The Leader - September 2007 - (Page 72) sta yIN G o N: e mp lo ye e re te NtI o N by de s I G N erational and 24/7 work force, and ultimately, enhance employee retention: 1. flexibility and mobility More employers are embracing flexible design in the workspace that allows employees to move fluidly from working individually, to working in teams, as projects dictate. On the technology front, many companies have created or are working toward the plug-and-play office environment; essentially, there are voice and data connections available in every workspace that allow employees the flexibility to work anywhere in the office. Also, lightweight, portable furniture gives workers the freedom to easily change their work setup as they please. Other enhancements to today’s workplace that promote flexibility, mobility and improve workspace aesthetics include modular wiring (i.e., prefabricated wiring used for electrical, telecommuni- cations, etc.); demountable wall systems; architectural columns instead of power poles; and raised floor systems, which house and allow easy access to electrical wiring, data cabling, and Under-Floor Air Distribution (UFAD) systems. And to suit the needs of a round-the-clock work force, many companies are now relying on power systems and data centers that are functional at all times. Also, there is growing adoption of Wi-Fi technology, which is improving rapidly in terms of quality and reliability – although there are still some security and cost issues of which employers are mindful. Wi-Fi enables a wireless work environment and communication among various pieces of business technology, from laptops to printers. Also, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, which supports voice conversations via the Internet, also is growing in popular- ity, but like Wi-Fi, is still maturing. However, some employers are taking the technological plunge to meet the needs of mobile and remote workers. Bank and credit card company Capital One Financial Corp. has been a leading adopter of Wi-Fi and VoIP, as part of its “Future of Work” project, providing a wireless corporate campus, and Wi-Fi enabled laptops, portable printers and VoIP software phones to nearly half of its knowledge workers. Other flexible work trends that have been in motion for years include “hotdesking” – also known as location independent working – where workers are allocated workspace according to their needs and keep personal belongings in some type of on-site storage when not at the office, and “hoteling,” in which an employee must book a reservation for a workspace in advance. Hoteling is partic- th e le ade r 72 september / october 2007
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