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  • 4 Ways Smart Lockers Will Thrive Post-Pandemic

As of this writing, it’s already been two years since the outbreak of COVID-19, which forced many industries to cease operations, while some operated remotely for several months.

Fast forward to today, and people have settled into a new normal while the world heals. The workplace framework that employees came to know is gone, and some of these changes, as it appears, may outlast the pandemic itself.

For the reason stated above, employers must take proactive measures in ensuring that their companies have already transitioned or, if not, are slowly transitioning to a more agile way of working. Introducing smart lockers is one way to do this. They were the two technologies that have proved invaluable at the height of the pandemic, and here X ways they will thrive even more post-pandemic:

Better Protection of Employee Health

Many workers have already returned to their workplaces as world governments lifted restrictions following the launch of mass vaccinations. That said, the risk of infection still exists, and employers must ensure that their employers are well protected.

One way to maintain health and safety protections in the workplace is by introducing contactless transactions. Smart lockers encourage social distancing naturally because of their automated workflow.

Staff can access their lockers using contactless methods like badge authentication. This naturally streamlines locker allocation and management, keeping employees safe. They no longer need to queue up to retrieve items. In as little as 10 seconds, they’ll be able to pick up items without face-to-face interaction. This saves a lot of time while ensuring that social distancing is maintained in the workplace.

With a smart locker and a smart asset management system working in tandem, every operation can be done remotely – from assigning lockers, reassigning, and denying access. Administrators will never have to come into physical contact with the locker. With all the points stated above, smart lockers are the perfect way to maintain health and safety for everyone at work.

Increased Productivity

Having a productive staff usually equates to a profitable business. This is why organizations must implement strategies that cultivate an efficient and effective working environment for their employees. Smart lockers can help by eliminating the need for asset managers to assign lockers to employees manually.

The employee will simply receive push notifications or SMS that contain their mode of access to the locker. It could be a PIN code or QR code. Alternatively, the administrator can enable the employee’s ID card to be used for accessing the locker.

With smart lockers, organizations can drastically reduce administrative burdens while improving employee experience simultaneously. With the time saved, everyone in the company can focus their time and attention on activities that will help drive company growth.

More Robust Security

At the start of the pandemic, IT teams struggled to maintain security while trying to support a remote working environment. They needed to find a way to secure company assets, and traditional lockers were just not cut out for the job.

To protect company equipment that employees will be using in their work-from-home setup, many companies turned to smart lockers. They were able to solve problems that are common in traditional lockers, such as theft and false claims. According to CNBC, employee theft costs US companies $50 billion annually.

Smart lockers were able to create accountability and promote greater transparency in the workplace by utilizing a secure self-service pickup and drop-off and live analytics. The latter is a feature that records every action in real-time, allowing asset managers to track locker usage and even the assets themselves.

In the post-pandemic age, hybrid workplaces will remain the norm, so lockers must remain secure, whether for employee use or for storing company assets. Smart lockers with smart enterprise asset management offer a great way to distribute equipment to employees at their convenience without sacrificing security. This makes the movement of assets within the organization such a breeze while at the same time reducing workplace theft.

Future Proofed Workforce

More companies have continued adopting a hybrid working model post-pandemic. Several employees work remotely, visiting the office only two to three days a week. This type of work setup requires facilities that offer flexibility.

Smart lockers ensure that businesses make the most out of facilities that may not be used regularly. They do this by making these facilities multi-use and multi-functional. Asset managers can assign lockers on a permanent or temporary basis. They can also allocate these lockers to whole departments or individual employees.

With a smart locker system in place, organizations can continue supporting a future-ready workforce.

Conclusion

When the pandemic disrupted the traditional workplace model, many businesses were forced to rethink how they operate. For that reason, it’s more critical in the post-COVID era for organizations to remain on their feet.

Installing smart lockers with an IT asset management system like Teqtivity is one of the best ways employers can leverage the latest technology to be part of the modern way of working. More importantly, they can keep their workers safe. Maintaining this work environment ultimately boosts productivity, reduces labor costs, and increases profit margins. All of which, employers need to thrive during this time of recovery.