Pandemic Drives Office Use Down 2.8x While Office Use For Collaboration Up 15%

SAN FRANCISCO, April 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- VergeSense, creator of the Workplace Analytics Platform that uses intelligent sensors and AI to help businesses better understand how employees use office space just released new data findings from the past year. 

Today, VergeSense is measuring over 40M square feet of real estate globally. VergeSense workplace analytics are a unique way to count people across an office, as well as understand the usage and occupancy of buildings, floors, seating areas, conference rooms, and individual desks. The company analyzed the data looking at space utilization efficiency comparing January 2020 pre-pandemic versus January 2021 with alarming results. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Office use was already low pre-pandemic and on average only 30% utilized in January 2020. The pandemic didn't trigger a decline in office use. It accelerated it.
• 30% average utilization pre-pandemic (Jan 2020). 
• 7.9% average utilization early this year (Jan 2021).
• Only 2.8X decrease in average utilization. 
• On average, 83% of office space was allocated to individual work in January 2020. Only 17% was dedicated to collaborative work. 
• Pre-pandemic, collaborative spaces were 25% more utilized than spaces dedicated to individual work.
• Of space dedicated to individual work, only 28% was utilized pre-pandemic.
• Of space dedicated to collaborative work, 35% was utilized pre-pandemic.
• The office of the past was designed for heads-down work, when that is not it's primary source of value anymore. Interest in agile seating is a growing solution to account for strong underutilization of individual spaces.
• Even in pandemic times, there's been an 15% increase in use of office space for collaboration from 2020 to 2021. Competitive companies must consider how to adapt their office design to optimize for collaboration. 
• 20% of overall utilization was for collaborative work in early 2020.
• 23% of overall utilization was for collaborative work in early 2021.

Since the company's public launch in August 2017, VergeSense has collected millions of data points across over 40M square feet around the world everyday. Leading a new class of enterprise AI solutions, in the past 12 months VergeSense has doubled its ecosystem of strategic integrations, partnering with leading providers of workplace technology and strategy such as JLL Technologies, iOffice, Schneider Electric, Comfy, RICOH, SpaceIQ, and more.

"We know a space is effective if it's being used," said Jamie Kinch, Rapid7 VP Real Estate and Workplace Experience. "Without VergeSensors, I don't think we could be as nimble. Now, we're able to continuously test, adapt and change our workplace design to meet desired employee experience and business outcomes." 

To read the full study, go to https://vergesense.com/data/before-after-covid-office-statistics. 

ABOUT VERGESENSE 
VergeSense is a Workplace Analytics Platform trusted by enterprises across the globe. Businesses use VergeSense to transform their static office into a dynamic workplace that matches today's employee needs and expectations. Its AI-driven platform includes intelligent sensors that collect real-time data, dashboards and insights that drive workplace strategy, and integrations with the leading workplace technologies. Today, VergeSense analyzes over 40 million square feet and supports customers across 29 countries, including 26 of the Fortune 500. VergeSense has integration partnerships with some of the leading workplace technology providers to help customers have the best end-to-end experience, so employees feel safe, productive, and at their best. For more information visit http://www.vergesense.com.

SOURCE VergeSense

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