{"id":2050,"date":"2023-06-20T09:06:03","date_gmt":"2023-06-20T13:06:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eptura.wpengine.com\/?p=2050"},"modified":"2024-09-10T00:33:43","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T04:33:43","slug":"freedom-vs-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eptura.com\/discover-more\/blog\/freedom-vs-connection\/","title":{"rendered":"What data reveals about workplace freedom and workforce connection"},"content":{"rendered":"

As day-to-day work models have dramatically shifted, what kind of workplace experience are most employees having in 2023? We are examining this very closely.<\/p>\n

For the first time, we\u2019re offering insight into macro trends using our proprietary global data. With 16.3M users spanning 16,000+ customers, we\u2019re able to pinpoint how the physical workspace operates end to end via data analysis. We can see information from asset maintenance<\/a> and site inspections<\/a>, to visitor management<\/a>, and office floorplans for space planning<\/a> across building and real estate portfolios.<\/p>\n

Based on our research<\/a>, we\u2019ve identified a set of benchmark patterns. These patterns are organized around four consistently recurring workplace tensions observed within our customer base. But our insights are also qualitatively based on thousands of customer and industry conversations with facility managers and operations leaders, including those from our two podcasts \u2013 Workplace Innovator<\/a> and Asset Champion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One of the most pressing tensions for facilities managers to understand from our research is freedom vs. connection<\/span>. What do we mean? It\u2019s the tension between an individual employee\u2019s desire to work how they want and the need for human connection with other employees.<\/p>\n

Get the entire 2023 Workplace Index: Q1 report<\/a> now.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Why does this matter to a facility manager or workplace strategist? Because it\u2019s a challenge to plan, maintain, and optimize your buildings without accurate utilization metrics. Utilization means behavior. Behavior means people. And workplace behavior today has undergone huge social shifts \u2013 which now require more nuanced evaluation and collaboration between many different teams \u2013 HR, IT, maintenance teams, others \u2013 who are all dependent on reliable and accurate building and facility data.<\/p>\n

Plus, 1-to-many space planning models, including the many flavors of hybrid work \u2013 have a different set of costs and benefits. And these relatively new, post-pandemic models are having a major effect on building and office moves, vendor management and contracts<\/a>, ESG standards<\/a>, regulatory compliance, and inventory management.<\/p>\n

When these new models are managed well, they can save time and energy, and boost employee morale and productivity. If they are done poorly, they can shrink a department\u2019s budget and leave an incomplete picture of the workplace.<\/p>\n

Employee freedom of choice and the physical workspace<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Today\u2019s workplace experience<\/a> is dynamic \u2013 and changing rapidly. The idea of employee freedom is not a brand-new concept, but it has experienced a rapid rate of adoption over the last few years as working from home became a necessity.<\/p>\n

Today, business leaders and employees are testing the boundaries of workplace freedom. Leaders need and want engaged and productive employees. Autonomy with accountability deepens employee trust, finds<\/a> Gallup researchers. Gallup tracks and publishes findings on the top workplaces as measured by employee engagement. The top companies have 18 engaged employees for every one actively disengaged employee.<\/p>\n

Depending on what region of the world you work in, the experience of who is in the office and for how many days a week<\/a> is wholly unique today. Per our research<\/a>, all regions spanning Asia Pacific (APAC), Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Americas saw year over year increases in desk bookings from all of 2022 through the first quarter of 2023:<\/p>\n

\"Year<\/p>\n

All regions, however, are not responding the same. Global desk booking data show office returns starting in APAC, then moving around the world. Customers in APAC countries are pushing to collaborate and drive innovation with in-office team cultures. European regions are fast followers with in-office attendance rising<\/a> across multiple industries. And in the Americas, larger cities are leading the charge of in-office occupancy.<\/p>\n

In similar vein, our year over year data shows a consistent rise in desk bookings by days of week \u2013 especially during the midweek days of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Also, there\u2019s been strong year over year expansion in meeting room bookings where we analyzed over 10 million individual meeting rooms in our platform:<\/p>\n