Matrix Booking during 2022
Matrix Booking during 2022: a year in review
What better way to start a new year than to reflect on all the things Matrix Booking has achieved over the past 12 months! Read below to find out what kept us busy in 2022, and our plans and predictions for 2023.
Hybrid and hubs panel discussions
Matrix Booking were privileged to launch a series of “hybrid and hubs” discussions starting with the Government Property in 2030 conference. The series focussed on the:
- changing world of hybrid working and hybrid estates
- home vs office working
- private estate vs hub estate decisions that organisations are facing
We combined online and offline sessions with public sector workplaces and technical professionals. With all of us together, we shared the challenges, opportunities, techniques, and technologies used to plan and provide the right work settings in the right places for staff in this fast-changing industry.
As a result of these successful discussions, the following themes arose:
- hybrid working is a constant moving target
- not one size fits all – every organisation requires a different approach
- engaging with employees to understand their needs enables organisations to provide the best place to work and encourages them to come to the office
- data – understanding how buildings and resources are being used provides valuable information into an organisation’s hybrid working strategy
Matrix Welcome app launch
We were extremely excited to launch a new application as part of our Visitor Management solution called Matrix Welcome. The Welcome app is available for iOS and Android tablet devices. It is aimed at 10-to-12-inch devices and has combined the most popular functionalities from our other visitor management applications in one.
This new, multi-purpose app provides much more flexibility when it comes to reception and visitor management. It gives you improved personalisation for branding and facilitates staff attendance reporting. The following features are currently included in the Welcome app:
- the ability for employees and external visitors (with a host) to check in and out of a building by manually entering their details, using a QR code or passcode
- support for accepting terms of visiting (e.g. security or health declarations)
- notifications sent to the meeting host when their visitor checks in
- option to add a vehicle registration number when checking in
Access control system integration
We launched our first integration with a third-party access control system this year. Access control systems typically provide barriers or security gates to your buildings and require a pass or card to be presented to gain entry. Our initial integration has been with Brivo, a company that provides cloud-based access control systems.
When you make a booking using one of our apps, your physical access to the building will be enabled for the day of your booking and for all the members of staff attending the booking by our integration. Access is enabled on the day for future bookings and supports instant access at the point of time for a same-day booking. This has been implemented to help customers manage their resources better by requiring staff to have a booking to get into the building as they return to the office.
As the member of staff enters the building, the access control system can inform Matrix Booking and automatically check the employee in to the building. This has been made visible via the Matrix Booking reports, which can help customers report on attendance at their locations.
We hope to have further integrations with other access control system, visitor, and building management providers over the coming year.
Government hubs
Matrix Booking have been working closely with the major government hub providers, including Government Property Agency, HM Revenue and Customs, Department of Health and Social Care, and the Ministry of Justice. We now power the largest resource management network in the UK, covering more than 375 sites and over 2,700 meeting spaces. Every day, the network supports over 100 public sector organisations to book:
- rooms
- desks
- collaboration spaces
- and many other resources
This functionality is unique within the industry and Matrix Booking are proud to support the Government Hub Network.
Predictions for 2023
Every aspect of a business is prone to change, and the workplace is no exception. Over the past few years, COVID-19, the Great Resignation, and continued economic uncertainty have created a new world of working. As technology becomes more innovative and societal needs evolve, it’s time to look ahead to the workplace trends that we can expect to see. Here are four predictions about the future of work next year:
- Hybrid and remote working are here to stay.
- As a result of this, more organisations will consolidate and share their office space.
- Developments in workplace management technology will enable employees to use the office with purpose and flexibility.
- Organisations will need to reimagine what kind of space and dynamic they need that caters for collaboration and the future of work.
What’s next for Matrix Booking?
Matrix Booking has a full product roadmap for 2023 and is looking forward to delivering this to its new and existing customers. Our customers feedback is important to us, and we have invested heavily in keeping up to date with the changing requirements to support hybrid and flexible working both now and into the future.
Some of our focusses for the year ahead include:
- a new business intelligence platform providing deep analytics and reporting
- enhancements around Microsoft 365 products
- enhanced support for group and team working
These developments will support teams in booking resources for working together in addition to enabling occupancy and utilisation reporting across teams and departments.
Certified B Corporations (B Corps) are companies verified by a registered charity called B Lab. To attain B Corp status, companies must meet B Lab’s criteria of high standards in social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. As an employee-owned company on the path to becoming a certified B Corporation, we are committed to combatting climate change, tackling social and economic inequality, and enhancing the wellbeing of our employees and our customers’ employees.
We have also introduced the corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign, where we as a company give back to local communities and society. The first major event was to upcycle furniture in Bristol for a shelter (Emmaus) and our most recent event involved managing a local woodland for Your Parks Bristol and Bath. We plan to have more of these events in the future.
Explore how else Matrix Booking can help you
Employees can search for desks in any of your buildings or shared hubs, find colleagues, make bookings for their team, and more.
People can find rooms that meet their needs, including location, facilities, capacity, and accessibility. Add equipment, catering, and other essentials.
Efficiently manage visitor sign in systems across your sites, ensuring a secure welcome and clear communication of health and safety procedures.
Powerful reports help you keep track of occupancy levels, usage trends, and more, so that you can continually optimise your estates.
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