The fax machine and the trusty Rolodex? They’re destined for the scrap heap of technology history, according to thousands of professionals surveyed by LinkedIn.
The fax machine and the Rolodex, as well as the vaunted tape recorder, are just some of the old stalwarts that are losing their place in the office environment, superseded by more superior technology.
As part of its “Office Endangered Species” study, LinkedIn surveyed more than 7,000 professionals across the globe and asked which office tools and trends will most likely not be seen around offices by the year 2017. According to the 384 Singaporean professionals surveyed, the top 10 items and office trends that are becoming rare and could even disappear in the next five years are:
- Tape recorders (84 percent)
- Fax machines (66 percent)
- Standard working hours (60 percent)
- The Rolodex (50 percent)
- Desktop computers (47 percent)
- Desk phones (30 percent)
- Formal business attire like suits, ties, pantyhose, etc. (28 percent)
- The corner office for managers/executives (27 percent)
- USB thumb drives (24 percent)
- Cubicles (23 percent)
Globally, professionals selected tablets (55 percent), cloud storage (54 percent), flexible working hours and smartphones (which tied at 52 percent) as office tools that are becoming more ubiquitous. However, professionals in Singapore put cloud storage (59 percent) ahead of tablets (55%) as the office tool set to rule the workplace.
“It’s no surprise to see the Rolodex gathering dust as the pace of technological innovation rapidly makes many workplace practices and tools redundant,” said LinkedIn’s Head of Communications – ANZ & SE Asia, Tara Commerford. “The beauty of modern devices and platforms, such as LinkedIn, is that they constantly evolve to meet professionals’ needs, allowing them to connect more quickly and easily than ever before.”
Professionals from around the world also hinted at several key dream tools they’d like to see in the future. It seems that Singaporean professionals are a sleep-deprived workforce, with 35% of them choosing a quiet place in the office where they’re allowed to take a nap – the largest percentage among the 18 countries surveyed. Other dream tools included a place in the office that provides natural sunlight (23 percent), and having a clone or assistant to help them in their days (22 percent). In a funny twist, 14 percent of respondents said they wish they had a mute button for their co-workers, so they don’t have to hear them talk.
Here’s an infographic from LinkedIn that shows you more:
