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DUBAI EXPO STARTS NEXT MONTH - AND IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN!
These are exciting times for Dubai and the UAE. With the entire business world’s attention soon to turn to the Emirates with the delayed Expo 2020 kicking off in October (and continuing all the way through to the end of March next year) it’s never been a better time to be a UAE business owner
UK Shipping Concierge
The concierge service provides a one-stop shop to help maritime businesses interact with government departments.
Rail industry on track to win big in UK-Australia trade deal
British rail companies are on track for a potential export boom thanks to the UK-Australia trade deal.
Trade with Mexico
How you import from and export to Mexico.
Business Recovery and Global Expansion
As more economies around the world open up and companies bring employees back to the office, global expansion plans that may have been put on hold last year are now taking shape. It can be challenging to know where to start, but here are some key factors to consider when expanding your operations into new countries.
How Smart Cities Around the World Impact Workplace Trends
As the world becomes increasingly dependent on technology for efficiency and success, a report by IDC shows an estimated two-thirds of global cities will be investing in smart city technology by up to $135 billion by 2021.
As cities around the world are set to transform into ‘smart cities’, John Williams, Head of Marketing at Instant Offices, looks into what smart workplace trends are emerging from these innovation hubs.
The National League of Cities (NLC) has analysed how technological
advances in smart cities could potentially impact jobs and skills, showing
The World’s Smartest Cities
Singapore:
ABI’s Smart Cities Competitive Assessment report has named Singapore as the
world’s leading smart city. The innovative city is pioneering several projects
to address high-density urban living and is also home to futuristic driverless
taxis and shuttles.
Dubai:
The ultra-modern city of Dubai was ranked second, noted for its adoption of
disruptive next-gen technologies. Dubai is leading the way when it comes to
crypto technology, with all government transactions set to be processed via
blockchain by 2030.
London:
The English capital has been placed third, thanks to its advanced open data
policies and thriving start-up ecosystem
Top Smart Office Trends for 2019
As smart cities are shaping the future of work, here are the leading workplace trends for 2019 and beyond:
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device):
Many businesses are now allowing a BYOD policy, which means employees can use their own personal tablets, smartphones, laptops and wearable tech to complete their tasks and send work-related communications.
According to research by Techjury, 67%of employees say they now use personal devices at work, and 87% of businesses rely on their workers’ access to mobile business apps. By allowing workers to take their favourite at-home tech and integrate it into daily work life, they will be able to work remotely in more efficient ways.
Focus on Wellness:
Workplace wellness is a growing trend. Employers are recognising the
dangers of overworking, presenteeism, work addiction and
burnout. In the US, 70-80% of companies believe that wellness programmes reduce
absenteeism and boost productivity
For example, wearable devices like Fitbit and Jawbone allow employees to monitor their stats, from steps taken to calorie consumption to heart rate. This can empower them to take control of their health and practice better wellness habits daily. Smart offices can also make use of collected data from wearable devices by analysing it to identify potential health risks in their workplace.
Cybersecurity:
As the wireless technology and BYOD trends continue to rise, the need for advanced security tech rises with them. More data is being stored on the cloud, and if that data isn’t secured correctly, companies risk losing or leaking a lot of sensitive information.
A recent US review by SHRM found that nearly half of organisations surveyed (46%) are now usingbiometric authenticationtech to protect data on smartphones. Flexible offices with excellent network security, a choice of shared and private workspaces, and round-the-clock on-premises security offerings are helping companies to operate in a safer and more secure environment.
Sectors Benefiting from Smart Office Space
Smart workplace solutions improve productivity and make it easier for teams to complete their daily tasks, using state-of-the-art tech to make the process smoother.
IT companies, design studios and web development businesses can all benefit from a fully serviced and connected setup. Beyond office life, those working in labs and research facilities can operate safely with excellent security and data protection. Even warehousing and manufacturing are transforming as companies like Amazon and Boeing harness the power of IoT technology.