The office landscape is changing drastically with each passing year. Some of the staples of office culture are quickly becoming obsolete and are also becoming detrimental to your company’s image. The most successful companies are finding ways to stay current and innovate outdated technology so as to not appear out of touch. Most of the younger workers today are not even familiar with some of the outdated technology that continues to linger in some outdated office environments. Companies that wish to stay current and successful will need to stay on top of the newest advances in technology and office culture by shedding some of these dying trends.
Rolodex
It used to be that a successful businessman’s most useful tool was his rolodex. All of the fruits of tireless networking and successful business connections were contained within its flippable pages. Most young workers today, however, won’t even know what a rolodex is or at least will not have actually seen one in person. With smartphones that have self-contained address books, the rolodex has become completely obsolete.
Fax Machine
Fax machines are causing more problems than they’re solving when it comes to the younger demographic of workers today. Most young employees have used a fax machine maybe a handful of times in their lifetime if at all and with email and electronic signatures, fax machines are fast becoming an expensive and outdated office trend.
Formal Attire
Formal attire is another fading office staple. Gone are the days of suits and ties for every day apparel, as khakis and polo shirts become the more popular standard business attire. This reflects the general change in our culture to more casual attire in our every day lives. However, formal business attire is often still expected during important client meetings or other non-daily, important events.
USB Flash Drives
With the advent of the cloud, the typical USB flash drive went from being an extremely important office staple to being obsolete practically overnight. Transferring documents or other items between computers can now be done digitally and without the need for a physical device. USB flash drives are quickly becoming a neon indicator of a company that is out-of-touch with the modern world.
Cubicles
Cubicles are also beginning to disappear as collaboration and virtual office options are becoming more standard. Cubicles were important when traditional office space was the most common form of business atmosphere but as that begins to disappear cubicles are disappearing right along with it. When most successful companies are creating a relaxed atmosphere that fosters creativity and collaboration those that continue to employ the traditional cubicles will begin to see their productivity suffer.
Standard Working Hours
Another casualty of the traditional office atmosphere is the standard 9-5 workday. As more and more companies begin to adopt a more flexible work environment, standard working hours are becoming old-fashioned. Working from home offers employees the freedom to work when they feel the most alert which increases productivity and companies that are embracing this trend are reaping the benefits.
Desk Phones
Once again smartphones are pushing out another common office place item, the desk phone. With all employees in possession of a smart phone it’s unnecessary to have another phone for their office desk. Especially when a quick email or instant message can take the place of an internal phone call. With more and more companies allowing a work-from-home option, desk phones are becoming an unnecessary expense that will most likely not be used very often if at all.
Office culture is changing rapidly and successful companies are staying ahead of the changing atmosphere by shedding outdated technology and trends that could hinder their growth and productivity. Staying current in today’s rapidly changing culture is no longer a luxury but has become a necessity that, if ignored could threaten the success of your business. Make sure you’re not making any of these costly mistakes and you’ll be well on your way to increasing your productivity and staying afloat in our rapidly advancing culture.
