“Data, data everywhere – no idea what it means!”

So, what data do you really need that will lead to actionable insights?

Most companies are looking for valid benchmarks in order to inform their decision making. This year, I’ve interviewed 40 companies and nearly every one has asked what others are doing.

Some companies turn to data from access control and sensors, which give an indication of occupation and use of the existing office. But this information doesn’t tell you why people are there or what’s missing from the office.

These data also only track those who make the effort or are mandated to come into the office, not those who would potentially come in if the space had a better design, was more suited to their needs, or if they felt there would be a benefit to them to attend. Perhaps work settings that are better aligned to their preferred in-office activities, such as informal and formal collaboration and social meets with colleagues, are needed.

Imagine being that employee who is working from their desk at home and feels they are productive in completing their daily tasks. They are comfortable with their home amenities and technology, the flexibility it affords their personal life, and the lack of a commute.

Why would they make the effort to come to an office which is designed mainly for focus and general process type activities when they feel they can complete these activities productively at home? They won’t, and in fact they aren’t. This month (November 2022), most sectors are struggling to make an average daily attendance of 30%, with the exception of industries such as life sciences, manufacturing, etc. which are seeing much higher attendance around 50-60%?(ref. “The Evidence II ” report January 2023). You can of course spin the data to suit a certain narrative, such as saying 85% of employees are visiting the office in any given month, while neglecting to include that their time in the office may only amount to 2 hours each week. This kind of interpretation doesn’t tell us anything. It doesn’t tell us if the office is a place that really works for employees or if it somewhere they want to be.

“There needs to be an intentional purpose for employees to come to the office, and when they are there, the office design and way of working needs to support that purpose.”

While previous data exist from European projects to support more flexible ways of working and workplace designs, the pandemic has caused everyone to look for more local examples of success and benchmarks, but these do not yet exist.

So we need to create our own benchmarks.

How do we do that?

Firstly, we need to collect relevant data. This is where our WEX Engagement Tool comes in. This is a tool that dives deeply into employees’ working patterns, activities, tools, preferred work settings, and networking collaborations. It is able to forecast who will be in the office, when they will be there, what they will be doing, and who they need to work with. It will also forecast how much space you need for all these activities.

These data then need to be interpreted and modelled. This part entails a large dose of interviews and workshops to contextualize and validate the data.

Then, we need to pilot the modelling – creating refreshed and re-modelled workplaces, new operating models and agreements, and technology that provides a frictionless experience. This is where we establish our own benchmark data.

Next up is monitoring, tweaking and refining the pilot project until we are satisfied that the methodology that got us there is robust.?

Finally, now we have our benchmark data.

We can use this approach to roll out across more office space, while taking into account departmental, geographic, and cultural differences in approaches and outcomes.

There is no cookie cutter solution, no easy way, no secret sauce that is hidden from you.? The journey to a new way of working and workplace solution is likely to take you at least four to five months from the moment you start, to being ready to define solutions for the pilot project. For larger organizations, the process can be even longer.

To gain velocity and move that journey forward expeditiously, you may want to lean on a guide, someone who has done the journey many times before who can identify the hurdles and provide solutions.

The team at CRUX Workplace has been guiding companies to successfully establish more flexible ways of working for over 20 years. We're here to help if you'd like us to be your guide for the journey.