8 Workplace Technology Trends for 2026

In 2026, workplace technology is advancing at an extraordinary pace. From AI-powered smart buildings and agentic AI to health and safety tech, this article covers the latest trends and focuses on what’s happening in the workplace right now, as well as a glimpse into the near future of technology in the office.

We look at trends including generative AI and the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an enhanced visual experience, power-on-the-go capabilities, AI-driven space management, and the latest advances in extended reality – including Apple Vision Pro in the workplace. We’ll also take a closer look at how solid light holographic projections are set to revolutionise the way we collaborate and communicate.

Whether you’re an employer, employee, or simply interested in the latest workplace technology trends, this article provides a comprehensive overview of what’s shaping offices in 2026 and beyond.

1. Generative AI and Smart Buildings

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Smart Buildings

Artificial intelligence (AI), and particularly Generative AI (GenAI), has fundamentally transformed the way we live and work. According to McKinsey’s 2025 Global Survey on AI, 72% of organisations now use AI in at least one business function, up from 55% just two years prior. In the workplace, the shift from experimental to embedded AI is well underway.

One of the defining developments of 2025–2026 is the rise of Agentic AI – autonomous systems that solve complex, multi-step problems without constant human oversight. Rather than simply responding to prompts, agentic AI tools now orchestrate workflows across scheduling, facilities management, procurement, and employee services. Gartner predicts that by 2028, 33% of enterprise software applications will include agentic AI, up from less than 1% in 2024.

Closely tied to this is the emergence of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) – an open standard, originally developed by Anthropic, that allows AI models to securely connect with external tools, databases, and building systems through a unified interface. MCP is rapidly becoming the connective tissue of agentic AI in the workplace: it enables a single AI assistant to pull real-time data from occupancy sensors, adjust HVAC settings, book meeting rooms, and flag maintenance issues – all within one seamless interaction. For office managers and workplace strategists, MCP means that AI is no longer siloed within individual apps; it can act across the entire building ecosystem.

Smart building technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) have a longstanding natural pairing with AI. This starts with the sensors that collect data within the workplace and make adjustments accordingly. Some of these include occupancy sensors that detect the presence of people in a room or area and adjust lighting, temperature, and ventilation accordingly; air quality sensors that monitor air quality and detect pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter; and motion sensors that detect movement and can trigger alerts or activate other systems, such as security cameras, doors, or access control systems.

Smart systems within the office use AI to optimise various systems, including heating and cooling, lighting, security, and maintenance. According to JLL’s Future of Work research, AI-driven building optimisation can reduce energy consumption by up to 30%, a significant consideration given that prime office space in London now commands upwards of £70–£85 per sq ft, according to CBRE market data. Key sensor applications in smart buildings include:

1. Occupancy sensors – Capture data using counter sensors for object recognition and passive infrared sensors (PIR), which are triggered by motion and heat. They help assess whether pods, booths, desks, or meeting rooms are free or occupied.
2. Space utilisation – Better use of space in buildings helps optimise energy consumption by turning off or reducing the intensity of lighting and HVAC systems in unoccupied rooms, saving energy and reducing costs.
3. Air quality sensors – Used to identify potential health risks, such as high levels of pollutants or allergens. They trigger ventilation or filtration systems to maintain clean and healthy air quality in line with WELL Building Standard requirements.
4. Temperature and humidity sensors – Ensure that the office environment is comfortable and healthy for employees, which can lead to improved productivity and job satisfaction.
5. Light sensors – Detect the levels of lighting in a room to create more natural and comfortable lighting environments, reducing eyestrain and improving overall well-being.
6. Motion sensors – Trigger automatic security systems, such as cameras or access control systems, when unexpected movement is detected.
7. Acoustic sensors – Enable the maintenance of a productive and comfortable acoustic environment by adjusting sound masking to reduce distractions and increase privacy.
8. Visual sensors – Used for security monitoring and space utilisation analysis. Occupancy data from visual sensors can help optimise office layouts and improve collaboration.
9. Proximity sensors – Trigger automatic systems, such as lighting or automatic doors, to improve convenience and safety.
10. Power consumption sensors – Help identify areas for energy savings and efficiency improvements, reducing costs and supporting environmental sustainability.
11. Water quality sensors – Ensure that drinking water is safe and healthy for employees, reducing the risk of illness and improving overall well-being.

Beyond operational efficiencies, AI now plays a pivotal role in enhancing the employee experience. This includes personalising the working environment according to individual preferences – adjusting lighting, temperature, and even workspace layout based on the specific needs and work patterns of employees. AI-powered predictive analytics can forecast employee needs and resource utilisation, aiding in strategic planning and future-proofing the workplace. There are, of course, ethical considerations that organisations must address as AI adoption deepens. These include data privacy, the potential for job displacement, and the need for clear governance frameworks. The British Council for Offices (BCO) has highlighted the importance of establishing robust AI ethics policies alongside workplace technology rollouts.

Employee health and well-being are critical components of a successful and productive workplace. Through a combination of wearable technology, smart building technology, and tech-embedded furniture, it’s now possible to monitor and improve employee health and well-being in real time – taking account of physical activity, air quality, and other health metrics, and providing insights that employers can use to promote healthier lifestyles and better working conditions. The WELL Building Standard has become a key benchmark for organisations looking to certify that their offices meet evidence-based health and well-being criteria. However, the adoption of health monitoring tech also brings about concerns such as data privacy and security.

Let’s take air quality as one example. In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) sets guidelines for indoor air quality in workplaces. These guidelines state that the concentration of CO2 in the air should not exceed 1,500 parts per million (ppm) to maintain a healthy environment. Additionally, the HSE recommends that indoor air quality should be monitored regularly to ensure that it remains within safe limits. Research has shown that the risk of virus transmission can be heightened by reduced air humidity and stagnant air. In addition, studies have found that high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) can cause issues such as headaches, dizziness, and nausea, which can be detrimental to the health and performance of employees.

Conversely, it has been shown that individuals working in an environment with lower CO2 levels may exhibit up to a 60% increase in productivity. By utilising indoor air quality monitoring systems, companies can keep track of critical factors such as air freshness, CO2 levels, and air humidity in their offices. This allows businesses to take corrective action to minimise virus transmission risks and enhance employees’ well-being. Air quality sensors in the workplace can also help businesses comply with environmental regulations, such as those related to air pollution and emissions. According to the latest ONS data on hybrid working, around 28% of UK workers now split their time between home and the office, making consistent in-office air quality a priority for the days employees do come in.

Some of the trends that we see playing an important role in workplace health technology include:

1. Wearable technology: Wearable devices, such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, connect to building software that feeds back health data. For example, CO2 emission trackers that integrate with Apple’s Health App. There are of course issues with this including pushback from employees on privacy, air quality monitoring, noise levels, lighting levels, and more. Other integrations include building access, points, and gamification of work-related activities.
2. Smart desks and chairs: Smart desks and chairs are equipped with sensors that can detect employee posture and movement, and provide real-time feedback to help employees maintain good ergonomics. They can also be programmed to adjust automatically based on an individual’s needs and preferences. For example, a smart chair might adjust the height of the seat and backrest based on an employee’s weight and body shape.
3. Health data alerts: Notifications sent to employees based on data collected from wearable fitness trackers or other health sensors. For example, an employee might receive an alert if they’ve been sitting for too long, or if their heart rate is elevated. These alerts can help employees take action to address potential health issues before they become serious.
4. Wellness coaching apps: Wellness coaching apps provide employees with personalised guidance on factors such as nutrition, exercise, and stress management. These apps can be customised to an individual’s needs and provide real-time feedback to help employees stay on track with their wellness goals.

3. An Enhanced Visual Experience

The pandemic had a profound impact on the adoption of audiovisual (AV) technology in the workplace. With remote and hybrid working now established as the default for many organisations – the ONS reports that around 28% of UK workers regularly work in a hybrid pattern – the need for seamless virtual collaboration has never been greater. To enhance the AV experience in the workplace, developers are shifting towards software-focused solutions, allowing businesses to use multiple and diverse devices across different locations and meeting rooms. This provides greater opportunities for collaboration and increases flexibility in the workplace.

One major development in AV technology is the shift from traditional LED screens to Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) screens. OLED screens are significantly thinner and more sophisticated than standard LEDs, and they use organic electroluminescent layers to light up. This allows for sharper, brighter, and better picture quality than traditional LED screens. OLED screens also consume less energy, making them more environmentally friendly and cost-effective. The improved picture quality of OLED screens has numerous benefits for video conferencing and remote collaboration. High-resolution OLED screens with sharper pixels allow for greater clarity in video calls, making it easier to see facial expressions and read text on the screen. This can improve collaboration, communication, and reduce the risk of misunderstandings.

The deepening relationship between cloud computing and AV has also allowed companies to transfer work into virtual spaces, while still enjoying collaborative proximity akin to working in the same room. Gartner’s unified communications research highlights that cloud-based AV platforms are now essential infrastructure for hybrid organisations, with adoption rates growing significantly year-on-year. This has made it easier than ever to collaborate and work remotely, with enterprise-grade AV now accessible to organisations of all sizes.

4. Power-on-the-Go with Freedom to Roam

Portable batteries have become an essential component in modern offices, as they allow employees to work in all parts of the office without being tethered to a power outlet. In recent years, portable batteries have become more powerful, reliable, and affordable, making them a go-to solution for many businesses. They offer a high-quality and versatile charging solution for mobile devices in the office. They not only charge multiple devices simultaneously but also deliver fast and efficient charging.

These portable batteries are designed for USB-C port connectivity, which has now become the global, universal connectivity standard – reinforced by EU regulations mandating USB-C as the common charger across devices. They also have USB-A ports, which deliver best-in-class charging output across all ports. This makes them versatile and reliable solutions for charging mobile devices in the office. With portable batteries, employees can work from anywhere in the office without having to worry about running out of battery power.

5. Hybrid Huddle Rooms and Hyper-Flex Spaces

Hybrid huddle rooms are a type of collaborative workspace that combines the benefits of both physical and virtual environments. These rooms typically include audiovisual (AV) technology, such as high-definition displays, cameras, and microphones, to facilitate communication and collaboration among remote and in-person participants. The technology in hybrid huddle rooms enables seamless collaboration and communication between team members, regardless of location.

The trend of hybrid huddle rooms has accelerated as more organisations embrace flexible working. JLL’s workplace research shows that demand for technology-enabled collaborative spaces has grown substantially since 2023, with organisations increasingly investing in “hyper-flex” rooms that can be reconfigured for different meeting types within minutes. The technology in these rooms allows remote participants to be just as involved and engaged in meetings as those in the physical room. For example, video conferencing technology enables remote participants to share their screens, present documents and presentations, and participate in real-time discussions.

One of the key benefits of hybrid huddle rooms is that they enable organisations to bring together employees, partners, and customers from across the world in real time. This helps to build relationships and foster collaboration, even when team members are physically separated. Additionally, hybrid huddle rooms can be used to facilitate training sessions, knowledge-sharing sessions, and presentations, making them an important tool for companies looking to enhance their collaboration and communication capabilities. The British Council for Offices (BCO) now includes hybrid-ready AV infrastructure as a key consideration in its best practice guidance for office specification.

6. AI-Powered Space Management Technology

Space management technology – the set of tools and solutions that help organisations optimise their use of physical space – has entered a new era driven by artificial intelligence. It now encompasses occupancy tracking, predictive space planning, intelligent reservation systems, and real-time workplace analytics. As hybrid work arrangements are now the norm for a significant portion of the UK workforce – the ONS reports that around 28% of workers regularly split their time between home and the office – space management technology has become essential for organisations looking to right-size their real estate and design offices for flexible work.

At the heart of modern space management is AI-powered occupancy tracking. Unlike earlier systems that simply counted heads, today’s platforms use machine learning to analyse patterns over time – predicting which floors, zones, or desks will be in demand on a given day and automatically adjusting resource allocation. According to JLL’s Future of Work research, AI-driven space optimisation can help organisations reduce their real estate footprint by 15–20% without impacting employee experience. Given that prime office space in central London now costs £70–£85 per sq ft, and Grade A fit-out costs typically range from £120–£200 per sq ft (with premium projects exceeding £250 per sq ft), the financial case for intelligent space management is compelling.

Intelligent reservation systems have also evolved significantly. Employees can now book desks, meeting rooms, and collaborative zones through AI assistants that factor in team proximity preferences, project timelines, and individual work patterns. These systems integrate with calendar tools, access control, and even transport data – for instance, TfL data shows London Underground passenger journeys have recovered to approximately 80% of pre-pandemic levels, with midweek peaks on Tuesdays to Thursdays reflecting hybrid working patterns.

The latest generation of AI-powered space management platforms – from providers such as VergeSense, Density, and HubStar – go beyond reactive analytics to deliver prescriptive recommendations. They can analyse occupancy data and automatically suggest which areas of the office should be repurposed, which neighbourhoods are most frequently used, and how layouts should adapt seasonally. CBRE’s research into occupier trends shows that organisations using AI-powered space tools report up to 25% improvement in space utilisation efficiency.

Space management technology has important implications for office design. As the British Council for Offices (BCO) has noted, offices increasingly need to be designed for adaptability – supporting a more flexible and reconfigurable work environment. This includes the use of modular furniture that can be easily rearranged, the creation of more collaborative spaces that serve both in-person and virtual meetings, and the incorporation of video conferencing technology that supports seamless remote collaboration.

7. Extended Reality in the Workplace

Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term that encompasses all forms of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. While commonly associated with bulky headsets, there are now many other ways to create XR experiences. Most smartphones have built-in VR capabilities, as well as apps to experience 360-degree part-real, part-digital environments. Projection-based systems can render virtual environments onto walls or floors, and we are beginning to see workplaces where users interact in virtual environments through natural hand and body gestures.

The most significant development in workplace XR since 2024 has been the arrival of Apple Vision Pro and its implications for spatial computing in professional settings. Apple Vision Pro brings high-fidelity mixed reality to enterprise use cases including immersive design reviews, spatial data visualisation, virtual collaboration rooms, and training simulations. Unlike earlier headsets, Vision Pro’s passthrough technology allows users to remain aware of their physical environment while interacting with digital content overlaid on the real world – making it far more practical for day-to-day office use. Early enterprise adopters in architecture, engineering, healthcare, and financial services are using Vision Pro for tasks ranging from 3D model walkthroughs to multi-screen virtual workstations that replace the need for physical monitors.

The increasing adoption of XR and spatial computing technologies in the workplace is already transforming the way employees collaborate. XR technologies enable remote collaboration in ways that traditional video conferencing cannot. With XR, users can interact with each other and 3D models in a shared virtual space, creating a more immersive and engaging experience. According to McKinsey’s research on the future of work, immersive collaboration technologies can improve team alignment and decision-making speed by up to 30% compared to standard video calls.

As XR and spatial computing technologies become more embedded in the workplace, office design must adapt to support these activities. Key design implications include the need for dedicated XR zones – spaces with appropriate lighting, sound isolation, and sufficient room for physical movement. A company might set up a virtual collaboration room where employees can meet and work together in a shared virtual space, equipped with specialised hardware such as high-quality headsets, haptic feedback devices, and spatial audio systems.

XR rooms benefit from controlled lighting to avoid interfering with passthrough cameras, acoustic treatment to support spatial audio, and mobile furniture that can be rearranged to create flexible virtual collaboration spaces. The British Council for Offices (BCO) has begun incorporating guidance on XR-ready workplace design in its specifications, recognising that spatial computing will be a standard feature of premium office environments within the next few years.

8. Solid Light Holographic Projections

Imagine being able to project physical objects in the office, or indeed ourselves, through holographic light projections. Holograms have been a feature in sci-fi movies for decades – from holochess in Star Wars to the immersive 3D data maps in Avatar. We now have tangible prototypes of “solid light holographs” rendering 10 billion pixels per square metre in Ultra HD. The pioneer in this technology is Light Field Lab, which is backed by tech and communications giants such as Samsung, Horizon, and Comcast.

Light Field Lab specialise in holographic displays, which project 3D images that appear to float in mid-air. These holographic displays don’t require headgear. Rather than using traditional methods like spinning volumetric displays (which create an almost 360-degree spherical viewing angle), or reflections on angled glass, solid light holograms are instead created using a phase guide that steers and focuses light into mid-air to create a single image that can be viewed and interacted with from multiple angles. The image is so sharp that you can hold a magnifying glass next to it and see an enlarged version of it.

It may take some time for the prototypes to be widely adopted, but we believe that the implications of this technology for offices and office design will be significant. Holographic image projection can be used to create immersive presentations and collaborative workspaces that allow teams to visualise and interact with complex data that can be expressed and understood in entirely new ways. For example, workplace consultants, fit-out experts, and designers could use holographic projections to create virtual models of buildings and spaces, allowing clients to experience and provide feedback on their designs before they are built – the so-called “digital twin” technology. McKinsey’s research on digital twins highlights how this technology is already being used in construction and facilities management to reduce costs and improve design outcomes.

Holographic displays can also be used to create more engaging and dynamic presentations for sales pitches, product demonstrations, marketing, and other various business applications. Instead of relying on traditional 2D presentations, companies could use holographic projections to create interactive experiences that allow customers to engage with products in new and exciting ways.

There are also compelling applications for hybrid working settings. Holographic image projection can be used to create virtual offices and remote collaboration spaces. With many companies operating hybrid models, holographic displays could create more immersive and engaging virtual meeting spaces, allowing remote workers to collaborate in real time as if they were in the same room. We also envision augmentations to the office itself – such as the creation of 3D video walls and features that enhance well-being, including virtual waterfalls, augmented dividers in open-plan spaces, or biophilic elements that enrich the physical office environment.