How Space Management Software Helps Transition Employees Back to the Office?

As companies begin re-opening their office spaces to transition employees, it is essential to start brainstorming your own organization’s transition plan. However, the task of bringing employees back to the office in a pandemic environment is not only daunting. But one that demands an evolution of the physical workplace into a more agile and dynamic concept. To help this issue a space management software is being used.

Ensuring that employees adhere to social distancing requirements requires either more office space which is often impossible and out of budget. As a result, many workstations, and conference rooms will have to be closed off or set to limited capacity. Different waves of employees will have to cycle through the office at different times.

The Evolution of the Workplace

The unique demands of the pandemic on the workplace throws permanently assigned seating out of the window for the time being, and companies are forced to consider different alternatives. One such alternative is desk hoteling – in which workers schedule their use of different workspaces in shifts instead of reporting to the same work area each day.

An agile workplace system such as desk hoteling can only be implemented successfully as long as several key infrastructural features are set in place. The company must have a smart reservation system that allows employees to quickly and easily book workspaces from their mobile devices. Further, employees need access to dynamic floorplans that provide wayfinding and employee search capabilities so that new spaces and shifting employees can be easily located.

The Aid of Space Management Software

So how can a company effectively execute all of these strategies in a streamlined manner without interfering with their business objectives? For many, the answer has been implementing this software.

It’s is a cloud-based platform that provides a diverse but interconnected array of services. These services are related to space planning, execution, and optimization. Thanks to these streamlined services offered through this software. Companies can execute a fool-proof and flexible plan for transitioning employees back to the office.

Want to learn more? Below are six specific ways space software helps companies bring their employees back to the office:

1. Dynamic Floor Plans and Wayfinding

With this software, you can keep your employees safe and oriented while rolling out a desk-hoteling plan. Floor plans can be uploaded to the system and modified so that your office layout follows social distancing guidelines. One specific example would be adjusting the office floor plan such that desks that are six feet apart can be reservable and those in between are designated as un-reservable.

Further, different layers can be added to floor plans so as to provide more information that will help keep employees stay safe in the office. These layers include directional arrows for the flow of traffic in common spaces such as hallways and corridors, maximum capacity for each room, fire escape routes, and more.

2. Desk-Booking and Room Reservations

This software offers a quick, mobile solution to booking desks, rooms, equipment, and services. Employees will be able to reserve their workspace for the day at any time and from anywhere, which helps prevent employees from wasting unnecessary time aimlessly searching for open desks in the office.

Further, specific desks can be blocked off at any time in order to adhere to social distancing norms or to leave time for sanitization. If your desk-hoteling plan depends on work-shift patterns, the desk reservation system can be set up so as to align with these time patterns and thus make it easier to implement the seating strategy.

3. IoT Sensors

This software gives you the ability to integrate IoT sensors into the system so that you can better monitor your workspaces. By space monitors, you can assess real-time occupancy as well as room temperature, humidity, and air quality.

Further, installing occupancy sensors at desks and conference rooms enables you to track how many employees are in each area. Alerts can be sent out when a monitor picks up a violation of room capacity. Sensors can be synced to facilities operations as well for optimized cleaning services.

4. Automated Facilities

With the help of this software and sensor monitoring, you can streamline your facility’s operations. So that workspaces can be automatically cleaned before and after an employee uses a desk or conference room. Different company departments – such as HR, IT, and facilities – can join forces on a single platform.

5. Contact Tracing

These software’s contact tracing capabilities can help prevent virus outbreaks. By tracking when and where employees are working in the office. You can then create analytical reports that summarize which employees were working in the office on any specific date/time. All with the location of their workspaces(s) and nearby employees. The option to retrieve this type of data can nip any potential viral outbreaks in the bud.

6. Asset Tracking

A hybrid workforce means that while many employees will begin working in the office. At the same time, many employees will also be working from home from time to time. This including items such as laptops and mobile devices. By this software, corporate assets can be assigned to remote employees and tracked to make sure that nothing gets lost or damaged beyond repair. Moreover, employees will be able to use the software to request services from the IT or facilities departments. If they need help setting up or fixing the equipment while working from home.

Summary

Transitioning employees back to the office in light of COVID-19 is a huge project that requires smart and safe decision-making. This software can help your company navigate the unique challenges that come with temporary occupancy and a hybrid workforce. Whether it entails desk-hoteling or last-minute moves, responsive facilities operations, or sensor monitoring dynamic floor plan or contact tracing. It’s time to consider whether your business can benefit from implementing this software. It can help bring employees back to the office safely without losing sight of corporate goals and progress.