Looking for Return-to-Work Essentials? Start with Touchless Technology.

Today more than ever, employers have an important duty of care to ensure workplaces are both safe and hygienic for employees. Installing touchless facilities not only reduces the risk of spreading germs, but can also reduce office anxiety for people returning to the office.

As the world eases out of lockdown, enticing people back into the workplace is a top priority for organizations around the world and everyone has a strong incentive to make it happen. Employers want staff back together to re-create a collaborative culture where creativity and productivity soar in equal measure. Building managers want to make their office spaces as attractive as possible for tenants old and new. HR managers are intent on re-positioning their company as a great place to work to attract and retain the best talent. What’s more, a successful return to work makes sound economic sense. Apart from the significant expense of running a near-empty office, working alone is energy-sapping. It’s bad for morale, leading to higher attrition rates and even higher recruitment costs.

Fear of The Office (FOTO) is real and it’s here.

While necessary, encouraging people back can be a huge challenge. Many people can’t wait to get back to work, but many more are afraid. A new trend – Fear of the Office or FOTO – is emerging where the realities of going back to the office act as a source of stress and anxiety. It poses a serious hurdle for business and HR managers looking to draw employees back into the physical workplace and for buildings and facilities managers striving to maintain and grow their tenancy.

Don’t let the ‘Great Resignation’ hold you back.

Along with FOTO comes another emerging phenomenon that is spreading across the world. It’s called the ‘Great Resignation’ and it reflects a general sense of restlessness and dissatisfaction among employees everywhere. It is not an industry, role or pay issue but a workplace issue and the latest statistics are alarming. For example, a new Gallup survey found that 48% of America’s working population is actively job searching or watching for opportunities while 74% feel actively disengaged - bad news for employers. On average, disengaged employees have 37% higher absenteeism, 18% lower productivity and 15% lower profitability. Replacing workers is expensive, it requires one-half to two times the employee’s annual salary, which can be anything between $25,000 to $100,000 to replace each one.

Back to work the no-pressure way.

So what can organizations do to make their employees feel comfortable about going back into the workplace?

Create a germ-free workplace.

The global pandemic has highlighted the concerns over germ spreading in public places and a successful back-to-work strategy should focus on ways to create a healthy environment. Areas of high traffic and touch points, such as elevators, lobbies and reception areas, need cleaning and ventilating as regularly as possible. However, there is exciting new technology can minimize touch in many key areas.

Create a more relaxed environment with exciting new tech.

Today, making employees feel safe is just as important as keeping them physically safe and employers have a duty of care in achieving this. In fact, a successful back-to-work strategy depends upon it and exciting new technology can minimize touch in many key areas. Imagine being able to offer your staff the opportunity to swipe their security cards, grab a coffee from the vending machine and confidently take the elevator without touching a single surface? Thanks to innovative touchless technology, they can and it’s rapidly transforming the traditional workplace.

Director of Software Development at Neonode Karl-Johan Svennenfors shared his thoughts: “Contactless touch technology is the perfect answer to keeping people safe in all workplace settings, rapidly reducing anxiety levels and encouraging people back into the office. They provide precise and accurate means to interact with any kind of electronic device or surface without physical contact. Fast and easy to deploy, they can be retro-fitted to an organization’s existing infrastructure using easy-to-install touch sensor modules. The best solutions also offer the lowest thresholds for integration for instant plug-and-play.”

Infrared lasers are the secret ingredient of contactless touch solutions. They work by projecting a sheet of light either directly above or in front of a display or surface (a parallel plane solution) or by creating touch interaction on an in-air display (a holographic solution).

Maximum impact, minimal cost.

At a time when organizations are focused on balancing the books as well as maintaining a healthy workplace, the retro-fitting and high levels of integration provided by touchless technology eliminates the significant time and cost associated with ripping out and replacing an organization’s existing infrastructure. What’s more, the majority are off-the-shelf solutions sold at a one-off purchase price without locking customers into monthly fees or expensive maintenance contracts.

It’s a MAD world out there.

Still not convinced? Be inspired by real-life success stories like MAD Elevator in Canada. They are leading the way, helping people to adapt to the new normal, by alleviating the anxiety experienced by many visitors when interacting with elevator buttons. Using touchless technology, MAD developed the PHANTOM Touchless Sensor, which enables passengers to simply hover their finger over the button to select their destination. Accidental pushing from objects like backpacks and pushchairs are avoided because the sensors only respond to fingers, pens and similarly shaped objects.

When discussing the PHANTOM Touchless Sensor, MAD Elevator CEO Steve Reich-Rohrwig said, “this technology allows us to create a product that creates a safer, cleaner elevator experience and sends a clear message that buildings are taking the health of their tenants seriously. With touchless technology, we can solve real problems”.

Time to lure employees back with the red-hot benefits of cool technology.

Touchless technology creates a physically and emotionally healthy environment that increases staff engagement and boosts productivity. When employees come face-to-face, creativity blossoms while happier staff are more motivated to do better for your business. Helping employees to feel safe is good for your brand, it shows you care and are a great place to work. The future is here and there’s no turning back - just a great return to work!

Learn more

Learn more about contactless touch solutions.