The balancing act of managing the modern workspace

Facilities and workplace managers have been at the forefront of addressing and navigating evolving challenges, from sustainability demands to the rapid adoption of hybrid work. It’s a role that requires agile and adaptable workspace strategies - something that only continues to gain momentum.

In fact, the push for flexible work arrangements presents both opportunities and challenges for facilities and workplace managers. Initiatives like the four-day workweek, backed by Labour’s push to grant full-time workers the right to request compressed hours,i offer an exciting opportunity to rethink traditional workplace models.

However, with companies like Amazon, Barclays Bank and many more mandating a full five-day return-to-office policy, citing the value of face-to-face interactions,ii facilities managers are forced to balance competing demands.

Now, with over 70% of companies reporting having excess office space due to hybrid work models,iii vacant desks and underused rooms are not just a waste of space – they’re a drain on the bottom line. This leaves one pressing question: How can workplace and facilities managers effectively manage spaces to accommodate diverse working styles while aligning with organisational goals?

Competing demands in the modern workplace

Hybrid work has transformed office spaces into dynamic environments, leaving discrepancies between planned and actual workspace usage. This has left facilities and workplace managers having to negotiate between evolving work patterns and growing expectations from both employees and organisations.

Take the UK-based online lender Starling Bank as an example, which manages 900 desks for over 3,200 staff. After its new CEO demanded more in-office requirements, some employees resigned over this mismatch, citing limited space and desk availability.iv

And yet, organisations continue to advocate a return to the office, while employees demand increased flexibility and better working conditions.v The findings from the Verdantix “Global Corporate Survey 2022: Smart Building Technology Budgets, Priorities & Preferences,” further underscores these tensions, with 23% of corporate facilities and real estate technology decision-makers identifying that reducing real estate costs was their top priority, followed closely by improving the wellbeing of occupants at 22%.vi

This fluctuating dynamic only leads to unpredictable office occupancy, where spaces may be quiet one day and overcrowded the next. That lack of clarity about who will be in the office on any given day makes resource allocation even more difficult. Trends like “coffee badging” further complicate the issue, as employees briefly visit the office to meet attendance requirements without significant work.vii What’s more, superficial tracking methods, like card scanning, also fail to provide meaningful insights into employee engagement or space usage.

Facilities and workplace managers, therefore, find themselves in a delicate position. Without reliable data, it’s almost impossible to figure out not only who's in the office but also for how long, or how spaces are being used.

Traditional office management methods are simply ill-equipped to handle the complexities of modern working patterns. To address this challenge, facilities and workplace managers need the right tools and strategies to efficiently manage resources and adapt to today’s workplace demands.

The power of data in balancing workstyles

In this era of unpredictable working patterns, data has emerged as the linchpin for effective space management. Verdantix reports 35% of organisations across EMEA have prioritised space utilisation monitoring – using commercial software that supports facilities and workplace processes – with 40% focusing on space planning initiatives to adapt to evolving workplace demands.viii

This highlights the increasing importance of data-driven strategies and tools to manage fluctuating occupancy. By analysing the right data, facilities and workplace managers can gain valuable insights into workspace usage. However, it’s important to start in the right place. The first step is looking at historical data.

Facilities managers can understand past trends and identify inefficiencies when analysing historical data, such as office bookings or occupancy sensors. This data can show which areas are popular at specific times of the day and which are underused. In a sense, it reveals a “past view” of how spaces have been used. As an example, a recent report from Matrix Booking detailed how an NHS Trust analysed occupancy data to identify a need for more meeting rooms. From here, 30 out of 160 desks were replaced with an extra meeting room, saving about £65k per year by eliminating the cost of booking external meeting spaces.ix

Next, looking at real-time data offers immediate insights or a “present view” of the space. Managers can use this information to temporarily close underused areas which can lead to energy savings or address issues like overcrowding by reconfiguring layouts. Integrating environmental sensors, for example, can also provide real-time usage reports on what’s being used and where. From here, managing wider resources such as lighting or heating can be applied only when needed – reducing costs and creating an adaptive environment that works for everyone.

Predictive insights take this even further, enabling managers to anticipate future workspace trends while ensuring that spaces are both functional and efficient. If data suggests higher attendance on specific days of the week, facilities teams can prepare by allocating resources accordingly. Facilities and workplace managers, therefore, benefit from this proactive approach or a “future view” of workplace trends. This includes adapting to changing workplace policies, such as mandatory in-office days or a potential four-day workweek.

Ultimately, by understanding data and usage patterns, facilities and workplace managers can strike a balance between creating policies that encourage meaningful office presence rather than superficial compliance. More importantly, it provides them with the insights needed to successfully adapt to any changes that may come their way.

Finding the right balance

Modern workspace management systems offer more than just scheduling solutions, they provide the tools to create adaptable, efficient and engaging office environments. These systems allow facilities and workplace managers to align employee preferences with organisational objectives by using real-time insights, occupancy monitoring and predictive analytics.

As the world of work transforms, organisations that embrace a data-driven approach will be the ones better equipped to balance the competing demands of the workforce. Facilities and workplace managers play a pivotal role in this journey, ensuring that workspaces not only meet today’s demands but are also prepared for tomorrow’s changes.

i https://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/content/news/government-plans-right-to-request-four-day-work-week/

ii https://startups.co.uk/news/companies-ordering-return-to-office/

iii https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/facility-managers-guide-right-sizing-your-office-hybrid-shaik-ismail-a3fwc/

iv https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/starling-bank-employees-quit-over-office-working-demands/

v https://www.circles.com/gb/resources/top-uk-organisations-mandating-return-to-the-office-employees-are-challenging

vi https://www.verdantix.com/report/global-corporate-survey-2022-smart-building-technology-budgets-priorities-preferences

vii https://www.fastcompany.com/91158036/what-is-coffee-badging

viii Verdantix, ‘Market Size And Forecast: Space And Workplace Management Software 2023-2029’

ix https://www.matrixbooking.com/resources/case-studies/solent-nhs-trust/