Many companies have spent the last few years sprucing up their offices with polished concrete floors, open lounge areas and hot desks. Yet too often, the foundational technology that makes modern work possible is an afterthought. In this article, we will discuss the costs of office spaces that aren’t built for current and future tech needs.
Downtime doesn’t just affect servers
Organisations today depend on digital tools for virtually every task. A study by Oxford Economics estimated that downtime costs Global 2000 enterprises $400 billion annually, averaging $200 million per company. While that figure covers outages of all kinds, it underscores how heavily business performance relies on uninterrupted technology. Meeting rooms with unstable networks or outdated displays may not grab headlines like a data centre outage, but they chip away at productivity just the same. Every time a video call is abandoned due to a poor connection or a team has to move rooms because there’s nowhere to plug in, momentum is lost, and those minutes add up.
Another risk of ignoring the IT foundation surfaces around connectivity. WiredScore’s 2025 “Building for People” report shows that while office buildings now achieve roughly 90% of the possible credits for internet service provision, mobile performance lags badly. In North America, offices score only around 28% for mobile connectivity, whereas homes reach about 69%. That gap is striking for environments that claim to be tech‑ready. The report’s CEO notes that mobile connectivity is falling short and landlords must address this if offices are to win back workers.
Half of tech companies aren’t ready for new ways of working
In the race to develop artificial intelligence and other innovations, many technology firms are rethinking their real estate. However, only about half of all technology companies have optimised their corporate real estate portfolios for new ways of working. That means a significant share is still configuring spaces around old assumptions, individual desks and fixed conference rooms, while hybrid work, mobile devices and digital collaboration demand more flexibility.
The mismatch affects people as much as systems. According to HP’s 2024 Work Relationship Index, 87% of employees would trade a portion of their salary for a more tailored, engaging workplace experience. Employees want spaces that support both focused work and collaboration, with technology that “just works.” (Read our article about how lagging tech actually keeps your employees working from home instead of coming into the office).
The dangers of piecemeal technology
A building not designed for future tech often ends up with redundant or incompatible systems. The International Facility Management Association’s whitepaper on optimising the workplace through technology advises companies to conduct thorough needs assessments and prioritise interoperability before adopting new solutions. It notes that selecting technologies that communicate with one another reduces redundancy and creates a more cohesive workplace experience.
This will help organisations with future upgrades and scale-ups.
How to build for the unknown
The good news is that creating a future-ready office doesn’t require predicting the next killer app; it requires flexibility. JLL’s guide to designing “magnetic workplaces” recommends modular spaces with movable walls, reconfigurable furniture and ample power outlets and robust Wi-Fi. The idea is to leave space for new devices that can be added without tearing down walls.
Don’t leave tech until last
Treating technology as an add-on may save money in the short term, but the long-term costs can be staggering. The $400 billion in downtime losses, the millions wasted on redundant systems and the talent lost to uninspiring work environments all point to the same conclusion: designing offices without considering future technology is a strategic mistake. Always invest in flexible infrastructure and prioritise interoperability because this is how you future-proof your office and protect your bottom line.