A4 | Smart Office

In this module you will learn about smart homes and smart offices, and the advantages and disadvantages of smart devices.

• 1. What is a smart home?

  In a smart home, devices such as lamps, refrigerators, heating, music systems and others are connected to each other via the Internet. This allows the devices to exchange information with each other.

  The possible uses for smart home devices are practically endless. For example:

  • Smart sockets help to save electricity.
  • The heating thermostat with app control helps to improve the room climate.
  • The music system can be operated using a voice assistant.
  • The fridge automatically reorders pre-selected items as soon as food runs low.

  Most devices use WiFi or Bluetooth to transfer data. It is important to protect the sensitive information that our smart home devices use. Data encryption and additional passwords certainly help. But the question of where the data is stored is also important. Data protection regulations are much stricter in the EU than in the USA, for example.

  Got it!

• 2. What is a smart office?

  What you learned about smart homes also holds true for a smart office. Just like at home, smart devices in the office can make working easier: The brightness and temperature of your office space can be automatically regulated depending on a room’s specific function, and a digital voice assistant can remind you of appointments and which work tasks need to be completed. An adjustable-height desk can remind you to work from a standing position, and an alarm system can show you whether all the windows and doors in the office have been closed before you leave for the day. Smart devices can also help in a shared kitchen.

  In this way, a smart office can conserve resources while also increasing employee satisfaction and productivity by relieving the employees of some tasks, and taking their individual needs into account.

  Depending on the level of sophistication of your home office, a high level of planning and implementation may be involved. This is especially true if an entire office, or even an entire building are being outfitted with smart technology.

  It is also important to designate an administrator to maintain the smart office, and make any adjustments if problems arise.

  Got it!

• 3. What are the disadvantages and risks of a smart office?

  While a smart office makes many tasks more convenient, it also carries certain risks. The devices in a smart office all communicate with each other and exchange information that can be very sensitive. It is therefore important to pay attention to the following topics when buying equipment for your smart office:

  Secure passwords

  Make your passwords are sufficiently complex. This also applies to the device you use to control your smart office, i.e. your smartphone, PC, or router.

  Manufacturers and Updates

  Only buy your smart office devices from well-known manufacturers, and make sure you know when and how updates are offered. These should always be implemented, as they close security gaps. This information should be available in the equipment manuals.

  Privacy

  Make sure to also find out where your data is stored. Is it in the EU or in the USA? In the EU, data protection regulations are much stricter than in the US, and thus better for consumers.

  Encryption

  Before buying any devices, you should first find out if they support encrypted communication, which acts as a good protection for your data.

  Offline operation

  Only connect your smart office devices to the internet if it’s absolutely necessary for them to work. If you can control your devices without an internet connection, this is the better option. This applies, for example, to the automatic control of blinds or lights in the office.

  A guest network can also be set up on your router to provide enhanced security. The setup process can be a bit more demanding, but a variety of tutorials on this topic are available on the internet.

  In addition to the possible technical challenges and risks, you should also consider how employees will interact with the smart office. The amount of training required depends on how tech-savvy your employees are, and it should also be taken into account that some employees may show skepticism and fear of surveillance, or even reject the use of smart devices entirely. An environment of trust is necessary, and the data protection and labor rights of the employees must be guaranteed. For example, video surveillance of office spaces is prohibited.

  Got it!