In the wake of the hybrid work models and remote working, most companies are looking to reduce their real-estate expenses. And a key aspect of this process is optimizing workplace space utilization.
Office footfall is bound to change dynamically in a hybrid setup. Hence, facility managers must optimize desks and shared space usage while maintaining Covid-19 norms. Naturally, regularly updating space utilization strategies is crucial. And many companies struggle with this.
They do not know when and how often they need to perform space utilization analysis. To help you overcome this obstacle, here are a few scenarios where analyzing your space utilization can improve your business outcomes.
Space utilization in the Hybrid Workplace
If you are ready to return to the office, analyzing your space requirements is vital to ensure a productive and organized hybrid workspace. Here are questions you must ask if you want to improve space utilization in your hybrid office.
- What kind of growth, in terms of headcount, is the business expecting soon?
- How many employees will be in the office at a particular time? How many visitors will visit your office space in a day?
- What are your workplace environment goals? Do you want open space or private workspaces for your employees?
- What is the frequency and capacity of physical work meetings?
The answers to these questions can help you narrow down how much workspace you need to meet your immediate company goals. With this information you can devise a suitable space utilization strategy.
Follow-up
Changes in work schedules, employee count, and growing clientele can affect your space utilization strategies. Not keeping up them can lead to overcrowding, space wastage, and unhygienic offices.
To avoid such instances, companies must conduct a follow-up space utilization analysis to decide whether the current workplace is meeting their needs or not. Perhaps you need more meeting rooms for collaboration. Or you may want to reduce the number of desks to cater to the limited number of employees in the office.
The results can help you modify the existing workplace or choose a different one altogether. The follow-up analysis can save you money and time without compromising employee satisfaction.
New Integrations
Suppose you want to add a new department or provide lounge space for your employees. Then, you need to conduct a space utilization analysis to identify the areas most suitable for these new additions. In fact, the analysis can tell you beforehand whether these changes are feasible in the current workplace, preventing you from spending your time and resources on futile plans.
Also, companies are adopting new software solutions to manage their hybrid workplaces. By investing in space management software, facility managers can improve their space utilization analysis. For instance, they can check the occupancy levels and desk and meeting room usage trends to enhance the use of office space.
Frequent Analysis
All businesses must analyze their space utilization at least once yearly, irrespective of their type and size. Collecting data and analyzing your office space can help you track occupancy rates, identify unused areas, maintain pandemic protocols and improve workplace hygiene.
To identify the areas of concern, you need to measure space utilization with the right metrics. Below are a few essential benchmarks to help you manage your space better.
Metrics to Track Space Utilization
- Capacity: The total number of people that can be accomodated in an area.
- Occupancy Rate: The number of people using the site compared to its total capacity.
- Immediate Occupancy Rate: It describes how quickly employees book a room after sanitation.
- Space-specific utilization: The average number of hours a room is under use. Also, it tells you the average capacity per hour.
- Density: The number of people per square foot in a workspace.
- Cost-per-head: The average cost of lease, decoration, and furnishing per employee.
- Mobility Ratios: It describes the inconsistent human flow in a hybrid workplace by factoring in remote employees and visitors.
Regular and proper data collection according to these metrics can tell you the whole story of space utilization in your workplace. This can aid you in making well-informed decisions and improving your company’s growth.
The Bottom Line
Monitoring space utilization increases efficiency, improves alignment between departments, reduces costs, and increases employee satisfaction. But doing it without space management software will only push you back in your efforts.
WorkInSync space management software is everything you need for better space planning. It gives you real-time insights of space occupancy and space costs. The space utilization metrics can be instrumental in helping you optimize your office space.
Interested in trying out the software by yourself? Schedule a demo with WorkInSync and start your journey towards better workplace management.