Eir Business and Microsoft partner Evros have created an app called ‘Office Pass’ to help manage a safe return to the workplace as we emerge from the pandemic.

The app has been built for Microsoft Office 365, and according to the partners is intuitive to use and can be deployed in just two working days. And those interested don’t have to already be a customer, as Office Pass is open to any business that utilises Microsoft Office365.

With the app, employees have the power to choose how they work while ensuring safety policies and social distancing guidelines are met. Users book a desk in advance, from any device, giving them a safe place to work, while employers get a complete overview of who’s in on what day so they can manage their capacities.

According to the partners, the Evros team has spent the past year working with global enterprises to refine the technology and ensure it meets the needs of Irish businesses.

The app can be very effective in dealing with hybrid working by allowing employees to view which colleagues are working from home or in the office, enabling greater collaboration within teams and can also can enhance an organisation’s sustainability efforts by updating employees on their carbon footprint as they travel to and from the office.

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Managing director Martin Wells (pictured) said: “The Office Pass app looks after the safety and wellbeing of employees by ensuring businesses fall in line with Covid-19 regulations.

“We specifically designed this technology so that it was easy to implement and even easier to navigate, and we believe this will offer a great solution to businesses who wish to manage their on-site attendance over the weeks and months to come.”

Evros Labs’ Paul Gilbride added: “Office Pass can not only assist with back to office plans — we have also evolved it for 2022 into a hybrid working assistant. It has many added benefits including visual cues for co-worker office days and promoting carbon neutrality.

“Office pass is a new way to connect home and office into the future. Built inside Microsoft 365, the tool also keeps all data securely inside an organisation’s control.”

The app’s functional features will benefit employers who are managing their staff on-site, said Gilbride, while ensuring their business is compliant with Covid-19 regulations.

For employees, support comes in a number of ways:

• Office Pass — Allows employees to see which desks are available to book at any given time and includes self-declarations of health and safety and clean desk policies
• Safe Trace — Enables contact tracing
• Car Space Booking — For reserving your parking space
• Carbon Monitoring — Tracks the company’s reduction in carbon emissions
• Effective hybrid working — Allows employees to see when their colleagues are working from the office so they can join them in person more easily
• Occupancy Tracking — Offers real time data of desk occupancy and office capacity levels over time
• Visitor 365 — For screening visitors, monitoring capacities and staying in touch with guests.

Pic: Chris Bellew