It is undeniable that economic conditions are becoming increasingly challenging. The global economy, still reeling from the pandemic, has added rising prices to all the other factors putting pressure on businesses. In times of change, successful leaders watch for hidden opportunities. These opportunities do exist, and companies all over the world are just starting to take advantage of them.
One of these opportunities is the rise of data analytics. Nowadays, companies have more data than ever before at their fingertips. The real difficulty is turning this data into insights that can drive decision-making. Sales, Finance, Marketing, and almost all other business departments seem to have tools for tracking their performance and making strategic decisions based on historical data. But what about office management?
It seems that office management often ends up on the back burner and tools like Excel are still the main resources office managers have at hands. But now, following in the footsteps of other departments, businesses are beginning to realize the benefits of analytics for workplace optimization. Better management of office resources through data-driven office management tools can be one of the best ways to increase efficiency, cut costs, and ensure that our businesses are better equipped to weather economic storms. This is especially relevant in the age of remote and hybrid work models, where expensive corporate spaces might be sitting idly by while employees are busy working remotely.
Today, we are going to explore 4 ways that you can use workplace optimization to improve your business and become more resilient in the face of economic instability.
1. Cut Costs, Not Employees
During tough times, companies often look to one of the fastest ways to cut costs: layoffs. However, layoffs can end up reducing your organization’s output, lower your team’s morale, and put more stress and pressure on the employees who remain. A better method for cutting costs is to properly manage it. This requires an overview of all office resources your organization actually uses. With the right tools and organizational data, companies can identify opportunities for cutting costs, such as, reducing the amount of real estate, spending on desks and equipment or even utilities.
Corporate spaces can be incredibly expensive, and hybrid work has created the opportunity for many organizations to cut down on the amount of office space they currently own or rent. In order to know where you can cut costs and where you cannot, it helps to rely on a management platform that actually shows real-time data of office occupancy. Shortly put, a desk booking tool. This allows you to easily and simply track the hours or weekdays your office is actually occupied and to what capacity. Over time, this occupancy data can be collected, analyzed, and used to cut real-estate-related costs, such as closing unused office space, selling off or renting out areas, or even delimit certain spaces on days with low foot traffic.
FLEXIDESK can help you track in-office activity over a longer period of time. By enabling your employees to book their desks on in-office days, you can extract that data and use it in your next strategic business administration meeting. As an office manager, you will finally have data to support your proposals on resource efficiency and new ideas on how to secure a smooth-running business.
2. Identify Ways To Improve Your Workplace
As a result of this shift to the hybrid model, it has become even more important to ensure that your workplace meets the needs of your employees. A workplace that is not adapted to the workflow of your employees will remain underutilized and a source of increasing costs. FLEXIDESK helps you to determine how and when your employees are using your office space and what their objectives are.
Organizations all across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are recognizing the benefits of workplace optimization. For example, if your employees are primarily using office space for meetings and face-to-face collaboration, you may want to invest more in boardrooms and spaces where they can come together. A space filled with empty cubicles, and desks collecting dust will only burden your balance sheet.
Collecting this type of data can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. FLEXIDESK is designed to make the process simple. All you need to do is set up your office with its rooms and desks in the platform, invite your team members, and you’re ready to go. Over time, you can view on which days and which team members utilized which rooms or offices. The first 10 desks and rooms are free to book, just try it out for yourself and create a free account!
3. Focus On Keeping Your Best People
When economic pressures begin to put a strain on your organization, it is incredibly important to ensure that you keep your best employees. One thing that most employees dislike is uncertainty. That’s why efficient management of your hybrid workspace can be a great way to ensure that you can retain your most-skilled employees.
FLEXIDESK is designed to enable effortless team collaboration and activity-based working, giving you the ability to adapt in real time to your team members’ ever-changing schedules and needs. This can reduce the amount of time spent going back and forth between team members and keep your employees focused on their tasks. Plus, you can also use our platform to cater to the specific preferences of your employees. Simplify your workflows and planning processes and give your team the freedom to choose a work environment that fits their personal needs. Benefit from more flexibility and a better work-life balance. Because a healthy and happy corporate culture drives a company's success.
4. Take Advantage of Change
Difficult times increase uncertainty. However, where there is uncertainty, there is always opportunity. Hybrid work is more than just a recent trend driven by economic and global upheavals. It is an entirely new way of working and achieving business goals. This is uncharted territory, which means that you have a chance to find new and hidden ways of achieving your objectives. Hybrid work is an approach to working that embraces flexibility. Flexibility increases productivity by meeting the different needs of each of your employees and enabling them to get the most out of their time. Keep the perfect overview by tracking home office days, team presence and room capacities in your workspace.
Get insights into work behavior, preferences, and tendencies of your team in just a glimpse of an eye, while giving your employees the opportunity to see where each team member is working at any time.
Flexibility is a part of our DNA. If you would like to take advantage of the opportunities of an effective and easy-to-use office space management platform, start an account with us today!