4 Smart technology upgrades that every modern office should invest in

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As we venture ever deeper into this digital age, it's become increasingly essential for modern businesses to swap out their outdated organisational processes for streamlined digital alternatives. But introducing software solutions isn't the only way to improve your office's performance and capabilities.

A streamlined office space that utilises modern technology is more likely to boast an increased output and greater capacity for productivity. For this reason, many modern business owners are being encouraged to allocate budget towards upgrading existing office hardware in order to make room for modern, high-tech alternatives.

But what hardware is worth investing in? We'll be exploring just the answer to this question by outlining four different smart tech upgrades that are likely to be a smart investment for tech-savvy business owners.

If your office doesn't already have a wireless printer or copier, then this must absolutely be the first tech upgrade you make, for a number of reasons. First of all, wireless printers naturally offer wireless printing capabilities, which means that one or two wireless HP printers can effectively replace the concept of having one or two printers for each department in your company.

With wireless printing capabilities, print or copy queues just become a thing of the past, allowing staff to move quicker through their workdays without having to allocate time to organising print jobs.

Alongside providing highly valuable wireless printing capabilities, newer generations of smart printers may also allow printer users to enjoy additional features through companion printer apps.

There are third-party printing applications that can be used to help enhance your wireless printing experience, such as Mopria, Apple AirPrint or Samsung Mobile Print.

Some printer manufacturers have also started offering their own branded printing apps that are jam-packed with valuable features like mobile scanning, editing and page setup prior to printing, ordering replacement ink cartridges, and even the ability to run remote printer diagnostics tests.

With all these features at your fingertips, it's clear to see why investing in the latest printing technology is sure to boost your office output in a major way.

A lot of modern technological offerings that are being released in the digital era are designed with just as much a focus on wellness as they do productivity. Ergonomic mice and keyboards are released on the market for those looking to reduce their risks of developing carpal tunnel syndrome, and office chairs with optimised back support help make desk jobs far more comfortable for the body to endure.

There is one new piece of office tech in particular that has been making headlines in recent years: the standing desk. Unlike traditional desks, standing desks are designed to be adjusted so that they can facilitate working in a seated position or while standing.

The impetus behind the development of standing desks was emerging research surrounding the detrimental impacts of prolonged sitting. Sitting for long periods of time has been found to increase risks of individuals developing chronic conditions later in life. In fact, prolonged sitting has now been considered to be such a detriment that health experts consider prolonged sitting to be just as damaging a workplace hazard as prolonged standing.

This is precisely why more modern office spaces are swapping out their older desks for electric standing desks. Electric standing desks allow desk users to programme their ideal desk heights, allowing them to seamlessly swap between sitting and standing at the touch of a button as the desk automatically readjusts to cater to their positioning.

Although manually adjustable standing desks are available at lower price points, the convenience and user-friendly design of electric standing desks will ultimately be a stronger investment and a greater time saver, as employees won't have to spend time physically adjusting their desk height.

Contrary to popular belief, smart home speakers and displays like the Google Nest aren't necessarily just an asset to households. Speakers with built-in assistants can actually help streamline a modern office space as well, particularly because your staff can save time Googling by simply asking their smart assistant.

This can be particularly valuable for tech professionals like programmers or even digital marketing specialists who may have dozens of tabs open in their browsers at any given time.

Investing in some smart home speakers and displays for your office can also play a role in boosting office culture, as employees can feel encouraged to share music during lunch breaks or perhaps even huddle around displays in order to make video calls.

The latter feature can be particularly valuable if your business maintains a hybrid work model or perhaps has some employees working entirely remotely. You may find that these smart devices can help simplify the process of communicating and collaborating with remote workers, allowing your remote staff to stay in the loop with office communications, whether they be work-centric or spirited social calls.

Of course, placing your smart speakers and displays may feel like a finicky task. After all, it can be tricky knowing where these devices are likely to perform best in larger office spaces. Remember that smart speakers like Google Mini are designed to be wall mountable. You can also use tablet mounts to install smart displays like Google Nests along walls, perhaps in positions where desk clumps can all access the screen without anybody needing to crane their neck.

Does anybody else remember fluorescent lights? Is anyone still working under their oppressive, clinical brightness? Well this traditional office fixture has been receiving its fair share of public scrutiny and criticism as of late, with more and more businesses across the globe swapping out their fluorescent overhead lighting for softer, warm lights that are infinitely more supportive of our bodies' natural Circadian rhythm.

But the negative impacts of fluorescent lighting don't just stop there. In fact, prolonged exposure to fluorescent lighting has been linked to retinal damage on top of sleep and mood disorders. There are also some studies that examine the correlation between fluorescent lighting exposure and the development of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal illnesses in office workers. On top of this, fluorescent lights can release mercury upon breaking, which can cause a host of additional health issues when inhaled.

All of these negative impacts can be combated by simply swapping out your office's tired fluorescent lighting for smart light bulbs and LED lightstrips. These smart lighting options are a superb alternative to traditional fluorescent lighting, and may even help support cortisol and melatonin production for all office occupants, allowing you to work better throughout your workday, and actually be ready to wind down when the clock strikes 5.

Another major benefit of smart lighting is that they allow office workers to maintain total control over the atmosphere or 'vibe' of their office space. This can help office workers alter their office environment to complement the time of the day, using coloured lighting for lunch or after work events, and warmer neutral lights to help them focus during their workday.

Office spaces with an inviting atmosphere can help boost staff morale which will in turn, boost productivity. With all these advantages taken into consideration, swapping out your old fluorescent lights and outdated light bulbs for some smart lighting alternatives becomes a genuine no-brainer of a tech investment.

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Although we've only explored four tech upgrades here, there are a myriad of other modern hardware swap outs that your office can make to experience greater success and efficiency moving forward.

If all of the suggestions outlined above sound ideal for your own office space, why not consider taking your upgrades a step further by investing in other IoT office technologies, like intelligent climate control or perhaps even smart oil diffusers for ensuring wellness at work? It's up to business owners and their staff to decide which tech upgrades are most worthwhile for their office spaces, after all.