Business

The changing nature of offices

Offices are constantly changing and the working spaces of today look and feel very different to those used in bygone generations.

One of the issues bosses need to take into consideration when they are seeking Manchester office space and so on is the technology they will need to conduct their operations effectively. For example, all enterprises now require access to the web. Meanwhile, other prerequisites for offices can include landlines, printers, scanners, video conferencing facilities and much more.

Research conducted by Virgin Media Business has drawn attention to the evolving nature of working spaces.

It polled 500 chief information officers and found that 65 per cent believed that telephone landlines will disappear from use within five years to be replaced by other devices.

Furthermore, 62 per cent of respondents suggested that PCs will become redundant within this period.

Commenting on the issue, Virgin Media Business’s Tony Grace said: “The pace of change with technology is having a transformative effect on the way we work. A decade ago it would have been unthinkable to suggest an office without telephones. Now it’s hard to imagine being separated from our smartphones.”

He added: “The sophistication of mobile technology is also having an impact on the PC. It’s never been easier to work on the move, making stationary PCs significantly less useful than laptop counterparts.”

As long as managers think carefully about the technology they need when they are looking for new office space to rent, they should ensure they choose suitable premises. These days, it’s possible to source offices that come complete with a range of devices and systems, meaning companies do not have to worry about buying or installing these provisions themselves.