5 WORKPLACE OPTIMISATION STRATEGIES POWERED BY OCCUPANCY DATA

How to make faster, smarter decisions about your space - without expensive sensor tech.

In 2025, the workplace is constantly shifting.

RTO mandates are being cascaded. Office attendance is up. Hybrid work is dynamic. And pressure is mounting to justify every square metre of real estate.

But here’s the real issue: most organisations are making critical space decisions based on gut feel, historic assumptions, or anecdotal feedback.

That’s a problem.

Manual Occupancy Studies are an alternative to sensor-driven workplace analytics and can give you powerful data about how your site is being used. They are typically run over two to four weeks, and give a contextual snapshot of desk and/or meeting room utilisation in that time period.

When done right, they reveal the real story behind space usage—and uncover hidden opportunities you can act on immediately.

Here are five optimisation strategies you can implement based on actual workplace data.

No sensors. No guesswork. Just clear, measurable impact.

1. Desk Reallocation: Fix the Imbalance

In nearly every workplace we’ve studied, there’s a pattern.

One team is scrambling to find seats, while another is sitting on unused capacity.

Desk reallocation is the fastest and most cost-effective way to improve the workplace experience—redistributing desks where demand actually exists.

You don’t need a new fit-out. You need better alignment between need and availability.

What it delivers:

• Balanced desk allocation across departments

• Immediate improvement in fairness and morale

• Zero capital spend

2. Hybrid Desk Strategy: Increase Flexibility

The hybrid model has created a new problem: static space for dynamic work.

Manual occupancy data shows you exactly how frequently each desk is used, and what the patterns really look like.

Armed with that, you can design the right mix of fixed, shared desks, and hot (bookable) desks - implementing a desk booking system is typically required but this is pretty straightforward to implement.

What it delivers:

• Fewer unused desks tied to low-frequency workers

• Greater flexibility without compromising control

• Smarter desk booking system calibration

3. Stack Planning: Consolidate Your Space

If your teams are spread thin across multiple floors or buildings, you’re likely paying for space you don’t need; especially if you're using temporary offices (e.g. portable cabins).

Stack planning uses utilisation data to map out smarter layouts—reducing space fragmentation and consolidating teams where it makes sense.

In some cases, this reduces the need for temporary offices - and if those are leased and serviced can lead to significant cost savings.

What it delivers:

• Lower real estate costs

• Stronger team proximity and collaboration

• Reduced reliance on overflow or leased spaces

4. Space Repurposing: Transform Low-Value Zones

Underused areas don’t always need to be removed—they need to be rethought.

Manual data shows where passive or low-value zones exist. These can be converted into focused work areas, collaborative hubs, team pods, or project rooms.

It’s not just about utilisation—it’s about function.

What it delivers:

• Better alignment between space and work styles

• Improved employee satisfaction and space effectiveness

• More options for hybrid and flexible work

5. Workplace Rightsizing: Make long-term decisions with confidence

Eventually, you’ll face bigger questions:

• Can we exit a lease?

• Should we scale up or down?

• Is this space still fit for purpose?

Rightsizing is about making those long-term calls with real evidence.

When you have clarity on what's actually used—and what’s not—you can make high-stakes decisions with confidence, not instinct.

What it delivers:

• Justified lease exits or renewals

• Better capital allocation

• Long-term real estate strategy grounded in facts

Final Thought on Workplace Optimisation

Most businesses don’t need more space. They need better use of the space they already have.

Manual Occupancy Studies give you the insight to make smart, fast decisions—without the complexity or cost of sensor installations.

At SiteIQ, we deliver these studies end-to-end:

Planning. Execution. Analysis. Strategy.

If you’re facing space pressures, team complaints, or leadership asking for answers—this is your fastest path to clarity.

Want to see what’s really happening in your workplace? Start with data. Then act.

Download the brochure below or contact us at info@siteiq.ie