The holiday period from late November through New Year’s Day is a time when many employees cash in their paid time off to travel, shop and spend more time with family and friends. So, it’s no surprise that there tends to be fewer people in the office this time of year. In fact, FM:Systems anonymized data shows that office utilization dipped by an average of 36% during the past three holiday seasons. Despite lower utilization, however, many organizations continue to operate their office space as normal during this period, leading to unnecessary costs, inefficiencies, and waste.
Here’s how organizations can use FM:Systems workplace management solutions to optimize their portfolios for the holiday season slowdown.
Rein in Energy Waste Using Workplace Management and IoT Data
Lighting, heating, cooling and ventilation account for a combined 63% of energy consumed by commercial buildings, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In most of the country, that usage is especially high in the winter, when temperatures plummet and natural light is harder to come by. Internet of things (IoT) devices like occupancy and environmental sensors, combined with FM:Systems powerful workplace management solutions, can help companies avoid lighting and heating unoccupied spaces during the holiday season slowdown.
Optimize Your Office Space to Reduce Costs and Improve Utilization
Heating and lighting an unoccupied space doesn’t make sense. Doing the same for a large space that’s only being used by a few people isn’t much better. At a time when as many as a third of office workers may be absent, there’s a good chance normally-bustling spaces will only be sparsely populated. With FM:Systems room and desk booking solutions, organizations can encourage employees to work in specific parts of the office so that energy consumption is optimized. This kind of space optimization can also be used to focus janitorial and other support services on those areas that are actually being used, rather than wasting time, money and energy servicing the entire office space.
Leverage Holiday Downtime to Complete Maintenance Projects Efficiently
The holiday season slowdown is a great time to carry out maintenance and repairs that might be disruptive to occupants during periods when the office is busier. FMS:Insights, our workplace data analytics platform, reveals trends in planned and actual utilization by combining IoT data with bookings data. Cross-referencing these trends with planned time off from an HR management system can reveal opportunities to plan and schedule larger maintenance projects. Utilization and anticipated office attendance data can be used to pinpoint the best time to execute projects. Meanwhile, room and desk booking software can be leveraged to help limit access to affected areas. Finally, FM:Systems solutions can streamline work by making necessary documentation like schematics and warranties easy to access.
Ensure Critical Knowledge on Workplace Analytics Remains Accessible Year-Round
Of course, it’s not just building occupants who are taking time off during the holidays. Ranks may also be thinner among facility management and maintenance staff. To facilitate some of the projects you hope to complete during the holiday season slowdown, ensure that the operation continues to run smoothly, and avoid small issues turning into big ones, it’s important that Workplace Analytics information be stored digitally so that it’s easily accessible by FMs and technicians from anywhere, 24/7. With FM:Systems solutions, organizations don’t have to worry about workers taking critical knowledge on vacation with them.
Strengthen Security Measures During Reduced Staff Levels
Fewer people in the office means fewer eyes on company property and assets. Bad actors both internal and external to an organization may try to get away with mischief when there’s less people around to potentially catch them in the act. That’s why it’s especially important during this time of year to have a workplace management system that includes top-notch security features and capabilities. FM:Systems visitor management solutions enable organizations to always know who’s onsite, reduce security risk, and provide a safe and seamless experience for occupants.
Conclusion
While the holiday period may not be ideal from an employee productivity standpoint, there are some benefits to having fewer people in the office. FM:Systems workplace management solutions can empower organizations to take advantage of the opportunity the holiday season slowdown provides to reduce energy waste, optimize space and facilitate maintenance and repair projects, while at the same time reducing safety and security risks.
