Occupancy Data to Drive Corporate Real Estate Space Planning
Flexibility, collaborative spaces and dynamic reporting to lead decision-making in 2023.
There’s been a rise in companies demanding employees return to the office, however, firms are still struggling to make it work.
Lambent CEO Richard Scannell said the negative impact this can have “is too great to ignore” and he suggests that firms “get a handle on utilization, how space will be used, and how to best plan for that.”
Scannell said adopting a more modern, data-driven approach can help anticipate how spaces will be used going forward. Lambent is a software company for smart space planning, and in a recent Lambent report, Scannell predicted several shifts in 2023 for the office environment.
Return to Office “Flexibility.” There’s a role for the office environment, it’s just not anything like what it used to be. Employees and managers seek intentional experiences – going to the office or workplace with a purpose – whatever it might be.
“Companies will need to get creative and experiment with more flexible shared spaces that can be re-purposed quickly and easily,” Scannell said.
Increased Focus on Collaborative, Connected Spaces. Collaborative spaces, i.e., more couches and tables, fewer offices, desks and cubicles, will dominate. And coffee machines, whiteboards, lounges and shared spaces will be in high demand.
Sustainability Metrics that Matter. The key is identifying and reporting on the right metrics to measure progress. Hard data will be needed to highlight the difference they are making in sustainability at their locations.
Sensor Dependencies in Question. What appeared to be a great idea for measuring office use has run into challenges. There is certainly a place for sensors, but only as a piece of a broader space planning strategy.
New C-Suite Ask: Dynamic Space Reports. Occupancy data must be integrated with all the information that pertains to a space – from its physical configuration to the intentional use of that space through scheduling, booking and event systems. In 2023, the CRE industry will rely more on analysis and reports that make sense of it all.