GoBright is specialised in software for the Smart Workplace, which can be enhanced with GoBright hardware that fits your company’s needs. One of the biggest obstacles for companies to buy hardware is the one-off investment at the start. But do you know that you can eventually earn back on your investment or even make a profit? If you are looking to invest in hardware but are not sure if it is worth it, worry no more. In this article we will show you, in six different ways, what your return on investment on hardware looks like.
Cost-efficiency of Smart Office Hardware
For many organisations, an investment in hardware means to have a business case to earn it back. But do you know that hardware is guaranteed to save you costs in the long run? Because our hardware can measure the occupancy of your office, it exactly knows how many people use the office assets. Where you have an office filled with 500 desks, availability of our hardware, such as the Interact, or Connect, will predict that only 300 desks are necessary at maximum. With this information it is easy to get rid of the excess desks and save on costs of renting too much office space.
When you look at it from a broader perspective, this means that the office space may be too big for the actual employees coming to the office. Today’s average office occupancy is between 30 and 50%. Seeing as an average workspace demands 7m2 of the office, a quick calculation gives insight on how much space you actually save. You now have the option to rent out the excess space or move to a smaller building better suiting your needs. Investing in our Desk Sensors will provide you with 100% accurate occupancy data, driving down your costs even more.
Gas/Electricity
You can cut costs when it comes to gas and electricity. Moving to a smaller building means less expenses related to gas and electricity, which is becoming more expensive. Or, if moving is not an option (yet), you can deactivate or close down unused areas in the office to save on energy and cleaning costs too.
The Interact as a Room Panel
Our secret weapon, the Interact, can also be used as a room panel. It’s smaller, but the clear screen allows you to gain information about the specific room at a glance. When you invest in an Interact as a Room Panel, you save 50% in costs (because it is more than 50% cheaper) compared to ordinary Room Panels. This way, the Interact is a great cost-effective choice for your Room Booking needs.
Employee Satisfaction
When you think of the return on investment, most people automatically consider the direct financial benefits of a decision. However, there are so many other ways in which the GoBright hardware can indirectly benefit your business. A great example of such a benefit is employee satisfaction. In many cases, the frustration with working at the office starts before the workday itself. Where will I park, who will be at the office, are we able to have a meeting, what rooms or desks are available? Investing in GoBright Desk and Room hardware erases all these questions for your employees, because it ensures that all these needs and many more are met.
Hardware allows for a better and clearer occupancy in spaces. If a space is booked, but nobody shows up, the space is made available for others. This change is also made visible on the hardware. On the other hand, if a desk is not reserved but an employee decides to sit behind it, an ad hoc reservation can be made on the Connect or Interact, or the sensors will detect the employee. The system will immediately change the desk availability.
Our GoBright hardware works seamlessly with our software. Through the GoBright App and Portal employees can see the availability of parking spaces as well as desks, rooms, and lockers, allowing them to plan their week ahead. This independence allows employees to be happy, further showing that a return on investment is not only beneficial financially. The use of hardware in combination with software brings insight and trust. You can see which spaces are available and make ad hoc bookings. It also provides freedom. You have the freedom to work where and whenever you want and it eliminates irritations, such as having to unnecessarily look for a space to work.
No app needed
GoBright Hardware comes in very handy for employees who do not like to install a (work) app on their (private) phone or to work in the Portal. They can still book their desks and meeting rooms. The only thing they must do is look for an empty spot and check in with their office tag or NFC/RFID card. It shows that our system is accessible to everybody and that it can be used in various ways.
Hardware plays a big role in employee satisfaction in the office, because it changes their behaviour. Everybody recognises what red, green and orange means and therefore how they should respond. Because people are so aware, you will no longer have interruptions in the meeting rooms and or arguments about desk availability and bookings.
Healthier Employees
The amount of sick leave and ergonomics in the office are related. Contourdesign, a professional in ergonomic computer hardware, states that poor ergonomics tops the list of most common causes of sick leave. They cite that 38% of the cases come from employees who sit a lot. As an employer, it should be a priority to provide your employees with the best working environment, such as ergonomic chairs and multiple monitors. This can help in pushing back the amount of people falling ill, causing gaps that need to be filled, as well as costs. In the Netherlands, you are required to pay employees at least 70% of their usual pay when they are sick.
“Sitting is the new smoking”. An example of prioritising employee health is incorporating height-adjustable desks in the office. Desks with frames by Linak, LOGICDATA, and Jiecang can be controlled by our Interact. Users can set their preferred sitting and standing height presets in the portal and Mobile App or in the hardware device itself. From that moment, whenever they check in at any desk, their personal presets are activated. With one click on the Interact, the desk automatically conforms to their perfect height. This is ideal for stimulating standing while workings and keeps employees healthy.
Creating a Professional Atmosphere
As a big part of our days is spent in the office, it is extremely important how the office space makes us feel. An article written by Helvar reveals that how the office space looks can be directly related to our mood and energy. This can influence our wellbeing and productivity in the office. An article in Forbes affirms this by saying that the quality in workspace design can lead to a less stressful and more productive atmosphere. A GoBright hardware investment provides your office space with a clean and structured look. It contributes to the space looking more uniform and professional and your employees being at peace, leading to them being more productive.
Making sure the office looks good is great for (potential) clients but also for (potential new) employees and stakeholders. A modern environment, where one’s wellbeing is a priority, stimulates and motivates. As an employer, investing in your office shows that you are progressive, you care about people and about innovation.
First impressions really matter, so the way you receive guests is very important. Having a solid Visitor Management System helps show the professionality of your office. It will give your clients a good and secure impression of your organisation, as it builds trust and improves the visitor experience. Our Digital Signage software helps elevate your internal communication to a higher level, allowing everyone in the building to stay updated on the latest information. Additionally, the Wayfinder clearly communicates what will take place in which space, allowing guests to know where they are expected.
Optimising Efficiency
Another way you can earn back on your investment is through its efficiency. Our hardware collects data, but it’s also able to provide information about the state of the Desk or Room. Our Issue Reporting function is an efficient tool for facility managers to keep track of the amenities in the office. The Interact has a touchscreen, allowing you to report issues (such as a missing keyboard, mouse, defect monitor, etc).
Reporting can also be done through the app or portal. This will directly go to the person responsible for handling it. Now the facility manager quickly responds to the problem and the office can be fully utilised. The facility manager is able to deactivate the desks in the system so they will not be available until the problem is fixed. This way, other colleagues will not unnecessarily face the same problem. That’s the efficiency that comes with our hardware.
Hygienic Desk
Apart from the usual colours (red, green, orange, blue) the Interact, Connect and Glow can turn purple. This function, which is called “Hygienic Desk”, indicates which desks needs cleaning. For the office cleaning service, this feature is very useful. They can see which desks need cleaning and which don’t. This will lead to tremendous cost savings on the cleaning contract.
Attracting Young Talent
As a company, you become more attractive to young professionals when you stimulate flexible working. The younger generation does not always want to work five days at the office. This is slowly becoming the norm. Investing in GoBright hardware makes flexible working even more accessible in your office. When our hardware is combined with our software, you have an ecosystem that enables your employees to have full control over their workday. In today’s society, autonomy attracts, so investing in this autonomy means a larger influx of young professionals. This results in a higher productivity that will allow your company to grow. Employers that have a modern office with smart technology attract talent quicker than others. This means less positions to be filled and therefore less expenses for recruitment.
What Does this Mean for You?
We understand that some companies experience a barrier to invest in GoBright hardware. Before you make your final decision though, consider the various ways in which you can profit from your investment. Apart from saving costs, your investment can mean a huge boost for your employees and your office. This enhances the productivity and the effectiveness of your company, resulting in a higher output. Looking at it from this point of view, investing in hardware is actually a wise decision to make. GoBright’s hardware products are made with your needs in mind, allowing you to design your office the way that suits your company best.
Still have questions? Don’t hesitate to plan a free consult with one of our experts.
