How to Choose the Right Workplace Optimisation Software for your Organisation
Workplace optimisation allows companies to look at the available office space and put some system in place to ensure that time spend in the office helps in building connection and coordination, allowing employees to work efficiently. It is seen that the work environment highly affects the behaviour of the employees and therefore, it is imperative to optimise the workspace so that their work is more engaging and productive.
The pandemic has taught us, “digital by default” is the future. Now it’s your turn to learn how to choose the right workplace optimization software for your organization. time to re-invent your workplace with smart facility management solutions.
What is Workplace Optimisation
Workplaces have evolved, and millennials are looking for innovative ways to make their workplace congenial. This involves creating an innovative structural plan of the available space and ensuring that all employees are able to work productively without wasting time and effort. As opposed to the conventional workspace, an optimised workplace is more than just giving desks to the employees or staff. It is more about creating an intelligent work culture that allows space to be used for multiple purposes.
The offices have come above the typical “cubical zones” and workplace optimisation is being seen as highly crucial in modern offices because of the vast benefits it offers. Multi-use office spaces, technologies enabling smart desking solutions, open offices are all becoming common. The main aim of optimised working is to gear organisations towards creating physically as well as digitally organised spaces. Be it choosing the right technology to manage your remote workforce, bringing in a smart digital receptionist or choosing the right software to manage building occupancy ratio, workplace optimisation allows the offices to shift towards greater efficiency.
How to choose the right workplace optimisation software for your organisation
Workplace optimisation can mean different for different organisations and what suits you the most is highly dependent on the situation and kind of work culture prevalent in your office. Here is a list of things that companies should consider in order to choose the right workplace optimisation software:
Review the current occupancy
When comes to facility management, most companies go in search of solutions without understanding the root cause or the problems that need to be addressed. Workplace optimization starts with the retail space available, the no: of employees, total workstations available, etc. Let’s start by asking simple questions,
- How many employees have separate desks?
- How many desks are empty or see less usage?
- What space do the employees prefer more?
Getting clear and precise answers to such questions is a great start as it allows companies to clearly define their goals and aspirations.
Space utilisation can be calculated easily by dividing the total number of employees by the total space. This ratio is enough to give valuable insights into how well the space is being utilised. However, there are other metrics that allow facility managers to deduce the occupancy ratio and capacity as a whole. With all of that, deciding on general guidelines and expectations right from the beginning of the hunt allows companies to choose wisely between varied options of facility optimisation.
Define the occupancy cost of workspace
For companies that still believe in cramming up more desks is the way for workplace optimization, the hybrid work model has radically changed the way employees interact and engage within a facility. Safety and convenience have become more important than ever.
Real estate cost is an important factor and complicated metrics in workplace optimisation. Over the last decades, businesses have invested huge sums in office space management, and figuring out ways to justify the real estate costs.
The technology outburst has given way for intelligent facility management technologies, helping companies calculate cost per person and help the companies understand and define an optimisation strategy in order to create an engaging and conducive work environment for the staff. This makes it easier for the companies to devise an appropriate financial plan for the whole workplace optimisation, providing them with solid data to make smart decisions.
Create a hybrid work strategy
The hybrid workplace is here to stay and there is no denying the fact that the companies who are willing to shift to this workplace model are moving in the right direction to creating a great work culture. A great challenge towards creating this kind of workplace is getting the remote employees on board and genuinely making efforts to include them just like the on-site staff.
In order to achieve hybrid workforce management companies need to formulate their specific set of policies. While these policies and sets of procedures may not be the same for all the organisations, here are some criteria that can help in formulating proper decking plans;
- What events will be attended by the remote employees?
- How often do the remote employees need to visit the office?
- When can the work-from-home employees use special meeting rooms, conference halls, audit halls etc.?
Having a clear remote working strategy helps organisations in making the right choice for workplace optimisation software, making this whole process immensely successful and efficient.
Hear the employees
As the workplaces are becoming hybrid, it is an essential practice to invite the employee’s suggestions.
How often do the employees wish to work from the office?
How do they plan to commute?
How do they plan to follow the safety guidelines?
How long do the employees plan to stay in the office premise?
What technologies and amenities do they require at their workstation?
Taking input from employees allow companies to form an appropriate working strategy which, in turn, helps them come with effective arrangements.
Explore the space utilisation trends
The workplace is more than just creating an open office with a fun view outside and attractive pieces. Many companies may consider transitioning to a smart office means furnishing their workspace but investing in funky pieces of furniture and fancy lightings does not solve space problems.
Before jumping to a conclusion with respect to the right workplace optimisation software, it is absolutely necessary that companies explore the current space utilisation trends (hybrid workplace model) and make a plan about how they wish to incorporate those trends within their working ecosystem. While this is the job of the software itself, it is best to collect accurate data about the requirements and the changes required by the different departments of the company.
When the companies have a clear understanding of employee requirements it becomes very easy to sync those demands with the facility optimization strategy.
Think long term before investing
The best decisions are made when companies think long-term and then take action. Be it workplace optimisation software or desk booking software or asset management system, making future-ready investments can immensely supplement the growth bar of any organisation.
For the optimisation of space, taking the changing employee’s demands and behaviours into consideration is crucial. Another factor to take into account while choosing the right software is the changing nature of the very workplace model – the adaption of hybrid spaces. Keeping these two factors in mind, companies can go about choosing the one that suits their needs, budgets and employees.
Pandemic or not, proper workplace optimisation software should be able to give your office a reformed look and the employees a blossoming environment in all scenarios. The right choice will inevitably give your organisation greater control over space and effortlessly make the office more enjoyable, productive and engaging all at the same time for employees.
End Thoughts
With the recent shift in hybrid workplaces, companies need to be aware of all the technologies and know-how that can help offices to turn into highly efficient workspaces. For organisations looking to change how their employees work, it is vital that they change the space that employees sit to think and innovate. With an optimised workplace, real estate will no longer be seen as a burdening area but something that drives and adds value to the company’s growth.
