As employees gradually return to the office, many struggle to maximize the available office space. Whether the space and equipment are rented or owned, employees and employers can benefit from taking full advantage of coworking management software and office seat reservation systems. Not only can these tools play a huge role in helping you utilize your office space, but they are more cost-effective options for your company, too. In this article, we’ll explore how space management can improve overall productivity in the office.
What Is Space Management?
Space management involves controlling and managing the different workspaces a business uses in a physical office space. Those workspaces include office desks and cubicles, conference rooms, focus spaces, and meeting rooms for discussions with clients and visitors. Managing office space is especially vital during this time of social distancing and hybrid work.
Space management tactics may change from company to company, especially when a single office space is shared by multiple businesses. In coworking spaces, the office is shared between people who are self-employed or working for different employers. Managing office space through coworking management software allows those employees to coordinate workspace use and schedule meeting times for teams. So, how does managing office space improve productivity in the office?
Benefits of Space Management
Productivity in the office stems from a few different factors, space management included. Here are some of the most notable benefits of space management:
- It allows businesses to welcome and retain new employees
- It allows employees to work with like-minded people
- It encourages the sharing of ideas, knowledge, equipment, and inspiration
Welcome New Team Members
The effective use of office space can incentivize strong employees to stay with the company. According to a case study on effective onboarding and integration, 92% of new employees at a company felt they were productive, contributing members of their teams after just one month on the job. The HR representatives who conducted the study accredited this to effective onboarding efforts like providing a functioning workspace and tools on day one. From this, it’s clear that space management can play a significant role in reducing stress, setting new or current employees up for success, and helping new hires feel welcome and comfortable in a new position and environment.
For office spaces shared between multiple companies, new employees may prefer a permanent desk or flexibility within their workspace. Using an office seat reservation system gives employees the ability to reserve a permanent space, if possible, or move around each day as they like. So finding a comfortable workspace for them will better the chances of them sticking around.
Work with Other Like-Minded People
Working from home heavily limits employees’ interactions with each other. Effectively managing coworking office space allows people to work with their teammates – or others who have similar interests and talents – giving employees a much-needed sense of community and belonging within the office.
Coworking space software also gives teams the necessary tools to schedule team meetings and brainstorming sessions, where they can discuss concerns or goals. In-person interactions build trust and allow employees to support each other. Those meetings and interactions are difficult to organize without effective space management.
Encourage Collaboration and Inspiration
A company may be in danger of stagnating or failing when employees stop coming up with new ideas. One of the biggest benefits of managing coworking office space is that when employees work with other team members – or clients – they can share inspiration, ideas, and knowledge in person, without feeling too cramped. This is not always feasible when an entire office is packed with workers, especially this year.
Using office seat reservation systems, sometimes referred to as office hoteling, gives employees the freedom to reserve workspaces on any given day, depending on their availability and preference. Rather than only working from home and collaborating on lifeless video calls, the option to choose workspaces encourages interaction between employees and allows them to exchange ideas. When it comes to productivity, employee interaction is critical in helping company growth and customer satisfaction.
Improving Your Office Management with OfficeTogether
From freelancers and entrepreneurs to employees of a large corporation, everyone can benefit from improving their space management. You may not realize how much your current setup is affecting your productivity until you’ve experienced a more open office space. However, scheduling office time to improve space management can be difficult if you don’t have the right resources and tools.
At OfficeTogether, you can find easy-to-use coworking space software that gives you the ability to schedule flexible desking, easily split time between home and the office, bring your teams together, and maintain a healthy working environment while maximizing your space management.
Learn more about increasing functionality in your office space here.
