Guide to workspace management

Real estate is often the second largest expense for businesses after salaries. In this context, optimizing the use of workspace is now a strategic priority.  

Thinking about activity-based working (ABW) for the layout of your spaces? Willing to transform your premises into connected spaces, or to design a work environment that promotes well-being?  
This guide tells you everything about workspace management.  

What is workspace management?

Within businesses, workspace management combines supervision and organization of facilities with the aim of maximizing workplace efficiency. Facility managers are responsible for creating workspaces that will inspire employees to give their best to achieve the company's productivity goals.  

The facility manager

Facility managers seek the perfect balance between employee expectations, available equipment and usable spaces. They analyze building activity using data collected on circulation flows, with the aim of optimizing the use of the premises in terms of space layout, room and office design, and parking optimization, for instance.

The advantages of effective workspace management

Effective space management has many significant advantages for businesses, such as improved employee productivity, reduced real estate expenses and lower environmental footprint.

Key concepts

Before presenting solutions to the challenges of workspace management, let us first define some key concepts:

• Monitoring of occupancy and uses

Occupancy tracking involves real-time monitoring through sensors and software. By leveraging the collected data, companies can identify trends they never anticipated and optimize space allocation according to actual needs. The result is nothing short of amazing: improved efficiency and a considerable reduction in costs.

• Space planning ‍

‍Space planning is a strategic approach to office design that contributes to operational efficiency as well as employee well-being. It involves distributing collaborative and individual spaces thoughtfully to boost team synergy and personal focus.  

• Flexible workspace solutions ‍

Flexible workspace solutions are designed to accommodate contemporary work styles, such as hybrid remote work and flex office, by offering scalable layouts. These types of solutions include hot-desking (no reservations, first come, first served), shared workspaces (fostering collaboration between different teams), and multipurpose spaces that can accommodate a variety of uses, such as meeting rooms, relaxation areas, or individual offices. This approach enables employees to select the most suitable environment for their tasks, while optimizing the use of available space.

• Activity-based working

Open spaces are a common choice for companies seeking to enhance collaboration among teams and boost productivity. Activity-based working follows a different principle according which each activity in the working day deserves a specific space. Implementing this approach entails offering employees a range of workspaces designed to mitigate noise pollution or any other kind of disturbance. For example, soundproof spaces, such as acoustic office pods or booths, make it possible to create places dedicated to individual concentration, thus preserving the serenity and efficiency of employees.  

• CMMS and IoT

CAFM (Computer-Aided Facility Management) or CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) software, as well as IoT (Internet of Things) platforms are essential tools for optimizing workpsace management. For example, IoT sensors collect real-time data on usage, environmental conditions, and occupancy. Analytics based on this data can facilitate decision-making and improve overall operational efficiency. Meanwhile, CAFM or CMMS solutions streamline operations, from maintenance planning to asset tracking.  

The challenges of workspace management

Today, technological tools and analytics are essential for facility management. They provide accurate information for decision-making and help meet challenges such as:

1. Office space optimization
   Find the right balance between maximum use of space and employee well-being: don't waste resources with overly spacious offices, but be careful to avoid cramped offices, which can hinder productivity. It starts as soon as people arrive on site, with parking: avoid the daily stress of parking difficulties and time spent searching for a spot. Use automated parking management software such as Wayleadr, Sharvy, or Izix and optimize your parking spaces while ensuring your employees have a space when they need it.  

2. Energy savings  
   The main energy consumption sources are temperature control and power supply. While installing HVAC systems and solar panels can save money, you can boost your performance by choosing the right equipment: LED lighting, light- and motion-sensing tablets for your signage (e.g. the RoomPad Silver), or even low-tech equipment such as DeskTag digital ink labels. Each device in your building represents a source of energy consumption that can be optimized.  

3. Property responsibilities  
   Every square meter of space in a building has a cost. In light of the increasing prevalence of hybrid and remote work models, facility managers must optimize the utilization of their office spaces. Applying new workspace management principles, such as shared offices and activity-based working, helps reduce real estate costs while providing employees with the space they need to do their work.

4. Reducing environmental footprint  
   Adopting innovative space management practices is an effective strategy for making buildings more sustainable: natural lighting, facilitated by techniques such as skylights and solar tubes, can reduce the need for artificial light. An easier approach that has proven successful in reducing environmental footprint is the adoption of an ecological cleaning policy, using eco-friendly products and methods.

5. Efficient room management  
   Meeting rooms are always in high demand. Essential for collaboration, they can be a source of frustration if room booking is cumbersome, and costly if they are not used to their full potential. Centralized room booking software solutions like Witco are thus valuable tools for facility managers and all building occupants. With Witco, booking a room is quick and easy: anyone can book from their smartphone or on the web app. The system centralizes data, allowing facility managers to obtain detailed occupancy reports to understand usage and adjust workspace management practices accordingly.

Key workspace management measures

Workspace management involves the collection of relevant data to create workspaces that efficiently accommodate both employees and equipment. The objective is to achieve the right balance between quality of life at work and office space optimization. Here are some tips to help you accomplish this goal.

Analyzing and evaluating the use of spaces

The initial step is to gain a comprehensive understanding of your current spaces.

• Space audit: document all available spaces and their use

• Occupancy rate: measure the actual utilization rate of the different areas

• Flow mapping: analyze movements and interactions within spaces ‍

Strategic planning of workplace design

Effective planning helps align the use of spaces with organizational objectives.

• Defining needs: identify the specific requirements of each department

• Growth forecasting: anticipate future space needs

• Flexible scenarios: develop multiple layout options to accommodate changes

Monitoring the use of spaces

Innovative digital solutions significantly facilitate workspace management by providing real-time data on resource availability, incident handling, or maintenance planning.

• CMMS: use management systems, such as Servicenow, ServiceInsight by CBRE, or Looma by VINCI Facilities, to track space usage, manage maintenance requests, and easily communicate with all parties.

• IoT sensors: install Cisco or Z#bre sensors to collect real-time data on the occupancy of your rooms and offices.

• Booking apps: implement platforms like Witco that allow employees to make reservations in advance or at the last minute, with real-time availability information.  

Designing hybrid spaces

Flexibility is essential to adapt to changing needs.

• Modular furniture: invest in easily reconfigurable furniture.

• Multifunctional areas: create spaces that can serve different purposes.

• Movable partitions: use dividers that allow you to quickly change the layout of the space. ‍

‍Controlling energy consumption

An essential aspect of sustainable practice is the sober management of the workspace, which includes monitoring and adjusting energy consumption at various levels.

• Automated lighting and HVAC controls based on real-time occupancy: use occupancy sensors to trigger lights, or coordinate heating with room booking to achieve substantial savings while improving sustainability.

• Screen sleep: schedule all screens to go into standby mode outside of office hours.

• Areas opening according to occupancy: use the room reservation and office attendance schedule to adapt available space to the expected occupancy. There is no need to heat or cool the whole building when just one department is using it.  

Measuring the success of your workspace management

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) help measure the relevance of the space management strategy:  

• Cost per square meter: measures the financial efficiency of space use.

• Occupancy rate: indicates how much space is actually used.

• User satisfaction: assesses employees' perception of their work environment.

• Productivity: measures the impact of the layout on performance.

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By implementing all these measures, you will reap many benefits from your investments in office space optimization.

Benefits of effective workspace management

Effective management can bring you a lot:

• Optimized space utilization: by seeking to take advantage of every square meter and minimizing underutilized spaces, you improve resource allocation, ensuring that resources are aligned with real needs and uses. Consequently, overall productivity and operational efficiency are also improved.

• Increased productivity: efficient space management promotes a more pleasant and organized work environment, meeting individual work preferences and conducive to the full expression of employees’ potential.  

• Cost control: office space optimization can help you grow your workforce without increasing your real estate footprint. Reconfiguring underused areas and rethinking some collaborative spaces is sometimes enough to accommodate additional employees without changing the real estate footprint.

• Better workplace flexibility: activity-based working solutions, or more generally flex office, allow companies to adapt quickly to changing working methods and employee expectations. Providing hot-desking and flexible spaces is essential to enable seamless transitions between remote and in-office work while maximizing space utilization and collaboration opportunities.

• Improved safety: workspace management is a critical component in integrating safety protocols and ensuring compliance with health, fire and building regulations in work environments. By ensuring accessible emergency exits, sufficient spacing between workstations, and strict adherence to fire and safety standards, businesses not only comply with the law, but also protect the well-being of all building occupants.
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Discover the incredible power of effective workspace management with the Sanofi client story.
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And to find out how Witco and our wide range of partner applications can streamline your workspace management, contact our team.