Dexion Office has installed state-of-the-art hard body locker solutions at several offices to help them meet the temporary secure storage requirements of their floating employees.

The concept of activity-based workplaces (ABW) is trending globally, which has staff moving around their office without having a fixed desk. The philosophy underpinning this workplace model is that at any given time, only 70-80% of the available workspace in an office is being utilised for reasons such as staff being away on holiday, business or illness.

The ABW model however, creates a challenge for businesses in ensuring that the personal belongings of employees are conveniently, safely and securely stored. 

Leading storage and materials handling specialist, Dexion has worked with a host of corporate and government employers to deliver state-of-the-art hard-body locker solutions for ABWs. According to Dexion’s National Sales Manager, Michael Cumner, there has been a significant spike in demand for ABW lockers recently.

Cumner explains that employees are becoming increasingly mobile thanks to technology advancements, which allow them to log on from home, cafes or while on the road. Large companies such as Macquarie Bank, Google and Commonwealth Bank have all converted to the ABW model, creating workspaces that facilitate the varied tasks undertaken by its employees. 

ABW boasts a number of benefits, including significant cost savings due to catering for only 70% or 80% of total staff, enabling any business to lease less space; reduced carbon footprint from the lower floor space requirement, which consumes less energy; and reduced printing and recycling costs due to reduced storage space. Additionally, by releasing them from the rigid allocation of desk space, employees are given the freedom to work in environments that are most suited to the task at hand, helping to improve productivity and collaboration that comes with empowerment.

A major challenge facing operations that have adopted the ABW concept is that of secure storage of personal items and documents of such employees. Key requirements for these storage lockers include ability to provide secure storage; integration with intelligent software to facilitate multiple users; space-efficient footprint given the reduced floor space, but large enough to secure laptops, documents and other belongings; and user friendliness and convenience. 

Dexion is working with more and more employers and the architects they engage to design ABW lockers that meet these evolving demands. Several internal and external elements have been incorporated in the lockers for robustness, safety and security. 

Space optimisation is at the core of ABW, which is why Dexion’s lockers are designed to maximise internal capacity while occupying the least possible amount of floor space. Lockers are available in a variety of sizes to ensure complete versatility.

Given that many businesses already utilise smart cards for building entry, printer use, meeting room bookings etc., Dexion’s lockers are easily configured to suit a range of software systems. 

Control of the intelligent locking system can be enabled through hard-wired, 3G or freestanding battery operated lock options. For the hard-wired and 3G systems, employers have access to a software system that details the history of their staff’s locker use.

With the modern workplace moving closer towards complete mobility, Dexion will continue to develop the right storage solutions to meet the changing demands of businesses.