Reinventing head offices thanks to occupancy data

A shared observation: head offices are no longer adapted to today's uses

Since the widespread use of remote working and the evolution of employee expectations, many companies have become aware of a paradox: their head offices, designed for the past world, are often underused, poorly arranged or energy-intensive. Empty meeting rooms, deserted floors on Fridays, oversized open spaces... These places that once symbolized the beating heart of an organization are struggling to fulfill their promise of a place for collaboration and innovation.

This inadequacy is not just an ergonomic detail. It has a real, economic and human cost. In France, according to an IFOP study from 2024, 62% of employees feel that their offices are not adapted to the way they work. And in big cities, The unused m² weighs heavily in business expenses as well as in their carbon footprint.

Occupation data: a decisive lever for understanding and transforming

Faced with this challenge, an answer is emerging: Measuring to take better action. And that is precisely what allows the Occupation data. Thanks to intelligent sensors (counting mats, presence sensors, anonymized measurement systems), it becomes possible to have a clear and continuous vision of the real use of spaces: when are they used? By how many people? At what times? What area is left unoccupied?

This approach offers several advantages:

• Objectifying decisions : data replaces subjective impressions or unrepresentative surveys.
• Act with precision : you can adapt the layout, optimize the surfaces, or even regulate energy consumption according to real flows.
• Offer more comfort : by identifying areas of thermal stress, noise or overcrowding, it becomes possible to create a more pleasant environment.

It's a paradigm shift: we are moving from a fixed vision of space to a dynamic and evolving approach to the office.

SNCF: a transformation driven by data

With over 250,000 m² spread over 15 buildings in Saint-Denis, the headquarters of the SNCF welcomes nearly 18,000 employees. A genuine tertiary campus, whose transformation towards more flexible and efficient environments is led by Jean-Philippe Marel, Director of the Work Environment Division at SNCF.

” We have abandoned the classic model of closed offices to switch to a flex office based on conviviality: more boxes, more places to discuss, fewer assigned positions. ”

But to transform effectively, you still need to know the uses well. Occupation data quickly became a strategic tool.

“Our goals were clear: to guarantee comfort, to avoid unnecessary investments and to optimize our surfaces. Thanks to the sensors, we were able to verify that 6 positions for 10 employees were enough.”

The deployment of Technis stereoscopic 3D sensors on the wings of buildings made it possible to measure flows in real time, to identify underused spaces and to avoid unnecessary arrangements.

“An entity was able to reduce its real estate footprint. Result: Tens of thousands of euros in work avoided.”

The installed solution, proposed by Technis, was distinguished by its precision and its support.

” The system proposed by Technis was the most accurate and the most complete. We launched a POC, very well supported by Ghislain, and for two years, everything has been smooth: respected schedule, automatic reports, responsive support. ”

Another unexpected benefit: The security. In the event of an intrusion, the data collected by the sensors made it possible to reconstruct the path of burglars, identifying two security breaches that were corrected immediately.

For Jean-Philippe Marel, the vision is clear:

“We are not in an aesthetic transformation of spaces, but in a rationalization logic guided by data. On Fridays, heating, air conditioning and lighting are switched off in 50% of the spaces. Data is a real decision-making tool.”

Towards a more responsible and desirable office

Occupancy data is not limited to a logic of cost reduction. She is also a strategic tool to align real estate, CSR and employer brand. Because basically, what employees are looking for is not more m², but spaces that make sense.

Bright, accessible spaces adapted to their real needs (concentration, collaboration, relaxation), and which embody the values of the company: this is what makes a head office attractive. In a context of war for talent, The office is once again becoming a differentiating asset — provided it is well designed.

And this can only be done by relying on tangible data, on an ongoing basis, to pilot, adjust and anticipate. Because real innovation is not installing a ping pong table or green plants, but create a work environment that is truly aligned with uses and expectations.

Reinventing is not rebuilding, it is listening

Reinventing head offices does not have to mean moving or razing everything to the ground. It often starts with Better listen to usage, based on data. It is a gradual, pragmatic approach, but with a high impact.

Technology is only a tool here. The real driver of change is the will to build smarter, more sustainable and more humane places. And maybe that's what our organizations need the most today.