Hybrid work has made occupancy
analytics more crucial than ever.
Companies need to monitor how space is
used to ensure employees can access the
types of space they need and that the
organization uses resources efficiently.
While badge scans and manual
walkthroughs were generally considered
"good enough" before the COVID-19
pandemic, these methods often don't
provide the constant visibility they need to
make informed decisions.
But despite the cost savings space
optimization can yield, the barrier to more
sophisticated occupancy analytics has
always been cost. Installing and
maintaining space utilization sensors is
expensive. And companies are keen to find
the most cost-effective ways to optimize
their hybrid workplaces. (Or meet the
increased demand from RTO.)
"So," Ross Leibowitz says, "the question
companies have to answer is, 'How
accurate does our occupancy data need to
be for us to make predictive decisions
vvvvvv
around demand?' And it's going to depend
on the types of decisions they want to
make and the spaces they're monitoring. If
I'm looking at very granular decisions
around conference rooms and amenities,
then I need more detailed data. So it's kind
of weird in the sense that the smaller the
decision, the more detailed the data needs
to be. The bigger the decision—like how
many workstations you need—the less
detailed."
Most of the cost savings from space
optimization come from "big decisions"
that don't require employers to know
precisely where every occupant is located
—they just need a rough idea to evaluate
whether there's enough space to meet
demand. And that makes it hard to justify
investing in complex sensor networks.
"Companies are going to move away from
individual sensors to leveraging
technologies like network and physical
access or other tech that is already
installed," John Vivaldi says. "Sensors are
simply more expensive to install and
maintain."
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2025 Workplace Predictions: Prediction #7
