Empty drawer unit, open, white inside, in a black worktop environment.

January 20. 2021 - 4 min. reading time

Smart Locker in the modern working environment

Intelligent locker system as a component of a modern workplace concept.

by Rüdiger Gutfleisch

Black and white portrait of a man with glasses and beard

The requirements for a modern office environment are diverse and have changed significantly in recent years. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more companies were operating a shared office or flex office. As a result, the need to implement changes to office organization has become more urgent and faster. A modern, customized working environment should offer benefits for both the employee and the company itself. But what are the components that make successful implementation possible?

One component is a modern locker system. When many employees use office workstations in an open-plan office, the need to be able to store their personal belongings easily and securely soon arises. In order to achieve optimum utilization of the lockers, it should be avoided to assign them permanently to one employee. Instead, it makes sense to use a dynamic locker system to flexibly assign shared lockers to employees according to their specific situation, wishes and requirements.

What are the requirements for a locker system in a modern working environment?

In addition to a sufficient number of lockers, it is important to distribute them across different areas of the building. This ensures that every employee and guest has quick access to the locker they need and avoids long walks within the office.

It is also good to provide different locker sizes. This means that an employee can use different sizes of locker depending on their needs. Thanks to the dynamic system, it is possible to adapt the size of the locker to your own needs at any time.

Lockers can be visually well integrated into an office landscape. They can be integrated centrally in a checkroom or used as room dividers between groups of workstations.

To increase employee acceptance, it makes sense to make all the functions available in a digital office available in a comprehensive app. In addition to room and workstation booking and room control, this also includes the use and booking of lockers. This avoids the need to use additional keys or cards. The advantage of using an app is that potentially unhygienic touching of locks, pin pads or other surfaces can be avoided.

It also makes sense to use a central administration system to release lockers and be able to open them in an emergency. Of course, this must be recorded in a traceable manner in order to prevent any misuse.

As some locker systems are now cloud-based, it is important to be able to open the lockers on site with your own physical terminal in an emergency. This ensures that the lockers can still be opened on site in the event of a network failure or other malfunction.

Smartphone display with a map of Berlin security stations and a search bar at the top, including options for people, places and things, as well as a list of Lockers with location details.

Vecos' Smart Locker System with the MazeMap Workplace platform and the accompanying MazeMap Workplace app has proven to be a reliable solution. It allows the requirements for a modern locker system to be implemented quickly and easily. Thanks to the seamless integration of the Vecos system, employees do not need any additional components such as access cards, keys, or PINs besides the MazeMap Workplace app. The MazeMap Workplace app allows employees to search for the location and availability of locker stations on an interactive 3D map of the office. A locker can then be booked, opened, and released again via the MazeMap Workplace app.

Mobile app view for selecting the curler size, with options XL, M, S and L, and available quantity

Smartphone display with app for a locking mechanism, showing a circle labeled 'Locker 0001 is yours!', a red button labeled 'Open' and a 'Release Locker' button.

Conclusion
The integration of a locker system into the digitized office helps the company to achieve optimal workplace utilization. In addition, employees are still provided with the necessary space for personal use. The digitalized locker system is therefore an important component for employee and company satisfaction in a modern and flexible working environment. We at Thing Technologies are always available to discuss the concepts and, if desired, their efficient and sustainable implementation.