Flex office: much more than a trend, an issue of precise management of spaces

The flex office, or flexible office, is no longer simply a post-Covid fad. It is now a real strategic challenge for companies seeking to optimize the use of their offices, reduce their real estate costs and improve the well-being of employees. But in order for it to keep its promises, this method of organization requires rigorous management based on reliable data. The Flex Office is emerging as a structural change in working methods. But for it to be truly effective, it cannot be based solely on intentions: it must be based on tangible usage data And a intelligent management of spaces.

What is flex office? Definition and challenges

A response to changing ways of working

Flex office consists of unassign workstations to allow employees to settle where they want, according to their needs and missions. It is based on a logic of autonomy and collaboration: each space becomes modular and scalable. This approach corresponds to the expectations of the new generations and is part of an environment where hybrid work, the transversal projects And the looking for flexibility dominant. The office is no longer a constraint, but a tool at the service of performance and social ties.

Optimization of costs and surfaces

In many companies, more than 50% of positions are empty at any given time. Based on data measured in tertiary environments, we often observe actual attendance rates under 40%.

Adopting a flex office model allows you to:

• Reduce unused surfaces ;
• Alleviate operating costs (rent, energy, maintenance);
• Reducing the carbon footprint of the real estate stock ;
• Rethinking the layout around real use, not the endowment rate.

Why is precise control essential?

The trap of “blind” decisions

Too many businesses are switching to flex office without accurate occupancy data. They reduce the number of workstations without knowing when and how the spaces are actually used. The result: tense days, rooms that cannot be found, employee frustrations and... a throwback.

At Technis, we know it: Data must be at the heart of the real estate project. Without measurement, no adjustment is possible. Without vision, there is no sustainable transformation.

The role of real-time occupancy data

Thanks to our 3D sensors, smart counting mats and customizable dashboards, we help organizations to visualize the real occupation of their spaces — by zone, per day, per hour.

This allows:

• OFidentify peaks and troughs in attendance ;
• Of allocate teams more intelligently over the week;
• OFAdjust the area actually needed ;
• To redevelop certain areas (e.g.: transform little-used fixed offices into project rooms or concentration bubbles).

The balance between employee comfort and performance

Flex office should not become a stress factor. A detailed analysis of uses also makes it possible to guarantee a comfortable working environment: availability of workstations, meeting rooms, air quality, noise levels... all parameters that influence the quality of life at work. The success of the flex office is not only based on the reduction of surfaces: it also depends on the experience lived by users.

Occupancy data makes it possible to:

• Ensuring the availability of the most used spaces ;
• Adapting cleaning and maintenance to real uses ;
• Track booking and no-show rates ;
• Offer to teams a fluid, ergonomic and pleasant environment.

How to successfully transition to a managed flex office?

Involve teams from the start

Employee buy-in is key. Transparent communication, a test phase, active listening and feedback tools make it possible to remove resistance and to better adapt spaces to real needs.

Equip yourself with the right measurement tools

Today, there are simple and non-intrusive technological solutions for collecting occupancy data: presence sensors, counting mats, data from badges or reservations. The important thing is to choose a system that is reliable, anonymous, and interoperable with existing tools.

Analyze, adjust, optimize

Successful management requires a continuous approach: measuring, understanding, testing, adjusting. Occupancy data is becoming a driver of real estate and HR performance, but also a way of integrating the company into a sustainable approach.

The flex office, between agility and responsibility

The well-managed flex office is not a fixed solution, but a dynamic approach to adapting spaces to constantly evolving uses. Thanks to the analysis of occupancy data, businesses can transform their offices into levers of performance, savings and quality of life. Much more than a trend, flex office is becoming a marker of organizational maturity.