Introduction

Over the last number of years, the traditional workplace has undergone a profound transformation, driven by technological advancements, and changing employee expectations. The emergence of remote work and the rise of hybrid work models have challenged conventional notions of office space utilisation, leading to a growing need for innovative solutions that can adapt to the evolving needs of modern businesses.

The evolution of the workplace

The workplace landscape has evolved significantly over time, from traditional office setups characterised by fixed workstations and rigid schedules to more flexible arrangements that prioritise mobility and collaboration. The advent of remote work has further accelerated this shift, prompting organizations to rethink their approach to office space management. Hybrid work models, which combine remote and in-office work, have become increasingly prevalent, creating new challenges and opportunities for businesses seeking to optimise their office spaces.

Challenges in office space management

Despite the benefits of remote work and flexible arrangements, many organisations struggle to effectively manage their office spaces in the hybrid work era. Traditional methods of office space management, such as manual booking systems and static floor plans, are ill-equipped to handle the dynamic nature of modern workplaces.
As a result, companies often face inefficiencies, underutilised spaces, and wasted resources.
The need for data-driven insights and analytics has never been greater as organisations seek to maximise the value of their office spaces and adapt to changing work patterns.
The problem many organisations face in Ireland, is the need to redesign or resize their workplace to fit their needs, often without knowing what their needs are.

CBRE, the global commercial real estate specialists recently produced their latest “2023-2024 CBRE Global Workplace & Occupancy Insights” report based off global workplace averages, with some key points highlighted below:

• Office space utilisation rates remain under 40% occupancy in EMEA.
• 43% of organisations plan to decrease their office space by more than 30%.
• 36% of workstations go unused in a typical workday in a hybrid office environment.
• 29% of workstations are used less than 3hrs per day.

What these three stats indicate is that changes to workplaces are necessary, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution, with some companies requiring more space for collaboration, and some requiring less space entirely.

Introducing FlowSense

FlowSense is our brand new workplace analytics service, in partnership with Flowscape.

FlowSense leverages advanced sensor technology to offer detailed insights into the usage of the workplace. By tracking booked resources, instances of no-shows, the duration of resource utilisation, and the number of people in each space, the service provides unparalleled insight into office space usage.
Its aim is to provide actionable recommendations on how to best optimise workspace configurations to support evolving work patterns, enhance efficiency and reduce costs, unique to a clients specific requirement.

Benefits of FlowSense

The FlowSense service solution delivers fact-based framework for reimagining workplace layouts to meet current and future requirements.
The data enables organisations to optimise resource allocation, improve productivity and employee experience, and reduce costs. By embracing data-driven strategies, organisations can significantly enhance workspace efficiency, cater to the diverse needs of their workforce, and position themselves for future growth.

By understanding how your office is being utilised, you can make smarter investments for your future workplace requirements, reduce costs, energy and your carbon footprint, while vastly improving employee experience.

How it works?

Bizquip install occupancy sensors on all existing resources in the office environment, including workstations, meeting rooms, break out spaces and collaboration areas to monitor real-time occupancy and resource utilisation in the workplace over a fixed timeframe (recommended timeframe of 3 – 6 months).

The sensors collect tangible data of resource utilisation over this period of time, measuring actual occupancy of meeting spaces and desks to determine existing and future workplace requirements.

Multiple types of sensors used to collect data including no. of occupants in meeting rooms, and overall occupancy of a resource.

This analysis specifically focuses on weekdays’ office hours, offering an accurate depiction of space usage during peak operational periods.

The duration of data collection can be tailored to suit individual customer requirements. Typically, a 3-6 measuring period is recommended to yield comprehensive insights into actual office usage.

These insights enable informed decision-making regarding necessary changes and adaptations to company policies.

Workplace utilisation report and recommendations:

Upon conclusion of the occupancy measuring period, Bizquip will provide a report which details our findings based on the data collated.
The report we provide shows the no. of workstations required based on multiple scenarios, including both hot-desking and fixed desking options to ensure both current and future requirements are met.
Meeting room analysis is also shown, highlighting actual usage and occupancy of the existing meeting spaces. The report shows both the level of occupancy and no. of occupants per meeting room over this period.
As part of this report, our team also provide recommendations and solutions for optimum workplace efficiency based on the data shown.

What the workplace utilisation report includes:

• Desk occupancy statistics, showing daily / weekly occupancy, zone, floor, building.
• Meeting occupancy statistics across all meeting spaces.
• No. of users occupying each meeting space at any given time.
• Data analysis of existing resource usage.
• Recommendations for existing and future desking requirements.
• Options based on multiple scenarios e.g. 2hr. “hot-desking”, and fixed desking.
• Meeting room requirements
• Options based on occupancy data & no. of users utilising existing meeting spaces.
• 3D renders & layouts showing proposed options for redesign.
• Furniture & technology options & recommendations (if required).
• Scope of works to complete project.

Whether you are reviewing your existing workplace requirements, or planning an office move, this report will provide you with data-based information and assist with making informed decisions on the future of your workplace.

If you would like to discuss the possibility of using our new workplace analytics service, FlowSense, please reach out to our team using our contact form here.