You think it's the most commonplace, maybe even the dullest thing ever. Yet, if you work on a computer, you do it every day.

Click, click, click, select, copy, paste -- the working class soundtrack no one ever asked for, yet everyone finds incredibly useful (albeit taking it for granted.)

When, in the 1970s, Larry Tesler and Tim Mott at Xerox PARC, invented the (in)famous copy/paste, they probably knew it would be ground-breaking. What they didn't know, however, is that copy/paste would still be used for tasks that can be automated.

This is about more than just copy/ pasting one or two rows of information, though: it's about being efficient, about traceability, and about maximizing your workspace to get the most out of your time. From scheduling meeting rooms on WhatsApp to creating workplace necessity tasks in Slack and scheduling tasks in Excel, there's a long, long list of things that could just be...better. From every point of view.

Why should you quit manual workplace management -- and what are the areas that could need improvement?

Keep reading and find out more.

TL; DR: 

• Manual workplace management isn’t just “passe” – it’s inefficient, prone to errors, and leads to siloed data and work.
• Things like workspace booking, work planning & scheduling, visitor management, and sustainability data monitoring can and should be done better – and workplace management tools are the way to do it.
• Implementing a manual workplace management software can help you save time, money, and resources. It can also make your organization more sustainable, help with compliance, and help you collect valuable data to inform future decisions. 

Top Six Risks of Manual Workplace Management

There's a long list of reasons to minimize manual workplace management in your daily routine, but here are the top six that should make you seriously consider leaving it behind.

Duplication of Efforts

When you're manually managing your workplace, there's always a risk of duplicating efforts. This can happen when you have multiple versions of the same document or data, leading to confusion and errors. With automation tools, you can easily track changes and avoid duplication.

Imagine having to schedule a meeting room in Slack, Microsoft Calendar, and a spreadsheet, and then manually keeping track of the changes in all three platforms. It's a recipe for disaster.

Reduced Transparency

Transparency is key to all kinds of work -- but particularly important in remote and hybrid work settings. Without transparent processes and without making all information available to everyone, it's nearly impossible to maintain a healthy flow of communication and collaboration. Manual workplace management can hinder transparency by creating silos of information and hindering the flow of communication.

Lack of Consistency

You like to bold meeting times, but maybe your manager likes to use a yellow highlight. In between the three apps your discussions are probably going on in, it's easy to lose track of which color code goes where. And when there's a lack of consistency, important information can be missed and mistakes can easily occur.

With automation tools, you can create templates and standardized processes to ensure consistency across all platforms and documents.

Data Silos

When you have to work with data from different sources and platforms, it's easy to create data silos. These are essentially isolated pockets of information that are not easily accessible or visible to everyone in the workplace. This can lead to inefficiencies, duplication of efforts, and overall confusion.

By automating your workplace management processes, you can integrate different platforms and sources of data, creating a more cohesive and accessible workspace.

High Costs

Mistakes can be expensive. And humans are prone to error -- even the smartest, brightest, and most talented employee in the highest-performing company in the world can still make mistakes.

Manual workforce management can be costly, and not just through the time wasted on duplicating efforts or fixing mistakes. It can also lead to missed opportunities, lost revenue, and damaged reputation if errors go unnoticed.

No Scalability

Manual workplace management can only take you so far. As your company grows and evolves, manual processes will become increasingly inefficient and time-consuming. Automation allows for scalability and flexibility, allowing your team to focus on more important tasks as your business expands.

Workplace Management Processes You Can Streamline With Technology

OK -- those are the risks.

But what, more specifically, can you automate and streamline using technology?

In short, here are some of the easiest tasks you can automate for a more efficient and productive workplace:

Workspace Booking

Gone are the days of scheduling meeting rooms through multiple platforms and keeping track of changes manually. With automation tools, you can easily book and manage your workspace in one place, with real-time updates and notifications for any changes.

Work Planning & Scheduling

Hybrid work planning can be difficult and confusing – but the right tool can make it all easier. For example, knowing where and when your colleagues are working (at home, in-office, etc.) and planning your workspace accordingly is a lot easier when everyone schedules their work arrangements in the same app.

Visitor Management

If you run a business or organization that frequently receives visitors, automating the visitor management process can save time and improve security. With tools like YAROOMS, you can easily register visitors, track their movements within the workplace, and issue temporary access passes.

Sustainability Data Monitoring

For companies looking to track their sustainability efforts, workplace technology like Yarooms allow for real-time CO2 data monitoring and reporting. This not only makes it easier to stay on top of your environmental impact but also saves time and resources that would have been spent manually collecting and organizing this data. 

All Your Workplace Management, in One Place

You don’t need a bunch of tools to manage all your workplace processes. From workplace booking to CO2 data monitoring and from work planning to visitor management, a tool like Yarooms Workplace Experience Platform can help with everything. All your processes and data in one user-friendly place. 

Benefits of Using Workplace Management Technology

"OK," you might say, "all of this sounds lovely, but is it really worth it?"

Well, yes. Using workplace management technology can help with:

Better Visibility

By automating workplace processes, you can increase visibility and transparency for all team members. This leads to better communication, collaboration, and overall productivity.

No more "who's where" and "which room's free for us" -- everyone can revert to the same source of truth.

Higher Operational Efficiency

Automation not only saves time, but it also reduces the potential for errors and mistakes. This leads to higher operational efficiency and improved overall performance -- not just for the HR department or for the Facility Manager, but across the entire organization.

Reduced Likelihood of Error

Computers are better at staying accurate and mistake-free than humans. By automating repetitive tasks, you can reduce the likelihood of human error and free up your team to focus on more valuable, creative, and strategic work.

Time Savings

Automation saves time. Lots of it. Time which you can redirect to better, more intellectually exciting tasks like strategy, brainstorming, and more. By streamlining processes and reducing manual tasks, employees can focus on high-priority work and projects that require their expertise and attention.

Data for Smart Decision-Making

Data makes the world go round --  and it's no different in the workplace. By automating processes, you can gather, organize, and analyze data more efficiently. This leads to smarter decision-making and better insights into your company's performance.

Compliance

Compliance is a crucial aspect of workplace management, and it can be a daunting task for HR professionals to keep up with constantly changing regulations. Automation tools can help streamline compliance processes and ensure that your company is always up-to-date with the latest requirements.

Improved Collaboration

Last but not least, automation can improve collaboration within your team. With real-time updates, centralized data, and better visibility, employees can work more seamlessly together and achieve results faster.

Success Stories

At Yarooms, we've helped numerous companies streamline their workplace management. Here are just two of our success stories:

Jigsaw Insurance

Jigsaw Insurance has about 135 employees in the UK, all working from the same office. When they came to us, they wanted to make workplace management easier and more effective -- so we provided. Once they implemented Yarooms, they started saving between £21,000 to £23,000 per year (one team leader's FTE worth of time!)

Read their story here 

Columbia University

Columbia University is a major educational center: 28 buildings, 178 rooms, and 11,000 hours (or 43 years!) worth of meetings every year, happening under the auspices of one of the most prominent universities and research centers in the world.

They started working with Yarooms in 2016, and since then, they've saved more than 18,000 hours (or two years) of scheduling time. Right now, they enjoy the benefit of a 100% reduction in booking conflicts.

Read their story here

Wrapping Up 

Technology has the power to transform and improve workplace management processes, making them more efficient, productive, and ultimately contributing to the success of a company.

Copy/ pasting information from one tool to another may still work -- but it's prone to error, difficult to scale, and only leads to siloed work across the different teams in your company.

Workplace management automation is exactly the opposite of that: it connects data from different teams, improves visibility and communication, reduces manual work, and saves time and money.

So -- are you ready to bid your farewell to the manual (and often annoying) tasks that keep you from doing your best work? Give automation tools a try and see how they can revolutionize your workplace management.