A glimpse inside the AI-powered workplace of the future

Times

5 hours ago

From augmented reality glasses to predictive troubleshooting tools, smart technology is transforming the way we do business
For decades, we knew what work looked like: desks, ID lanyards, a commute bookended by coffee. But today's workplace is a distributed, digitalised ecosystem where uptime is critical and integration is everything. From warehouse floors to hospital wards, the frontier has shifted – and it's not coming back.
In this new era, TeamViewer – once synonymous with remote desktop support – has transformed into a major player in industrial digitalisation. TeamViewer connects and manages everything from frontline machinery to back-office systems, helping companies modernise without losing momentum.
In a world where virtually every workplace is digital by necessity, this kind of infrastructure isn't just a tech upgrade – it's a business imperative.
Whether in manufacturing, logistics or healthcare, the demands are now the same: faster response times, safer environments, streamlined operations and minimal disruption.
That's no small task when many of the workplaces now being digitalised were never designed with connectivity in mind. In these sectors, digital transformation means tackling legacy systems, incompatible tools and siloed teams – all while keeping critical services running.
According to new research conducted by TeamViewer and Bloomberg Media,* 78 per cent of senior decision-makers now rank digital transformation among their top three priorities. Yet only 31 per cent are satisfied with the progress they've made. The ambition is clearly there but execution is the bottleneck.
Much of that difficulty comes down to fragmentation. Too often, businesses operate with a patchwork of overlapping tools, disjointed data and proprietary systems that simply don't talk to each other.
The result? Redundant licensing, costly workarounds and downtime – something few industries can afford. In high-stakes environments where delays can mean lost revenue, missed targets or even compromised safety, integration isn't a bonus – it's survival.
TeamViewer bridges the gap between information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT), offering remote access, device management and real-time support all on one platform.
Crucially, it also integrates augmented reality tools and AI-driven monitoring, enabling teams to collaborate across distances, anticipate problems and resolve them before they escalate.
The real-world results are compelling. In Mexico, pharmaceutical distributor Nadro deployed TeamViewer's AR-powered software called Frontline, running on smart glasses, in its warehouses, resulting in a 30 per cent increase in order-picking speed and a 93 per cent reduction in training time.
In the United States, RLI Insurance slashed troubleshooting time by half an hour per incident thanks to TeamViewer's DEX (digital employee experience) solution, which enables real-time monitoring of devices and proactive remediation of anomalies. And Swiss manufacturing giant Bühler Group uses TeamViewer for remote maintenance and commissioning of its machines – vital for critical infrastructure.
These case studies underscore a broader shift that combines on-demand support with proactive optimisation. While the old workplace merely fixed what was broken, the new workplace also sees trouble coming and averts it.
This isn't just a technical transition, but a cultural one. It's about equipping teams with systems that adapt, learn and inform –building resilience into the very fabric of work.
For TeamViewer, that resilience is bolstered by scale. With over 660,000 commercial customers, the platform draws on a global bank of data and expertise to continually refine its capabilities. It's this collective intelligence – spread across industries and continents – that gives the platform its edge.
The research suggests businesses understand the upside. When asked to identify the primary benefits of digital workplace investment, senior leaders ranked improved innovation highest, followed closely by operational efficiency and real-time monitoring.
What these gains have in common is their compound effect. They don't just solve isolated problems – they create feedback loops of improvement, allowing organisations to act faster, adapt quicker and make better decisions across the board.
There's also a human benefit. When systems integrate properly, people spend less time wrestling with tech and more time doing meaningful work. Downtime decreases. Employee satisfaction goes up. Recruitment and retention improve – especially in competitive sectors where skilled workers are in short supply. In a tight labour market, the ability to offer intuitive, efficient digital tools is becoming a differentiator.
Unlike many competitors that offer narrow point solutions, TeamViewer stands out for the breadth and flexibility of its platform. Whether a business is just starting its digital journey or already operating at enterprise scale, TeamViewer ONE adapts to the environment it enters.
This flexibility is especially important in sectors playing digital catch-up. While financial services and telecoms have largely embraced transformation, industries like energy, healthcare, retail and logistics are still wrestling with legacy infrastructure and mission-critical processes.
Here, the ability to modernise incrementally – without wholesale disruption – is vital. TeamViewer's layered approach allows these organisations to move at their own pace, integrating digital capabilities step by step.
As Oliver Steil, TeamViewer's CEO and chairman, puts it: 'The organisations that succeed are creating high-performance environments that are both secure and convenient for their workforce.'
In other words, digital transformation is no longer the domain of IT departments alone – it's central to business strategy. And the workplace – whether it's a call centre, clinic, data hub or delivery depot – is the new battleground for productivity, innovation and growth.
It's time to stop thinking of digital as an overlay. With the right tools and mindset, every workplace can become a site of innovation – not in spite of its complexity, but thanks to it.