Covid-Security Concerns Grow as Brits Get Ready to Return to the Office
However, 65.6% of workers would be happy to have smart sensors in the office to enhance Covid-security
Internet of Things (IoT) enabled smart monitoring provides a number of potential solutions for the creation of Covid-secure workspaces3. From occupancy monitoring to automated cleaning routine checking and ventilation management, but how willing are employees to accept this technology into their workplaces?
According to the research conducted by Disruptive Technologies, only 49.5% of people are familiar with workplace sensor technology that monitors the environment.
Once informed about the potential uses of smart monitoring for Covid-security in the workplace, 65.6% said that they would be comfortable with the tech being introduced to their place of work and 74.8% said that they would have no concerns about the application of workplace sensors. However, more than half (60%) of all respondents said that if the tech was adopted within their workplace, they would want their employer to notify them about the sensors and give them an option to provide feedback.
Bengt Lundberg, CEO of Disruptive Technologies, comments: ‘Remote working has numerous pluses, but for many businesses, it can’t provide a permanent working model. In the next few months, at least some of the workforce will be returning to the office, and that is a point of significant concern for both employers and employees. We can’t return to the previous model, which often saw employees working cheek by jowl.
‘Remote monitoring can help businesses find the best use of space without disregarding Covid legislation or putting employees at risk. For example, with smart cleaning, you can ensure that adequate hygiene measures are not only in place but being observed – and provide an audit trail to support the work. It can also allow for the seamless management of the office environment, ensuring that temperatures are comfortable without unnecessary energy consumption, and adequate ventilation is provided.
‘These smart and sustainable practices are a great way of instilling confidence in the returning workforce, without undue expense. Many employers have already adopted this technology and I believe that it will soon become the norm.’
Cesar Jeri, Head of Innovation and Workplace Technology at Verizon comments: ‘It's not surprising more businesses are looking at IoT sensors as a scalable alternative for both buildings with and without pre-existing building management systems. For those that have it, it can significantly augment existing capabilities beyond traditional monitoring. For those that don’t, it unearths its previously hidden data layer in real-time. These data insights enable actions that can help keep the buildings running more efficiently as well as enhancing their safety as people return to work.’
About Disruptive Technologies: Founded in 2013, Disruptive Technologies (DT) is the Norwegian developer of the world’s smallest wireless sensors and an award-winning innovator in the IoT market. Our small, efficient, powerful, and adaptable wireless sensors are the best in the world and designed to reach an ever greater number of operational components, making buildings intelligent and sustainable, in minutes.
*Over half of UK workers are ‘concerned’ about Covid-security and cleanliness on returning to work
*The desire to return to work has increased for a third of the population
*65.6% of workers would be happy to have smart sensors in the office to enhance Covid-security
*74.8% said that they would have no concerns about the application of workplace sensors
**Notes for Editor: Disruptive Technologies Survey was carried out using Google Consumer Surveys during March 2021 with more than 1000 respondents.
Pippa Boothman
Disruptive Technologies
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1 https://www.disruptive-technologies.com/
2 https://www.infogrid.io/blog/healthy-buildings-are-key-to-making-our-returning-workforce-feel-safe
3 https://www.disruptive-technologies.com/blog/return-to-office-with-sensors-survey-findings-safety