HI there, 

WELCOME TO THE INNERCIRCLE:

your monthly recap to stay connected with the world of Smart tech and Smart life.

REAL ESTATE REALITIES

Summer has a new meaning in the midst of a pandemic. Gone are workplace perks like shortened Fridays and patio lunches. Instead we have re-opening concerns and second wave worries as the world continues apace with several ongoing (and devastating) pandemic milestones. 

Despite COVID’s deep impact and uncertain economic times, business owners are either in the midst of managing a re-opening, planning for a re-opening, or continuing to work through a new era in operations and management strategies. 

Just as tuberculosis influenced design choice in the early 20th century, COVID-19 is now forcing us to reimagine our indoor spaces in the 21st. Yet there’s no one-size-fits all guidebook for companies to leaf through and figure out how it’s supposed to work. Every business is different; every state, city, region has different re-opening timelines and policies. 

Still, the reality is that every business will have to do something, because until there’s a reliable vaccine, the risk for this virus to spread indoors from person to person is omnipresent. We all know that human behavior is a wild card at the best of times, so without quantitative data, we’re taking our best guess at where people might sit, visit, work and congregate. 

The stakes are high for this management problem that requires innovative management solutions. Fortunately, Smart technology has again revealed itself as the great enabler to several answers.

INTO THE UNKNOWN & OUR *NEW* 5-STEP GUIDE

What value do company leaders place on getting back to business as fast as possible? Of making sure employees feel safe to return? What about the cost of having to close doors again, because an employee or customer contracts COVID-19? Indoor location technology is the linchpin to maintaining business continuity – because it brings concrete intel that all stakeholders can use. 

Contact tracing is a hot topic for businesses that want to reopen their physical workspaces. The ability to track people’s movements in real time and retroactively while respecting privacy, is essential for keeping workplaces safe and functional.

The problem with many contract tracing solutions, as we’ve written about, is that not only is GPS and Bluetooth technology not accurate enough, they also require an app to be downloaded, unleashing concerns over both adoption rates, efficacy and privacy. 

For companies to keep their doors open and empower their staff to stay safe during and after this ongoing health crisis, they need Smart tech that measures office traffic and density, travel pathways, and interactivity levels. Such tech must possess five key attributes: 

• Always-on: A platform that’s connected to the building’s infrastructure and managed in the cloud means it is always available, 24/7, ensuring a fully comprehensive dataset.
• Scalability: Solutions that use a company’s existing WiFi network reduce the need for installing hundreds or even thousands of battery-powered beacons or desk sensors.
• Passive: As we’ve seen, relying on people to download and then use an app is not ideal. Experts say at least 60 percent of the population must both download and run an app for it to be effective.  As we’ve seen in Alberta, for example, which launched its official tracing app on May 1, just 4.75 percent of the population has downloaded the app  – nevermind the number actually running it. Passive systems are key to capturing high-quality data that generates new insights. 
• Anonymous: People deserve and will demand data privacy. It’s imperative to select a platform that is GDPR compliant and doesn’t store any personally identifiable information.
• Accessible: Presenting data on both web and mobile platforms make the information useful, purposeful and always available to leaders and their employees.

More can be found in our hot-off-the-press Back to Work guide, which also gives a sneak peek at our latest innovation: Innerspace inTRACK  – a web-based contact tracing solution that enables HR teams and employees to play a greater role in workplace safety. For your free 5-Step Guide to Return to Work, click the button below.

Interested in how InnerSpace supports contact tracing? Read on! 

The main takeaway here: For very minimal effort with existing WiFi infrastructure, it’s possible to turn on a platform that not only helps with day-to-day operations and measuring strategies, but underpins a future-forward strategy to maintain business continuity, support employee health and maximize real estate and facilities.

IN OUR SPACE ...

We’ve been making news lately! Check out our most recent appearances: 

• Our president and COO Cerys Goodall spoke with Enterprise Podcast Network about how InnerSpace is helping businesses transition back to the office amidst the pandemic. 
• Electrical Contractor profiled how InnerSpace’s WiFi platform can help businesses understand how and where people move for better traffic management.
• Watch our video with CBRE where we discuss a number of considerations for business in the return to work, including transparent communication, the need to consider and track indirect transmission, and the importance of making informed business and policy decisions.
• We were featured in the MaRS Discovery District blog  along with Minetell, BioConnect, TrussCore and EnvisionSQ on how data-driven startups are evolving quickly to develop innovations for a safer return to work.

“As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows, cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the humankind.” – Cleveland Amory

…AND LASTLY, HAPPY CANADA DAY AND JULY 4TH EVERYONE!

That's a wrap... 

As always, thank you so much for reading, for subscribing, and for being part of the conversation. As the world opens back up again, our indoor location platform can keep businesses and public spaces safer. Get in touch any time with questions or feedback.

Stay well, stay safe,

YOUR TEAM AT INNERSPACE