despite predictions that digital devices
and working from home would spell the
end of the humble office they remain
central to our working lives yet the
technology in offices is radically
changing our day already in Amsterdam
workers in buildings run by the
developer edge technologies operate
their workplace through an app they use
their phones to find a parking space and
free desk and will soon be able to enter
the building using their device once in
the building the app customizes the
temperature and light in your working
space it even tracks your energy use and
remembers how you like your coffee gone
are the days of avoiding colleagues -
the app enables people to locate each
other in the building experts now say
the pace of change will accelerate as
the next generation of digital natives
enters the workplace by 2050 there will
be a host of new technologies
intelligent glass windows will adapt to
the weather and turn into screens with
this technology virtual meetings will
become much easier as we move from the
awkward Skype call to software that
includes features such as real-time
translation already office furniture is
changing cubicles are out breakout areas
are in the shared office group no-tell
construct spaces with walls that can be
easily moved chairs will be a thing of
the past
- as employees demand a healthier
lifestyle experts suggest there will
just be a few benches and a lot of
standing and moving around
there are downsides to all this change
privacy is becoming more elusive with
much of the technology relying on
tracking systems and storing huge
amounts of personal information we will
soon be asked to opt in to facial
recognition so that people can walk into
a building without even stopping to tap
their path but not everyone will spend
their day in a digitally optimized
environment growing numbers of people
work in the freelance or gig economy
without such employer perks by 2050
the office of the future might be
unrecognizable but only for those with
the good fortune to work there