December 20198 IN MY V EWBY COLE PURDIE, HEAD OF DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA, INDIA, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA, CBRE (NYSE: CBRE)Until recently, digitally advanced, state-of-the art workplaces used to be associated almost exclusively with big tech firms. But in today's world, where being proactive in implementing new technologies is expected, more and more companies from traditional industries are realizing the importance of future proofing their offices. With artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) morphing from mere buzzwords into everyday reality, the time to think about digitalizing your office is now. Here are three recommendations to get you started.Get the basics rightNetworks, hardware and cabling aren't the most glamorous of subjects ­ but it's this underlying infrastructure that makes all the flashier technology possible. While it's tempting to place all your focus on things like augmented reality, way finding and IoT, you first need to get the fundamentals right. Within the digital office, understanding how the right mix of hardware enables your applications and services is crucial. For instance, your occupancy sensors need to be able to talk back to an effectively mapped Wi-Fi service. Likewise, your location beacons must be able to respond in real time to pings and messages from your staff's handphones. And if you want to provide employees with a seamless, cable-free workstation experience, then it's essential for your cable management to be well integrated and planned out with your desk manufacturer and hardware mix.As our workplaces become powered by increasingly sophisticated technologies, it will be more important than ever to ensure that there is a robust infrastructure in place to support them. These nitty gritty details might embody the more traditional aspect of technology - but they are essential if you want your digital office to run seamlessly. Put people firstFuture proofing your office is all well and good ­ in fact, it's a necessary response to the ascendance of younger generations in the workplace. However, you should never lose sight of the needs of the people who are working in the office day in and day out.The offices of tomorrow are not just defined by their state-of-the-art technology, but by whether they provide a user-centric workplace experience. After all, there is no point investing in the latest high-tech tools if the essential touchpoints in the office are a daily source of frustration for employees. Let's take workstations as an example. Asthe single point of touch down where employees spend most of their time, the workstation must work. Here, simplicity and minimalism are key to ensuring productivity. For instance, in CBRE's new Singapore headquarters, we wanted to give every user the flexibility of working from any desk in the office. This was made possible by equipping HOW TO FUTURE PROOF YOUR WORKPLACE
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