Top companies worldwide are pioneering a new era of informed decision-making, where every square foot of real estate is optimized, resources are maximized, and every dollar is spent strategically. However, designing efficient and productive workspaces takes time, and collecting occupancy data is just the first step of the process. Having data that gives you a better understanding of how people use their space is more important than just how many people are in a space. In fact, this type of utilization information is crucial for workplace managers who need to make strategic decisions that affect the productivity and profitability of their organizations as a whole. Creating meaningful workplace strategies requires a shift in thinking about the kind of metrics that need gathering and the ways in which this data can be used.
To truly understand how your workspace is being used, you must look beyond basic occupancy data offered by sensors to the utilization metrics offered by Wi-Fi based spatial intelligence systems. By leveraging an organization’s existing Wi-Fi infrastructure, these solutions can effectively monitor the presence and movement of people within as well as to and from various areas, providing real-time data on space usage that paints a much clearer picture of what’s actually happening in the office.
Utilization data offers a rich variety of insights you can use to guide your strategic workspace plan. In addition to how many people are occupying a space, you can learn:
Combining this multi-dimensional Wi-Fi based data with other sources, such as environmental conditions or employee surveys, will give you even more nuanced insights to fully understand your workspace's effectiveness.
Capturing the data is only the first step. Organizations also need to analyze and apply this data strategically. By using advanced analytics to spot trends and predict how much space will be needed in the future, organizations can make a variety of data-informed decisions about:
Integrating and making the most of utilization data allows you to transform your workspace into an environment that truly supports your organization's needs and drives your business forward. To reap significant benefits, focus on making improvements in these three key areas:
Once you’ve made some changes, keep an eye on the metrics. Track trends and patterns in usage over weeks, months and years. Optimizing space based on employee input and evolving data over time is an ongoing process and the key to long-term success.
Decisions about workspace and real estate have far-reaching effects within an organization. They influence not just the physical environments where work occurs but also employee productivity, job satisfaction and overall operations. Strategic use of office space utilization data can help ensure that these decisions positively impact all facets of your organization.