Lockers are widely used in offices and schools these days. You can see smart lockers are continuously being adopted by public spaces. They are used to store personal things like books, mobiles, laptops, bags, and much more. Workplaces are constantly towards agile workplaces adding more flexibility to working style. In such an environment, smart lockers could be a problem in some cases.
In his blog, we will be talking about how a locker could be a bad idea in some office settings.
They Can Get in the Way of Teamwork
Agile workplaces focus on teamwork and instant communication. Individual lockers can create a space between people. If the employees don’t have common rooms for breaks during their shifts, they are already getting disconnected. In addition, if everyone has their own locker, the employees will not talk much. This constant disconnection will stop bringing more ideas to the table.
What to Do Instead?
Try to allocate shared lockers between 2 to 3 employees. This way they can talk to each other and bring productivity to the table.
Lockers Take Up Space
Smart lockers are saving space effectively. However, sometimes if they are not placed right they can take up more space than usual. Smart lockers have various wires and Ethernet cables to work properly. If they’re placed in between working place they can disturb the agile workplace.
If your employees can work without the lockers, you should not buy them to take up the space.
A Better Idea
If your employees only need to store devices, then you must use mobile storage carts or shared small blocks. They take up less space and can be moved easily.
They Need Maintenance
Lockers need continuous maintenance and should be kept in good shape. Employees might forget the codes of their lockers. If the lockers are not maintained regularly, they can be messy or even unsafe sometimes. If you don’t have time or resources to maintain them, you should not buy them.
How to Fix This?
You can use digital storage solutions. You should keep personal files and documents in the cloud. This way you will not need physical storage.
No Room for Personal Touches
It’s important for everyone to feel comfortable and happy at agile working environment. If your employees are not having their own desks, they may feel less connected with the offices. Being an administrator in your office, if you see such activity, then you must not go for smart lockers.
A Cool Alternative
Encourage your employees to decorate their desks or at least their individual lockers. This way they can show their creativity and feel connected. Decorating something in the offices feels like home to employees.
Employees Can Create a “Me” Culture
Frequent use of smart lockers may lead to a selfish culture in the office. The employees may focus on securing their stuff and not thinking of others. Everyone should feel like they are a part of a team and working towards the same goal.
How to Encourage Teamwork?
If your office needs hot desking and smart lockers, then you must go for combined spaces. These spaces should have access to everyone. It helps everyone to feel like they are in it together.
Smart lockers are not a bad idea. They can be very useful unless they are not creating any other culture in the office. Being an administrator you should take notice of any such activity and come up with unique ideas to bring productivity.
FAQs
Why are lockers can be a problem in agile workplaces?
Lockers can get in the way of teamwork and collaboration, which are important in agile work environments.
What are alternatives to lockers in an agile workspace?
Shared storage spaces, mobile storage carts, and digital storage solutions (like cloud-based file sharing) are great alternatives.
How can we keep a communication without individual lockers?
Encourage employees to personalize their workspaces with desk organizers, decorations, or small personal items.
Conclusion
Smart lockers are very useful in the offices. However, they can cause more problems than they solve in agile workplaces. When you are installing smart lockers in the office, you must know about the challenges of implementing them. Companies can create a more fun, flexible, and collaborative work environment while incorporating smart lockers.
Agile work is all about teamwork, creativity, and communication. Companies can make sure everyone feels included and works well together by getting rid of lockers or changing how they are used. Let’s build a workplace that brings people together instead of keeping them less connected.