storage is there to accommodate them. Take sharing a locker with a colleague you closely work with on a project or task, for instance. Employees can simply arrange it themselves using an app, without requiring the assistance of the Facilities Team. Other examples of widely implemented and popular uses to make work easier are parcel services, lockers for spare parts or a USB charger built into the lock to always be able to charge devices in a secure place.

Adjustable settings and scalability

Its flexibility makes a smart locker system a perfect fit in every work environment as well as a future-proof choice. After all, offices keep evolving. New ideas, technological developments, growing and expanding organizations: storage needs inevitably change. With its adjustable settings and scalability, a well-rounded smart locker system can keep up and evolve with your organization. 

4. Safer storage

Whether it concerns personal belongings put away for safekeeping or access to valuable or confidential materials, storage facilities should be safe and reliable. Smart lockers can rely on much more than sturdiness to provide that essential security.

Access permissions and user authentication

Locker use starts with access permission. Facilities Management can easily set access permissions for each user (group) in the management software, to ensure that only authorized users can access specific lockers. Every time a locker is used, the user’s identity is verified by means of authentication technologies such as biometric authentication (facial recognition or fingerprint scanning) or an RFID card reader. All locker usage is also automatically logged.

Security via the software

With smart lockers, locker usage and locker access can be monitored in real-time, which can help Facilities Management detect unusual activity or potential security threats. Moreover, smart lockers can be programmed to sound an alarm or notify security personnel if someone tries to break into a locker.

Read more: Top 9 benefits of smart lockers for dynamic workplaces

5. Integrated part of the workplace ecosystem

In 2020, 86 percent of business leaders agreed that the digital workplace must integrate and coexist with the physical workplace in the foreseeable future (source: Harvard Business Review). With the push of the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the steep increase in organizations adopting hybrid workplace strategies, this has already become a reality. Smart locker systems, designed for convenience and data-driven environments, blend right in.

Meeting employee expectations

In everyday life, employees have grown accustomed to the convenience of automated, on-demand services and an intuitive design of anything tech they encounter. As a result, they’re expecting a similar experience at work. In a work setting without fixed seating, getting settled and started should be fast and easy. With smart lockers you can and without the hassle of a separate key or PIN code. Many organizations have taken it even a step further and have created a smart workplace ecosystem. 

Integration with a workplace app

Workplaces often include a lot of facilities, like parking spaces and meeting rooms. They’re meant to provide convenience but can take time and effort to obtain if you need to actively search for available options. This takes away from the work experience in an organization. To create a smooth work experience, more and more organizations are now introducing a workplace app that incorporates multiple functionalities. By offering a single app to access buildings, find your way, use a locker, book a room and more they create a smart workplace ecosystem that seamlessly meets the needs of their employees. 

Smart lockers are the dynamic workplace’s best friend 

Hybrid working is transforming workplaces around the world. Smart storage plays a central part in this process. It’s what allows employees to work smoothly anywhere and advances the employee experience. Want to know more? Request a consultation with one of our dynamic workplace experts and gain insights into how a smart locker system can help shape your customized dynamic working experience.