OfficeRnD Hybrid : Year in Review 2023

Celebrating Our Journey Toward a Thriving Hybrid Workplace

As the year draws to a close, it's a time of reflection and gratitude. We've been on an exhilarating journey, constantly innovating and evolving to support the dynamic needs of hybrid workplaces around the globe. It's been a year of groundbreaking achievements, and we're excited to share these milestones with you once again in a summarized way in our "Year in Review"!

The three biggest shifts of 2023

Collaboration
The theme of Collaboration took center stage, reflecting a fundamental shift in how we approach work in a hybrid environment. Key initiatives like Hybrid Scheduling, Suggested Days, and еnhanced invite functionalities were instrumental in this transformation. These features not only streamlined the process of organizing and managing work schedules but also significantly improved team interaction regardless of physical location.
These developments collectively fostered a more cohesive and dynamic workplace, where collaboration is not just a concept but a lived reality, seamlessly integrating into the daily workflow of teams across the globe.

Delightful Employee Experience
We focused on amplifying everyone's experience through integrations for both Google and Microsoft organizations.
With the introduction of Slack Enhancements and Chrome Extension for Google Calendar, we bridged the gap between communication, coordination, digital calendar management, and physical workspace utilization in a hybrid work setting. We enabled users to track office occupancy, book resources, and manage their schedules with ease directly from their chats or calendars, significantly reducing the complexity and time of coordinating in a hybrid work setup.
This represents a leap forward in simplifying and streamlining workplace interactions, making it more intuitive and less disruptive, and embodying our commitment to continuously seek out and implement solutions that are not just technologically advanced but also deeply aligned with the evolving needs of modern workplaces.

Effortless Workplace Management
All enhancements we did to the Admin Platform were targeted at elevating the admin experience and workflow, making it more efficient, user-friendly, and powerful. Revamping key modules significantly reduced the administrative burden and streamlined operations, thereby enabling administrators to focus more on strategic tasks rather than getting bogged down in day-to-day management.
These improvements were a testament to our commitment to not just developing features for end-users but also empowering those who manage and maintain the systems that keep hybrid workplaces running smoothly.

A 12-point rundown of 2023 highlights

January was a breakthrough in enhancing collaboration with new scheduling and remote work options, fostering a more flexible and connected workplace. We introduced:
- New Hybrid Schedule Page
- Choosing a Remote working location
- Quick booking for the days in the office
- Ability to add and align with Favourites
- Option to Invite Colleagues

February brought a significant upgrade in efficiency with the introduction of bulk editing capabilities for managing multiple employees.

• Multiple Employees Edit

March focused on streamlining meeting experiences and employee interactions.

• Custom Invites

• QR code check-in for Meeting Rooms

April enhanced workplace planning and setup.

• Suggested Days

• Employee Primary Location Setup

May was a month of significant enhancements, from role management to Slack app integrations, making the user experience more intuitive and efficient.

• Improved creation and management of roles

• Added New Quick Actions in the Header Menu

• Revamped Integrations Page

• Improved Location Settings

• Boosted our Slack app with improvements such as a quick book, seeing Favourites, Who's In, booking desk or room, reminder notifications and check-ins

June was dedicated to a major overhaul of our admin platform for enhanced functionality.

• Meeting Room Management Page Update

• Visitor Management Page Update

July introduced innovation and efficiency improvement through user-friendly experiences.

• New Filters on Office Map

• New Chrome Extension for Google Calendar

August brought personalized workspace experiences and key integration improvements.

• Dedicated Desks

• Microsoft Teams Link in Outlook Room Booking

• Private Bookings by default

September focused on enhancing booking processes.

• Booking Approvals

• Notifications about Recurring Bookings Expiration

• Automated Wi-Fi Check-ins

October was a month of behind-the-scenes efforts and marked the beginning of the groundwork for significant advancements planned for early 2024, setting the stage for future innovations.

November was filled with progress and the results of our ongoing conversations with customers.

• Bookings Management Enhancement

• Customizable Admin Email Templates

• Office Setup Design Improvements

December is a time of reflection and planning, laying the strategic foundation for the next year's exciting developments and innovations. We've completed some housekeeping items and spent a good time polishing major announcements that will be coming as soon as the new year starts!

Keep the feedback coming!

So much to be grateful for as this year comes to an end! We wish you a peaceful, cheerful, warm, and light holiday break!
We hope you all will enjoy well-deserved time for rest and recharge, and we look forward to January, when we'll start with predictions and plans for 2024

Until then, on behalf of our entire team, thank you, and we look forward to growing, collaborating, and building with you in the years to come!