Integrated Building Systems President Chip Chapman reflects on 3 major trends he sees for commercial technology in 2025.
As we enter 2025, we are seeing a big push for “return to work,” even from bigger companies that have been largely remote since 2020. This transition means considerations of how to incentivize employees to return to, and be productive in, a commercial office space.
Although some employees might not be able to wear their pajamas to work anymore, we can still help make everyone’s space more comfortable, secure, and as easy and flexible to use as they would be with the technology they may have at home. And for hybrid teams, we can use technology to help everyone stay engaged and connected.
1 - Adding Sound Masking
Companies are trending toward embracing flexibility with their office layouts. This means design choices like open floorplans, movable furniture, and hoteling stations for hybrid workers.
While these design choices help accommodate a daily change in office use, they can also cause some challenges with noise. As opposed to closed offices, an open layout means coworkers can clearly hear each other’s conversations, which can make it hard to focus. One solution for this that I’ve seen more and more clients invest in is a sound masking system.
Sound masking works exactly the way it sounds – it masks the sound of speech to make it less intelligible, so it’s easier to focus. This helps in an office environment with a lot of talking. Or conversely, in a very silent office, it adds a bit of background noise to help with focus in a different way.
In offices where security is paramount, like a doctor’s or an attorney’s, sound masking can help protect confidentiality. Placing sound masking emitters outside of private offices can help obscure conversations happening within.
2 - More Security
Another trend this year is implementing better security systems for commercial spaces.
The goal with a commercial security system is to protect people and property. Some new cameras with AI features can help determine threats quicker and notify authorities. The right software combined with consideration for placement, angles, and video storage, is essential.
We’ve also been working with clients on improving access control. This can mean traditional keypad or badge entry, which is very customizable. But we’re now seeing more unique applications of access control on non-standard doors, like gates and retail storefronts. And further, having the option to navigate access control on your phone using Bluetooth, rather than having to carry around or worry about losing a fob or card.
3 - Higher quality video conferencing
COVID fast tracked the development and use of video conferencing solutions. While companies may have thrown together ad-hoc solutions in 2020, in 2025, we are looking more at purpose-built conference systems that help hybrid teams feel like they are in the same room.
This trend includes investing in cameras that can capture every participant in the room. We are seeing more clients gravitating toward camera systems that can detect and frame individual faces within one meeting room – giving the same effect as everyone sitting at their individual desks, but in a much more cohesive fashion.
We are also seeing more interest in higher-quality video resolution. Our Tech Studios now include an 135” LED video wall, which provides excellent clarity with 1.2 mm pixel pitch, even when looking at small fonts like in a spreadsheet. I think 2025 will continue to emphasize solutions like this that make connecting and sharing information as seamless as possible.
Finally, the audio quality and parity for a remote user is still essential. The challenge now, funny enough, is that some of the new technology is almost too good. Microphone arrays and software programming can allow for every sound in the room to be heard – even a clicking of a pen. And side conversations can be picked out and enhanced, so the far-end user can hear them clearly. So, with better audio quality also means more careful consideration of how meetings should be conducted.
Planning updates to your office in 2025? Schedule a call to learn more about how to implement any of these trends in your space.