space planning

How space management and planning help with growth

In many ways, office environments are like their own ecosystems. Leave a group of people together for long enough and they’ll develop some sort of system, right? True as it is, those systems that spring up organically in the workplace aren’t always effective or efficient. An unplanned, unmanaged office isn’t likely to magically transform into a well-organized oasis of productivity.

And it’s now compounded by today’s hybrid work models where employee behavior and building occupancy are dynamic, so space management is more complex than it’s ever been. The shift to flexible working has made it increasingly difficult for businesses to plan, operate, and maintain workspace and assets effectively.

Our 16,000+ customers are adapting to a dynamic work environment where shared space is the new normal and what happens (or doesn’t happen) in one area affects the other.

It’s not enough anymore to manage square feet on a static floor plan. They’re magnetizing the workplace for employees by operationalizing and fusing building maintenance and flexible working together. The goal? To compete for top talent and grow the business.

Between real estate, property management, and facility management, finding cost savings and improving company culture are now dual mandates – which requires a lot of cross-department collaboration and decision making.

Think of all the different teams that make or influence the built environment today — everyone from human resources to technology teams, to physical security and reception managers, to building system maintenance and janitorial services. Plus, all the vendors that need to be managed, tracked, and coordinated – especially during office moves and space reconfigurations.

With strategic space utilization and workplace design, you can reduce overhead costs, increase employee satisfaction and productivity, and create a commute-worthy workplace experience. From smarter energy management to better utilization of your real estate, today’s space management software is powerful and built for users. But it all starts with a space management strategy.

Key components of a space management strategy

Space management is an essential component for business growth. It involves understanding and meeting the needs of a business’s space while ensuring that all resources are optimally utilized. Take time to understand your company’s goals and needs, and develop strategies to optimize space allocation effectively.

You need to identify unused or underutilized spaces, and maximize efficiency with office layout design using techniques such as ‘design thinking’ to become more agile and adaptive to user needs.

What’s design thinking? Go deeper. Read “The connection between design thinking and workspaces.”

Understanding space management and planning

Before you can make use of a space usage strategy with a floor plan, of course, you need to understand what that strategy is and how it can work for you and your departments. Space Management and Planning is a part of Facility Management (FM), which is a professional field that covers everything having to do with the physical premises a business occupies.

Facilities Management includes not only office space usage but also industrial and manufacturing spaces, including factories, laboratories, loading docks, retail space, mailrooms, outdoor test facilities, and more. FM can also encompass physical assets such as technology, office supplies, furniture, and manufacturing equipment.

While many industries and offices have dedicated FM staff, some businesses aren’t yet big enough to employ these kinds of professionals’ full time, relying instead on an office manager or human resources staff member to take on FM duties that include space management and planning.

Whether the professional carrying out space management and planning duties is an FM specialist or someone else, their focus, while performing these duties, will be on the use of the physical space in the office rather than other elements of FM.

For example, the question of where to seat a specific department within an office space is a space management duty. Conceptualizing different seating arrangements and setting them up as potential scenarios would be part of Space Planning. There’s a subtle difference between the two, which is why it’s best to lump them into the same category: Space Management and Planning.

This facility management function gives businesses the ability to control how their office environments function from a physical standpoint. While this can seem like a purely practical task at first glance, there’s actually an art to space management and planning that, if performed correctly, can result in major gains in employee satisfaction and, by extension, productivity.

Strategic space management and planning offers a business a certain amount of flexibility and collaboration while improving overall productivity. During the space management and planning process, critical decisions regarding the use, layout, appearance, filing options and standardization should all be considered.

First, determine what the space will be used for. For example, will there be meeting rooms or cubicles? Establishing the space’s primary function is the first step that a business should take concerning space management. The layout should complement the overall use of the space, and this included the functionality of the space regarding the furniture layout.

The design may be something that doesn’t seem important when looking at the overall picture, but studies have shown that a well-designed space can increase productivity and success in the workplace and can boost the employee’s overall mood. A well-designed space also has the ability to adapt and evolve with the occupants, and they will feel comfortable at ease in such an environment.

Filing and record keeping are important aspects of any business, regardless of the filing system that is being used. Some businesses may require a larger area for storage, filing, and supplies.

Determine the goal and needs of the business to determine how much space will be needed. Always taking into consideration the future growth of the company and the forecasted needs of the space. Technology and equipment requirements should be considered as well, especially since most companies utilize digital record keeping.

Finally, the business should determine how the space will look. Will they be standard cubicles or furniture that are all matching and cohesive? Should the look and design and the layout of each room remain similar or does each room require a different layout with a distinctive design to establish its use?

With the right tools and knowledge, businesses can develop successful strategies for efficient space management that will lead them towards long-term growth success.

There are many software solutions available today that focus on helping companies manage their physical spaces more effectively, such as room booking systems which allow teams to book meeting rooms quickly. Because remember: Digital experiences are driving the employee experience – and business growth is directly connected to employee satisfaction. Ease of use is a top priority and the tools you use need employee adoption.

Tools to help with space management and planning

Digital twins and 3D modelling software, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) that allow users to visualize how different layouts would look like before actually making changes
Occupancy sensors which track how much time certain areas are being used
Smart building technology with real-time data about employee presence
Desk booking systems which enable teams to easily find available workspaces
Energy management solutions which help organizations save money by optimizing energy use across premises
Move management solutions which facilitate easier relocation processes when needed
Room usage tracking solutions which collect data on how often certain places are being used throughout the day

By leveraging these modern tools alongside manual practices such as collecting information from surveys or interviews with staff members about their experiences in different areas of the office, businesses can ensure they make informed decisions when managing their physical spaces.

Benefits of space management and planning

Space optimization is an extremely valuable process for any business aspiring to expand. By utilizing physical space, companies can reduce overhead costs, enhance employee satisfaction and productivity, and create a more pleasant work environment. Here are some of the key advantages associated with smart space management:

Cost efficiency

Companies can benefit from cost savings by recognizing underutilized or excessive spaces in their facility. With solutions such as energy management platforms, cost calculators, and strategic planning software, businesses can analyze usage data in real-time to make informed decisions when it comes to resource allocation.

Enhanced employee satisfaction

Space supervision also boosts contentment among employees by offering them flexibility in terms of how they collaborate together. This could be done through hot-desking models or having staff members work remotely, which allows the organization to design a workspace that matches their individual needs.

By planning ahead using booking systems and room usage tracking systems, teams will always have access to the right desks or meeting rooms at the right time so that everyone remains productive without feeling cramped up in a shared office setting.

Increased productivity

Through intelligent building technology, including desk booking systems and occupancy sensors, organizations are able to measure desk utilization throughout the day and make changes based on factual data instead of assumptions about what might suit employees better.

This way, they are able to optimize their office layout for maximum efficiency while still providing comfort for those present without overcrowding certain areas or leaving other sections vacant most of the time. Moreover, regular evaluations of space use enable businesses to modify plans rapidly if required, which increases productivity levels on the whole.

Superior workplace experience

Finally, proper space monitoring promotes an improved workplace experience which leads to heightened collaboration across teams while uplifting employee morale too.

By collecting information about room occupancy, such as what types of meetings take place within it, companies can customize their spaces to current trends so that workers feel comfortable no matter if they decide to work remotely or come into the office daily. Regular assessments help detect potential issues before they grow into serious problems, enhancing communication between team members as well as organizational culture overall.

Through organized planning and implementation of efficient space administration plans, businesses can ensure that all decisions regarding physical spaces are well-informed, leading them towards long-term success with expansion opportunities further down the line

We analyze our global data quarterly. See our findings based on analysis of 2.7 million desks, 37,000 buildings, and 440,000 floors across more than 8,000 companies.

How to implement an effective space management plan

Begin by evaluating the company’s total square footage, how many people it supports, and any areas of unused or underutilized space. From there, a plan can be drawn up for future space requirements that takes into account potential changes in team size or operations.

Once a comprehensive plan has been developed, businesses should look at ways to optimize their physical space, such as altering office layouts or introducing hot-desking solutions — as well as implementing room booking systems or desk booking software for more flexible working arrangements. Further cost savings can be achieved with energy management solutions and occupancy sensors that track progress in real-time.

Monitoring progress is just as important as devising a plan in the first place — regularly assessing usage trends over time will help inform decisions when allocating resources or creating new workspaces. Strategic planning software is invaluable here, providing insight into which strategies are most successful in terms of cost savings and productivity improvement.

Ultimately, by following these steps, companies will be able to establish a solid foundation for success whereby they benefit from significant cost-efficiency gains while simultaneously fostering an environment where employees are satisfied and productive — setting them up for long-term growth opportunities along the way.

Today’s space planning software utilizes real-time data to offer valuable insights into how workspaces are used by teams or individuals at any given moment. This allows an organization to better optimize its premises for maximum efficiency and productivity. Similarly, move management software enables companies to handle large-scale changes like office moves or rebrands with minimal time and money investment.

Digital twins also offer organizations the chance to scenario plan and test conditions and layouts before implementation, giving them the opportunity to experiment until they find the design that works best for them without expensive revisions down the line.

Meanwhile, room booking systems enable more efficient allocation of meeting rooms — as well as providing analytics on usage rates so they can adjust bookings accordingly — while occupancy sensors can detect usage patterns in real time with minimum effort or disruption.

These tools allow businesses greater control over their physical spaces so they can reap cost savings along with increased employee satisfaction and improved productivity levels, ultimately leading to better workplace experiences overall.

The link between employee satisfaction, the office environment, and productivity

Why does it matter whether your office environment feels comfortable and inviting for employees? Their job is to show up and get the job done, right? If you’re like most modern business leaders, this line of thinking may sound a little old-fashioned and unwise, and there’s good reason for that. Employee satisfaction is becoming a major part of the way successful companies do business.

Concepts of corporate culture and attracting “talent” rather than “human resources” are replacing the old-fashioned one-size-fits-all approach to crafting a workplace.

Cubicle farms are being replaced by open, airy workspaces with communal meeting spaces, lounge areas, and ergonomic workstations. While this kind of humanity-focused approach might have sent chills down the spine of 20th-century middle managers, effective organizational leaders in this century know that treating employees as valuable team members is a smart system that reaps incredible rewards.

This isn’t just common sense. Multiple studies have shown that office environment and employee satisfaction are linked and that, in turn, employee satisfaction has a dramatic positive impact on productivity. In that sense, a cushy workplace isn’t just a good plan for attracting top talent. It’s a way to ensure that once you have that talent on your team, you get the best possible return on your investment.

Planning, too, is imperative as it allows FM staff and other management to anticipate employee satisfaction needs and curate the best workspace possible. Ultimately, Space Management and Planning is an effective means of taking control of your workspace and shaping it to fit not only the organization’s needs but also the needs of the employees.

What employee satisfaction means for growth

Space Management and Planning has an essential role to play in the cultivation of a satisfied, productive workforce. Productive employees lead to better work output, which, in turn, allows your business leadership to strategize new avenues for growth. But that’s just the short-term picture. As your growth efforts pay off, your satisfied employees will stay put and continue to provide loyal service to your organization.

They’ll grow from junior-level employees into managers who themselves can bring on a new generation of satisfied talent that continue the cycle and set your business up for long-term expansion and success.

Satisfied employees will only stay happy with their work environment if you can expand in the right ways and in a timely manner. No one likes going from having a cushy workspace to feeling cramped and distracted by an influx of new coworkers. Because space management and planning is a continuous management process, you’ll be able to avoid making growth seem like a burden to long-time team members.

Plus, it helps integrate new employees into the office in a seamless way, so the satisfaction points start racking up from the moment the new hire walks through your doors on his or her first day.

Find out how worktech from Eptura can help your space utilization need. Talk to us.

Why breakout spaces are essential to the modern workplace

Revisiting space planning is important for evolving companies. As your employees’ needs change, the workspaces they use will need to change. It’s also worthwhile to reevaluate space allocation if you haven’t done so in a few years — the types of workspaces present are likely outdated or, at the very least, due for a few upgrades. It’s an excellent time to ask yourself if there’s enough available breakout space.

Offices have informally utilized breakout spaces for decades. Today, they’ve risen from convenience to necessity based on their role in agile workplaces. Not only do you need to provide breakout spaces, but you must ensure these areas support various types of work. It’s time to reevaluate the role breakout spaces play in your office.

Defining breakout spaces

What is breakout space? The simplest definition is any space without a predetermined purpose. It could be a table with three or four chairs or as complex as an experiential space employees can flex in and out of.

Breakout spaces are a quick fix to an immediate need. A conference ends, but three people need to get together to discuss a subtask. Instead of crowding around someone’s desk, they “break out” into a space for 15 to 20 minutes. An employee has two meetings on the fourth floor, with a 30-minute break between them. Instead of returning to their office on the first floor, they flex into a breakout space to prep between meetings.

Breakout spaces are the ultimate representation of agility in a fast-paced workplace. They’re usually occupied for around 30 to 45 minutes, and their unstructured nature turns them into the ideal space for whoever occupies them.

Give employees diverse breakout spaces

Breakout spaces themselves don’t generally follow a defined purpose. However, a breakout area can set the tone for the type of work people do in these spaces.

A breakout area tucked into a quiet corner might attract employees looking for a hideaway — a place to concentrate on something important for a short time. Likewise, an experiential breakout area themed like a coffee house might encourage collaboration by attracting small groups who need a place to brainstorm or toss around ideas.

The atmosphere of a breakout space should signal to employees the type of environment they can expect to work in. Creating diverse breakout spaces throughout your facilities is a great way to give employees flex space that meets their changing needs. Quiet work today, collaboration tools tomorrow, and space to spread out next week. The more diverse breakout spaces, the easier employees can move seamlessly throughout the workplace as their day or workload dictates.

Unstructured space is crucial in agile offices

The role of an office breakout area cannot be understated in the modern workplace. Employees in motion need spaces to hunker down, whether to catch their breath, catch up on messages, or accomplish quick tasks. An undiscerning, easily co-opted breakout space is the ideal opportunity. Create the right ambiance via space design, and it becomes a haven for employees — a space where they feel comfortable and grounded, despite their fast-paced schedule.

Today, so much of the office is structured to promote agility specifically. While the workplace experience is flexible on the surface, there are rigid controls in place that allow it to bend without breaking. Facility managers play an invaluable role, and the rise of office automation makes overseeing dynamic environments easier.

Unstructured workspaces are an essential asset on the management side, as well. These “set it and forget it” spaces don’t need management because they’re truly agile. Well-conceived, they’re a smart way to both support the workforce and optimize the office space floor plan.

Making breakout space work

Breakout spaces are the most flexible spaces in the office, but that shouldn’t make them an afterthought or a filler solution in your floor plan. Dedicated breakout space should be strategic — located in areas where it’s easy for people to transition into and out of different activities. Employees should feel comfortable in a breakout space, whether doing head-down work or meeting with a small group. Most importantly, it must foster productivity by contributing to greater workplace concepts of agility and flexibility.

Employees have always used breakout spaces. Now, in the modern office, their role has expanded. Put these adaptable, accessible spaces where they’ll do the most good and encourage employees to leverage them whenever they need a place to be productive.

Four types of wayfinding signage

Wayfinding plays a crucial role in various environments, including healthcare facilities, airports, shopping malls, public buildings, educational institutions, public transportation systems, and large event venues. By employing effective wayfinding strategies, designers and facility managers can create user-friendly environments that facilitate smooth and intuitive navigation.

There are four types of wayfinding signs: identification, directional, informational, and regulatory. As standalone signs, they serve a specific role; as part of the greater wayfinding system, they inform each other.

Here’s what facility managers need to know about deploying each of the primary wayfinding types.

Types of wayfinding signage

Identification

Identification is the most common type of wayfinding signage. They tell a person when they have arrived at their destination. They also serve as general wayfinding landmarks.

Need to get your bearings? Identification signage is there for you. If you’re looking for Sales and keep seeing signs for Human Resources, you know you’re in the wrong place.

Make identification signs uncluttered and straight to the point. What does the sign signify? Someone should understand it in seconds.

General examples include:

Door plaques (Assistant to the Regional Manager)
Departmental markers (Accounting and Finance; Sales)
Landmark signage (donor plaque; historical marker)

Directional

Directional signage helps people get to where they’re going. It’s an invisible hand guiding them from wherever they are to their destination, one step at a time. They’re best used at junctions and areas without a clear traffic flow.

Anyone unfamiliar with their surroundings benefits from diverse directional signage. It can be as simple as a plaque at each junction sending people left or right. Or it may be as comprehensive as colored lines on the floor leading people directly to their destination.

Continuity is key for directional signage. If a person becomes lost anywhere between two points using directional signage, it’s immediately invalidated. Picking up the trail again means backtracking or getting lucky.

General examples

Junction signage (left to cafeteria; right to an exit)
Colored lines on the floor (blue for marketing; red for sales)
Directory signage (CEO, 8th floor; HR)

Informational

Whereas identification signage marks a particular area, informational signage pertains to the overall facilities. These signs give people the broad information they need while navigating.

Informational signage is best placed in an area with broad exposure. Lobbies, waiting rooms, building entrances, and atriums are popular examples. Signage should answer questions before they’re asked. Where are your bathrooms? How late are you open? Do you have an elevator?

Informational signs should be universally understandable with just a glance — signs and symbols anyone can understand.

General examples

Amenities and accommodations (free Wi-Fi; elevators)
Facilities signage (bathrooms; exits; cafeteria)
Business information (hours of operation; address numbers)

Regulatory

Regulatory signage is a proactive form of wayfinding. It’s focused on safety and liability concerns and sets boundaries — what is and isn’t acceptable in your facilities. It establishes and reinforces rules, safety standards, and privacy expectations.

Regulatory signage is generally big and bold — no-frills — only a clear, concise, prominent message. Someone probably won’t open a closet if there’s a “Caution! High Voltage!” sign on the door. Similarly, displaying a “No Pets Allowed” sign means Fido isn’t welcome.

Use regulatory signage wherever it applies and leave no room for ambiguity. A handicap sign sets a clear precedent like an “Employees Only” sign on a locked door.

General examples include:

Rules and regulations (no smoking; no firearms)
Compliance standards (ADA accessibility; high voltage sign)
Access control (no entry beyond this point; employees only)

Combining wayfinding signage

Wayfinding is experiential. Every type of wayfinding signage can and should be used with every other. Regulatory signs should keep people out of restricted areas as they follow directional signage to their destination. Identification signage should tell someone where they are so they can follow directional signage to where they want to be. Informational signage — coupled with regulatory signage — needs to set behavior expectations in your facilities.

Additionally, all signage should be simple. Regardless of its purpose, someone should be able to look at a sign and know in seconds what it says and what it means in relation to wayfinding.

Whatever the information, make sure you have the right mode of delivery. The simpler your signage and the more cohesive it is across all four types, the more effective it will be for anyone using it.

What are the benefits of wayfinding?

Reduced stress and anxiety

Clear and effective wayfinding systems alleviate stress and anxiety associated with getting lost or disoriented. Users can confidently navigate, knowing they can easily find their way and reach their destinations.

Time efficiency

Efficient wayfinding saves time by providing clear directions and information about the shortest and most direct routes. Users can navigate efficiently, minimizing unnecessary detours or confusion.

Improved user experience

A well-designed wayfinding system enhances the overall user experience by making navigation intuitive and user-friendly. It creates a positive impression of the environment and contributes to user satisfaction.

Safety and security

Wayfinding systems play a crucial role in emergencies by guiding users to exits, evacuation routes, or safety facilities. Clear signage and directions help ensure the safety and well-being of individuals during critical incidents.

Increased accessibility

Accessibility is a key consideration in wayfinding design. Well-designed systems consider the needs of individuals with disabilities or special requirements, providing inclusive navigation options and features.

Enhancing efficiency of complex spaces

In large and complex environments, such as airports, hospitals, or shopping malls, wayfinding helps users navigate through various facilities, departments, or sections. It streamlines movement and reduces confusion in spaces with multiple levels, buildings, or interconnected areas.

Promoting discoverability

Wayfinding systems can highlight points of interest, amenities, or important destinations within an environment. Users can easily locate areas of interest, such as restrooms, information desks, shops, or specific attractions, enhancing their overall experience.

Branding and identity

Wayfinding design can incorporate branding elements, colors, and visual cues that reinforce the identity of an organization or space. Consistent and well-designed wayfinding contributes to the overall brand image and creates a cohesive user experience.

Enhanced navigation for visitors

Wayfinding systems are particularly valuable for visitors unfamiliar with a location. Clear directions, maps, and signage help visitors feel more comfortable and confident, improving their overall experience and reducing the need for constant assistance.

Optimized space utilization

Efficient wayfinding can guide users through less congested or underutilized areas, helping distribute foot traffic and balancing occupancy within a facility. This can lead to improved efficiency in space utilization and overall facility management.

The connection between design thinking and workspaces

In today’s hybrid workplace where occupancy and utilization fluctuate regularly, creating workspaces that matter to employees has never been more important. The days of a 1:1 desk-to-person ratio are now more the exception than the rule. Sharing space in an office is now as common as using a smartphone to request a ride home or rent a shared bicycle.

Continue reading “The connection between design thinking and workspaces”

The ultimate guide to space optimization in the hybrid workplace

Walls no longer confine work, and the hybrid workplace is here to stay. A Gartner survey predicts that 39% of the global workforce will work hybrid by the end of 2023 — up from 37% in 2022.

Many employees want to spend at least part of their time working in the office to collaborate in person with their colleagues, reserve a quiet place to concentrate, and take advantage of on-site amenities. Managing a hybrid workplace brings new challenges, including space optimization.

How do you maximize office space while also allowing employees the flexibility to work remotely part-time? There are no easy answers, but here are a few recommendations.

What is space optimization?

Simply put, space optimization is making the most of all the available office real estate you have and using it to support a positive employee experience while reducing waste and minimizing costs. The goal of space optimization isn’t just to increase the number of employees per square foot but to ensure each space is being used the way it’s intended.

5 strategies to improve space optimization in the hybrid workplace

Establish a baseline occupancy target to determine office space per employee

While different employee roles and functions require different types of space to be productive, it’s good to have some general guidelines.

Start by considering your average occupancy percentage before the pandemic or before you transitioned to a hybrid workplace. How much space did you have per employee at that time? If you don’t know, look at recommended industry averages.

Commercial real estate website Squarefoot also offers a handy space calculator.

Consider how employees’ needs might differ depending on your industry and their department and roles. Your legal team will likely need more private office space for closed-door meetings and review of confidential documents. In contrast, your marketing team will want more open areas for brainstorming and collaboration.

If you plan to continue having assigned desks, you probably won’t need one for every employee. Determine which employees can share desks based on how often they intend to be in the office — or consider implementing office hoteling.

Establish a remote work policy

While each department may have its own guidelines for when employees work remotely and how they use your hybrid workplace, company-wide expectations help create clarity, transparency, and understanding. Decide what values are most important, not just for team morale and productivity but also when it comes to planning and optimizing your space.

Set clear parameters around when teams will meet in person, when they are expected to meet with clients in person, and when fully remote employees will be expected to attend company events.

Survey employees to determine how often they plan to use the office

Ask employees to consider all aspects of remote and in-office work and give them the flexibility to decide on their hybrid work schedule.

Questions to ask employees include:

How many days each week do you plan to be in the office?
During what hours do you plan to spend most of your time in the office?
How do you feel about attending meetings when you are not physically present?
How will you take the initiative to remain involved in office activities?
Have you discussed how often, if at all, you can travel back to your department’s primary worksite?
How will you feel if your travel is limited once or twice yearly?
What type of meeting space and amenities do you need when meeting with clients in person?

As you consider employees’ needs, don’t forget about their belongings. You might need to add shelves, closet space, or intelligent lockers to help employees keep valuable items secure.

Intelligent locker systems are ideal for a workplace with desk hoteling because they can be reserved, assigned, and reassigned by any employee throughout the day.

Understanding the employee’s needs and expectations helps you optimize your space accordingly. It also enables you to analyze, test, and implement tools to streamline space reservations/claims.

Use a desk booking system

As you give employees more flexibility to choose when they come into the office, you need a way to manage seating while ensuring space optimization.

A desk booking system gives you a more structured way to manage your space and resources. Desk booking allows your employees to reserve space in advance, helping your facilities team update your workplace based on the number of employees who plan to be there. It also helps you monitor space utilization trends over time to better design your future space needs.

One of many considerations for desk booking is creating a welcoming and productive workspace for most people. It’s common for facilities managers to plan their booking strategies by thinking about the average day. How many people are typically in the office? What resources do they need? This narrow planning may create problems later. Instead of preparing for a reasonable scenario, think of the worst case.

Consider your peak demand; how many desks will you need if everyone shows up? Desk booking software gives you analytics and data regarding usage and timing. You can use this and prepare around that number.

Make smart, multi-purpose furniture and surface choices

Your workspace is more than computers, desks, and tables. After overcoming a global pandemic, we all learned to adapt and pay attention to our surroundings to create the best environment to thrive. Look around your office space for innovative ways to use your current assets.

Use whiteboard paint on the walls in brainstorming or meeting rooms. Buildings.com, an industry news source for facilities and space managers, offers these and other tips for optimizing your space.

Furniture also plays a role in creating a space that can host a board meeting in the morning and be subdivided into smaller team meeting rooms later in the day using mobile walls or dividers that double as whiteboards. Use smaller desks or tables that can be rearranged Tetris-style to create differently sized spaces, change the energy or mood, and make the most of your area.

Use space management software to optimize your hybrid workplace

Space management software helps you visualize all your spaces, track utilization, and reconfigure your floor plans.

You can see a graphic representation of your floorplans overlaid with real-time data on desk and space reservations, giving you the ability to make strategic, data-driven decisions.

The right space management software will provide you with a sense of control and understanding of your facilities from a global perspective, helping you create short and long-term strategies while avoiding paying rent on unoccupied space. Understanding how your space is used and creating a space that serves your employees will lead to better employee productivity, boosting the bottom line while minimizing costs.

Just because your employees are scattered, your office space organization doesn’t have to be. Tour Eptura’s space management software and find the tools to improve space optimization in your hybrid workplace.

Unlocking the power of occupancy sensors for space planning

How complete is your workspace picture? How close to real time is your workplace and building data today? What about all the other areas on your office floor or building outside of meeting rooms and desks?

Occupancy sensors are a powerful tool that collect people flow data on all parts of your buildings. Sensors can help obtain more accurate information than manual, time-consuming methods, such as walking the floor to count people or relying on employee surveys to inform workspace decisions. Sensor data is becoming more and more essential to space planning to create better occupied workspaces – and help facility managers and workplace strategists create more precise and accurate plans for office moves and space reconfigurations.

Sensor data is versatile too. You can integrate it with building automation systems to reduce energy usage to help hit sustainability targets. You can also fuse it with integrated workspace management systems (IWMS) to track data from motion sensors, seat sensors, beacons, and more, creating an agile workplace with real-time utilization reporting.

When you connect them to an IWMS, sensors give facilities teams accurate and comprehensive insight into how their space is used, such as which desks, rooms, and other areas of the office employees are using, and for how long. Occupancy sensors are among the most crucial technologies to be adopted by 2025 — along with automation systems and environmental controls, according to JLL research.

In the age of flexible work models where hybrid work is the new standard, employee behavior in workspaces is more dynamic and harder to pinpoint utilization. Plus, today’s organizations are metrics driven and seek methods for speeding up data capture and eliminating as much guesswork as possible.

Understanding occupancy sensors for space planning

Occupancy sensors are a powerful tool for measuring space utilization in office spaces. They are devices that detect and measure the presence of people within a certain area, providing invaluable data about desk occupancy, meeting room usage, and overall space utilization. Occupancy sensors can be mounted on walls or ceilings – and use different technologies to detect presence or detect motion when someone enters or exits a space.

Occupancy sensors can also provide insights into the user experience in buildings. See how employees move around the office, what areas are most popular at different times of day and know the behaviors of staff when present in specific areas.

How are employees actually using the space? Sensors help planners separate the wants and desires of employees from the workspace needs of an organization as a whole.

“Today, organizations are experimenting with different workplace policies and configurations to support the modern models of agile, flexible, hybrid work,” “The workplace has become more self-directed which compounds the complexity,” says Eric Maxfield, Director of Product Management, at Eptura. “There’s a real need and hunger for analytics and accuracy in data now – and sensors are a valuable tool for gathering movement and flow data once people are inside buildings – and for helping us understand behavior in spaces of all kinds.”

Go deeper. Read our in-depth conversation on the evolution of sensors and sensor data.

Maximize your office space

Occupancy sensor data goes beyond simply capturing raw numbers – it provides insight into user behavior that enables businesses to make smarter decisions about their workspace design and management strategies. For example, if occupancy sensor data reveals that phone booths are rarely used but desks are constantly occupied, it might suggest that new desks should be added instead of building more phone booths.

With detailed information on how their office spaces are being used at any given time, companies can ensure they have the right resources in place for maximum efficiency without wasting valuable resources on redundant features or unoccupied spaces.

Types of occupancy sensors

With infrared, ultrasonic, and motion-based detection capabilities, these sensors can provide businesses with invaluable insights into how their office space is being used and help them optimize their real estate portfolios to better suit the needs of their teams. By leveraging anonymous occupancy data, companies can make more informed decisions about office layout configurations and workspace optimization strategies for improved workplace efficiency and user experience.

A list of sensor types

Hybrid and advanced sensors

Combine features of different sensor types in one unit, such as PIR with ultrasonic. Others include: double-eye sets to minimize blind spots, occupancy sensors combined with dimmers, line-voltage sensors, smart sensors with motion sensitivity and time adjustment.

Lighting-integrated sensors

Control lights based on movement, great for reducing energy costs, not good for tracking number of people in a space.

Door-counting sensors

Track movement through a specific doorway, used for rooms with one entry/exit point, can track entry and exit to give real-time count, errors are common.

Vision sensors

Replace cameras for low-resolution imagery, cost-effective, mitigate privacy issues, accurate person count for any space, can measure messiness of a space, wireless and wired options.

BLE beacons

Transmit a unique identifier to nearby devices with a compatible app, used to track customers, pinpoint device location, or send push notifications.

PIR occupancy sensors

Mounted on a ceiling, detect heat and movement, good for optimizing office spaces, not great for emergency situations or specific conference room usage.

PIR desk sensors

Placed underneath desks to monitor if a person is at the desk, track how often a desk is being utilized, linked to Wi-Fi, can misread heat and movement if placed wrong .

Ultrasonic sensors

Used for security purposes, emit pulses of ultrasonic waves and measure reflection of a moving object, higher frequency than humans can hear.

Collecting sensor data and GDPR cookie consent plug-in

Having access to this data is only useful if you collect it in compliance with global data privacy regulations (GDPR). Companies should ensure that any information they collect through sensors or other means should have the consent of the user before being collected or stored. Consent can be obtained via a GDPR cookie consent plugin on the company’s website or mobile application. By using a plug-in, companies can ensure that they remain compliant with regulations while also collecting valuable data about their users’ experiences and preferences.

Go deeper. Learn how the definition of capacity is changing with sensor expert Brad Golden from VergeSense on the Workplace Innovator podcast.

Sensors can also help reduce: energy costs, meeting costs, and cleaning costs

Energy savings with sensors

Occupancy sensors on a 10-kilowatt lighting circuit in a major New York City building reduced lighting energy consumption by 38% based on time variable rates and demand charges, according to E Source.

Here’s another example: A university. Emory’s Green Labs program has installed occupancy sensors. Adequate ventilation is essential for a safe, comfortable environment and to protect from hazardous contaminants. Emory is able to save over $50,000 a year in heating and cooling by running air changes at six occupied and two unoccupied campus buildings.

Meeting cost savings with sensors

A global management consulting firm had low employee satisfaction due to their meeting rooms constantly being booked but left vacant. They found 40% of their meetings were being wasted. The solution was to use TEEM and Outlook to release unused bookings and track unused space. This saved them $50,000 per month and $600,000 annually.

Reduce cleaning costs and improve efficiency with sensors

In a hybrid work model with on-demand desk and room booking apps, cleaning your facilities can be more complicated. Optimize cleaning efficiency costs by up to 15% with a dynamic cleaning model. Instead of having janitorial services every day, sensor data can indicate when cleaning is most needed.

How the gig economy is impacting the corporate workplace

By whatever name you call it: the gig economy, shared economy, or contingent economy, the shift that has led to the growth of on-demand services like Uber and Airbnb is increasingly impacting the global workforce.

“Gig” workers work on a contingent basis: consulting, freelance or temporary. Their number has risen dramatically in the past decade. The increase ramped up around 2007 during the global economic downturn, and by many accounts, gig workers now represent a third of the workforce.

In 2023, 36% of workers are part of the gig economy. 76% of gig workers reported they are satisfied with their career choice. By 2027, current economic statistics estimate that gig workers will comprise over 50% of the workforce.

JLL, a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management, has defined the “Liquid Workforce” that promises to impact CRE strategy significantly.

Peter Miscovich, a Global Future of Work Leader for JLL, predicts Enterprise Liquid Workforce platforms will soon be based upon the emerging ‘Hollywood Model’ of working where agile and liquid knowledge workers will be intelligently organized via the Internet on a project basis — similar to how Hollywood movies are made today. Liquid Workforce will be organized via crowdsourced “uber-like” cloud-based work platforms providing greater workforce and workplace efficiency.

The rise of the Liquid Workforce and the gig economy makes one thing clear: the nature of work is changing, and corporate workplaces must be prepared to support that change.

The gig economy: why it’s gaining ground

The rapidly expanding gig economy is not merely a response to changing economic conditions. Here are just a few of the reasons that workers are choosing to work on a contingent basis and companies are choosing to hire more contingent workers:

Benefits of the gig economy for workers:

Working on projects for multiple companies simultaneously can help to grow skillsets and expose workers to more opportunities
More independence through flexible work and the freedom to choose when and where to work
Less risk of job and income loss with multiple employers
In some fields, gig workers can earn more while working less than their full-time equivalent (FTE) counterparts

Supporting the gig economy: 5 challenges for companies and for CRE

The changing nature of work and the gig economy pose new challenges for corporations, especially in planning and managing corporate real estate. That’s because today CRE groups are expected to do much more than provide every worker with a desk and maintain the space. They must create an environment that supports and contributes to meeting company goals.

1. Retaining corporate culture and worker engagement

How can you build and retain the desired corporate culture when 30 to 50% of your workforce are not employees? Working on a contingent basis may impact worker attitudes, especially relating to their commitment to the company’s long-term needs.

Addressing this concern starts with demonstrating a commitment to all workers, whether employees or gig workers. It’s important to realize that in the gig economy, people who move on to work elsewhere may return in new roles later on. Consultants may return as long-term employees, and employees who leave may return as contractors or customers. When all workers are supported, they are more likely to be committed to company goals and even act as ambassadors after they move on.

CRE can go a long way toward supporting this mindset by providing environments that encourage all workers in the gig economy to feel like part of the team.

2. Supporting worker mobility

It’s no secret that corporate employees are increasingly mobile, often by choice. People work from home, in coffee shops, and on the road, as it suits their responsibilities, schedule, and lifestyle. Contingent workers may not have a choice since they may not have a permanent desk to work from.

CRE can support gig economy workers by providing technology that helps them stay connected and efficient (such as wayfinding technology). Even better, moving toward shared, agile workspaces — that accommodate more people with less space — can make it possible and even desirable for contingent workers to spend more time in the office. Agile workspaces also accommodate a greater range of daily fluctuation in worker attendance without spending more on space.

3. Supporting the rapid pace of business change

One of the advantages of the gig economy for corporations is the ability to scale the workforce up and down as needed to respond to changing business goals. For example, companies can quickly assemble a new team to meet a business need by using contingent workers hired on a project basis. Moving gig workers with a particular skillset between business teams for short-term work is also easier.

CRE groups must be poised to respond to the rapidly changing structure of business teams in the gig economy. That means being ready to move and rearrange office spaces at the drop of a hat. It means implementing technology that makes it faster and easier to manage churn. Another strategy is creating spaces with mobile and adjustable furniture that can transform to meet the team’s changing needs.

4. Enabling collaboration

Just about everyone agrees that collaboration is a demand in the modern workplace. That’s because teamwork generates more and better ideas, driving the innovation needed to be competitive in the global economy. Increasing collaboration in the gig economy can be even more challenging when teams are constantly in flux, and people don’t know each other as well.

To encourage more impromptu collaboration within and between teams, CRE groups must provide appropriate collaborative spaces. That means understanding the spaces people need: is it more 10-person conference rooms or breakout spaces for 2 or 3?

It’s also essential to provide perks and features that make people want to enter the office, such as gyms and coffee lounges. CRE must provide the office design and technology that helps people get more work done, like quiet phone booths, smart whiteboards, and comfortable team huddle areas.

5. Contributing strategy and analytics for the workplace of the future

CRE professionals will need to grow beyond their traditional roles to support the growing gig economy effectively. It’s now essential that CRE work closely with business units and contribute a voice to the company’s strategic vision.

Understanding how people use space (and want to use space) and developing appropriate workplace strategies that align with company goals requires the ability to measure and analyze. For example, creating agile workspaces is a key strategy for optimizing the use of the workspace and meeting all the challenges described here. However, implementing that strategy requires detailed and timely data about how space is used and who is using it.

Utilization technologies provide the means to track that data, and the right workplace management system provides the context and the ability to glean intelligence for decision-making.

There’s no question that the gig economy adds complexity to managing corporate real estate. New skills and strategies are needed, which depend on delivering reliable and flexible business intelligence.