By JLL Technologies

Occupancy & utilization sensors are essential to your hybrid and return-to-office success

Whether your organization is planning a total return-to-office or is moving to a hybrid model, the workplace won’t be the same as it was prior to COVID-19. Entry screenings; socially distanced work; amenity, social, and collaboration spaces; and enhanced cleaning protocols have added a layer of unprecedented complexity to the workplace.

The hybrid workplace model builds even more complexity into the equation. You have to recalibrate your workplace and anticipate and adjust to fluctuations in occupancy, a partially remote workforce, flexible space designs, and other enhancements that will motivate remote employees to want to come to the office. You need visibility into how your spaces work and are being used.

Smart occupancy and utilization sensors with artificial intelligence (AI) will help you thoroughly prepare for the workplace that’s emerging as the pandemic wanes and will gather critical data that allow you to measure utilization, identify trends, monitor occupancy, and much more.

“VergeSense provides the data necessary to power the evolution of the hybrid workplace and the safe return to offices,” explained Co-CEO of JLL Technologies Yishai Lerner.

Sensors that produce quantitative and predictive data in real time eliminate the guesswork that comes with using outdated technologies and occupancy surveys, which are ineffectual in dynamic environments. Choose sensors that use AI and object-detection models to deliver anonymous, accurate, real-time occupancy numbers—regardless of the space type. Tech that captures and measures the distances between employees helps ensure your workplace is fully compliant with health and safety regulations.

Look for utilization and occupancy sensors that can:

  • Collect data on movements of people throughout spaces
  • Monitor where people are congregating
  • Know when a space requires resetting or cleaning
  • Analyze how amenities are being used
  • Send notifications if space capacity is exceeded
  • Furnish data for the number of occupants in open rooms, collaboration areas, and conference rooms and offer a clearer picture of space utilization
  • Detect “ghost meetings” (when a meeting is cancelled/rescheduled, but the space isn’t released) to maximize effective use of resources and spaces
  • Integrate with other apps to offer seamless desk booking and automatic check-in and room release

“Not only does real-time data from VergeSense deep-learning sensors offer unmatched visibility into how spaces work,” said Lerner, “it also facilitates a better, more productive, and safer employee experience.”

We’re entering a new era of real estate—one that is more technology-enabled, more quantifiable, and more predictive and that equips corporate real estate teams with powerful tools to evaluate and plan their offices. This directly impacts and benefits employees, giving them more safety, flexibility, and choice in their workplace.

Re-enter the workplace with confidence: Deploy smart sensors that give you data-informed answers to critical questions in this very unpredictable time and allow you to iterate quickly and model your future space needs.