4 Ways Space Management Software Improves Daily Operations

As a facility manager, finding creative and intelligent ways to make your workplace run seamlessly is essential. One of the most strategic moves you can make is using space management software to ease the day-to-day burdens of properly running a space. Here are a few ways the right kind of software can help:

1. Make hot desking easy

Assigning desks daily and according to availability can save your organization significant resources, especially in cities with high real estate costs. Instead of every employee having their own workstation, a hot desking system allows desks to be efficiently occupied on a use-by-need basis. For example, GlaxoSmithKline reportedly saves $10 million annually by using an unassigned seating system. Such arrangements are ideal for offices where employees are not present every day or during specific hours, which is increasingly common.

Maintaining a hot desking system can become chaotic without the right tools. A move management program can streamline the process and make assigning desks easy. Employees can check themselves into their desired desks on the spot or in advance through a mobile or desktop interface, saving you time and providing proper oversight. Automatic email and chat notifications keep hot deskers informed.

2. Make data-driven decisions

The best facilities management decisions are made using carefully gathered and accurate data, effectively communicated through structured reporting. The right space management software uses analytics to create intuitive, meaningful, real-time reports from your data. Whether assessing your budget, pitching a new idea to leadership, or demonstrating your department’s process, detailed reports help you prove your point and achieve your objectives. Space utilization reports provide valuable insight into how your facility is being used, while operational reports streamline facility management processes. Custom reporting capabilities and an easily integrated API can make everyday application even easier.

3. Spend less time managing requests

Managing work requests shouldn't require more work than the issues they resolve. Often, employees do not follow—or even know—the protocol for submitting requests, leading to a chaotic system of phone calls, emails, and text messages. A robust software system like a request manager can take the organizational work off your hands by presenting orders in an accessible and orderly way. Employees can use a simple online request form or even send a request from their phones. Real-time collaborative tools assist in accommodating workflows and forecasting request loads.

4. Never lose track of your resources

A facility consists of many moving parts, and keeping documented tabs on your resources is essential to prevent loss and theft. The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners reports that office theft and fraud are on the rise, with the typical organization losing 5% of its profits annually because of them. As a facility manager, you can protect your company from tangible theft by keeping strict records of your physical assets.

A visual directory of your entire office makes it easy to locate and track resources from meeting rooms to printers, enabling you to account for every item you’re responsible for—all from your devices. This can also save you from accidentally spending time and money replacing something that was always there.

Overall, a space management software system isn’t just about saving money. It’s about preventing the headaches that can pile up day by day for a facility manager. The first step is seeing for yourself how these programs can alter your own processes.