Data atheist

Your score means your organization’s workplace data readiness is only in the early stage of readiness.

• You are reliant on inadequate technology, such as spreadsheets, to track workplace data.
• Your organization is not collecting the relevant workplace data needed to identify actionable insights.
• Your staff doesn’t have the necessary training or skill sets to transform your workplace data into actionable insights.

Our study results showed that 29% of low-readiness firms did not know where to start with their workplace data assessment. We recommend you begin by assessing your firm’s current capabilities and doing a gap analysis.

• Identify the data you currently collect. What is the source for that data? Can you integrate captured data with other data sources? Is the data accurate and current? What additional types of data do you need to collect?
• What insights can you generate from the data you currently have? Where are there gaps?
• We found that 30% of low-readiness firms currently collect office space usage data, and 26% collect desk occupancy data. However, only 13% of low-readiness firms currently collect navigation data and less than 20% of low-readiness firms collect team mobility or conference room occupancy data.

Once you have identified your most urgent data gaps, look at the technology your organization uses. Spreadsheets are readily available but not efficient. They limit accessibility and hamper speed to insights. Without actionable insights, data provides limited value to the business operations or employee experience.

• Assess if your current technology can integrate data from multiple sources and across multiple data types.
• Evaluate new tools that are digitally enabled and integrate across multiple systems and locations.
• Identify an executive sponsor that can help align key stakeholders who invest time and resources to improve your workplace strategy.

Intuitive speculator

Your score indicates your workplace data readiness is low current readiness and medium future readiness.

• Your firm is reliant on inadequate technology, such as spreadsheets, to track workplace data.
• Your organization is not collecting necessary workplace data to generate actionable insights.
• Your staff doesn’t have the necessary training or skill sets to transform your workplace data into actionable insights.

Our study showed that 29% of low-readiness firms did not know where to start with their workplace data assessment. We recommend you begin by assessing your current capabilities and doing a gap analysis.

• Identify the data you currently collect. What is the source for that data? Can you integrate captured data with other data sources? Is the data accurate and current? What additional types of data do you need to collect? Do you have access to additional sources of data?
• Based on the data you have, what do you need to know? Where are the gaps?
• We found that 30% of low-readiness firms currently collect office space usage data, and 26% collect desk occupancy data. However, only 13% of low-readiness firms currently collect navigation data and less than 20% of low-readiness firms collect team mobility or conference room occupancy data.

Once you have identified your most urgent data gaps, look at the technology your organization uses. Spreadsheets are readily available but not efficient. They limit accessibility and hamper speed to insights. Without actionable insights, data provides limited value to the business operations or employee experience.

• Assess if your current technology can integrate data from multiple sources and across multiple data types.
• Look into tools that are digitally enabled and integrate across multiple systems and locations.
• Identify an executive sponsor that can help align the key stakeholders to invest time and resources to improve your workplace strategy.

Assess your internal data team's skill level. Do they have the skills needed to collect, track, and manage data as well as to attain actionable insights from that data? If not, looking into training programs or third-party partners to fill in skills gaps.

Data rookie

Your score indicates your workplace data readiness is medium current readiness and low future readiness.

• Your firm relies on inadequate technology like spreadsheets or data management tools to track workplace data that often only integrate from one system (e.g., building, finance).  
• Your organization is not collecting enough relevant workplace data to generate actionable insights.
• Most of your staff doesn’t have sufficient training or the necessary skill sets to transform your workplace data into actionable insights.

Start by assessing whether your organization is collecting data that is relevant or valuable to it. As your firm plans your return-to-work strategy, leverage data to keep employees safe as well as to utilize space efficiently. For example, less than 50% of survey respondents are currently collecting device-tracking data or navigation data.

Once you have identified your organization’s most urgent data gaps, then you can turn to technology solutions to manage your data.

• If you are using a data management tool, ask yourself: What systems does it integrate with? Does everyone on your team who needs it have access?
• Evaluate tools that are digitally enabled and can be integrated across multiple systems and locations.
• Identify an executive sponsor who can focus on identifying and aligning the key stakeholders required to invest time and resources to improve your workplace strategy.

Consider bringing on a partner or partners to help your organization fill identified gaps. Partners can play a critical role in data transformation. They can provide the tools and fill skills gaps so low-readiness firms can find the solid footing needed to collect, manage, and diversify workplace data. Leverage partners to:

• Upgrade and integrate your organization’s data management technology.
• Train or upskill internal staff or fill gaps while you hire for missing skills.
• Identify the most critical data needed to build and improve your organization’s return-to-work strategy.

Data hoarder

Your score means your workplace data readiness is high current readiness and low future readiness.

• Your firm is in a unique position: Your organization is collecting, managing, and tracking different types of data and that data is accessible across the organization.
• However, your firm may not have the right technology in place or your staff doesn’t have the training or skill sets to leverage your workplace data into actionable insights.

Focus your attention on your organization’s data technology and staff. Data without actionable insights provides limited value in enhancing business operations or employee experience.

• If your organization is still leveraging spreadsheets or data management tools from a single system, investigate a comprehensive integrated workplace management tool to integrate data from multiple systems or a dedicated workplace data measurement tool. These tools will track and manage your organization’s workplace data and ensure those who need access can get it.
• Partners can offer insight and recommendations on what types of tools best for your firm's needs.

Consider bringing on a partner or partners to help you fill and identify gaps. Partners can play a critical role in data transformation. They provide the tools and fill skills gaps so firms can find the solid footing needed to collect, manage, and diversify workplace data.

• Use partners to train or upskill internal staff or fill gaps while you hire for missing skills.
• Leverage partners to identify the most critical data needed to build and improve your return-to-work strategy.

Rising adopter

Your score means your workplace data readiness is medium current readiness and medium future readiness.

• Your organization is in a unique position. It has made some key tactical improvements to collect, track, and manage your workplace data, but it needs to start focusing on addressing strategic opportunities powered by data insights.
• As you develop your back-to-work strategy, consider what data you need to keep your employees and guests safe and productive. Where are your gaps?

Identify data that provides your firm with valuable insights into your business and employee safety.

• Employee satisfaction and office space usage are the most common types of data captured today. This is important data for most firms to capture. But as your employees return to the office, metrics such as team mobility, conference room occupancy, and desk occupancy are important to help ensure you optimize the health, safety, and productivity of employees in the office.
• Consider bringing on a partner or partners to help you identify and fill specific gaps. Partners can play a critical role in data transformation. They offer tools, fill skills gaps, provide access to additional data sources, and enhanced data management tools.
• Use partners to train or upskill internal staff or fill gaps while you hire for missing skills.
• Leverage partners to identify the most critical data needed to build and improve your return-to-work strategy.

Data scholar

Your score means your workplace data readiness is low current readiness and high future readiness.

• Your firm is in a unique position: You may have the right technology in place to capture data, and your team knows how to use data and get actionable insights.
• However, there are likely new opportunities for you to collect, manage, and track a diverse array of valuable types of data and provide access to this data across the organization.

Identify data that offers the most valuable insights to your firm's business operations and employee experience.

• Employee satisfaction and office space usage are the most common types of data captured today. This is important data for most firms to capture. But as your employees return to the office, metrics such as team mobility, conference room occupancy, and desk occupancy are important to help ensure you optimize the health, safety, and productivity of employees in the office.
• Leverage tools that make data available across various organizational stakeholders. Timely access to accurate data can make a big difference in the speed to insights for key business operations.
• Create a culture that is data first. When everyone sees data as their responsibility, then data accuracy, democratization, and enablement can thrive. This requires top-down leadership alignment. Leadership needs to align their workplace data vision and strategy to ensure resources are allocated to promote success. We found high-readiness firms have clear direction from their leadership, while low-readiness firms look from the bottom up for inputs into their facilities, real estate management, and workplace strategies.

Insights advocate

Your score means your workplace data readiness is medium current readiness and high future readiness.

• Your organization has overcome many tactical challenges and can now focus on the more strategic aspects of workplace data optimization. Your organization likely leverages a comprehensive integrated workplace management tool to integrate data from multiple systems or a dedicated workplace data measurement tool. Your team knows how to use data and get actionable insights.
• However, there is still work to do to improve your team's ability to collect, manage, and track workplace data. Collecting more data does not automatically make firms more ready to achieve actionable insights. More data allows firms to achieve a more holistic view of their workplace and adjust their strategy to fill gaps and address challenges faster.
• We found that many firms are struggling to collect data today, even high-readiness firms. For example, less than 60% of high-readiness firms in our study currently collect conference room occupancy, team mobility, and desk occupancy data. As your organization plans its back-to-work strategy, it needs to identify the most important data to ensure the health and safety of employees and guests, and then collect and track that data to adjust and build safer environments.
• Partners can play a key role. Some of the most important ways decision-makers in our study said partners can help their workplace strategy include improving flexibility to make decisions, building and maintaining the same level of connectivity at all locations, and offering predictive analytics.

Equipped Specialist

Congratulations, your score means score means that you have high current readiness and medium future readiness.

• Your organization has overcome the tactical challenges of capturing relevant data. Now, it’s time for your firm to focus on the more strategic aspects of workplace data optimization.
• Your firm collects multiple types of data, and that data is accessible to stakeholders across the organization. However, there may be additional opportunities to use more advanced data management tools, and improve your teams’ use of data to generate actionable insights.

Third-party partners can help you select and integrate a dedicated workplace data management tool. They can also help upskill your staff or fill any existing skills gaps.

• The top five most important ways decision-makers in our study said partners can help their workplace strategy include meeting security and privacy requirements, improving flexibility to make decisions, building and maintaining the same level of connectivity at all locations, and integrating tools.

We found that less than 60% of high-readiness firms currently collect conference room occupancy, team mobility, and desk occupancy data. These are critical data elements to understand as your organization plans its back-to-work strategy, which addresses employee experience as well as their health and safety, while also expanding data collection efforts across your office locations.

Data wizard

Congratulations, your score means that you have a high current and future workplace readiness strate

• Your firm collects multiple types of data using advanced data management tools, and your employees know how to use this data to generate actionable insights. But your work in this area needs to continue as technology and employee demands continue to evolve.

We found that less than 60% of high-readiness firms currently collect conference room occupancy, team mobility, and desk occupancy data. These are critical data elements to understand as your organization plans its back-to-work strategy, which addresses employee experience as well as their health and safety, while also expanding data collection efforts across your office locations.

Firms in this maturity stage proactively focus on strategic data types to address environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) requirements. In fact, 64% of respondents said their high-readiness firms currently collect ESG data.

• Improving ESG measurement can help your firm cut costs and enhance the overall perception of your brand among customers who want to do business with sustainable firms or among employees who want to work for companies who prioritize sustainable initiatives. Eighty-nine percent of respondents at high-readiness firms said meeting their organization’s ESG requirements is important when they are selecting partners for their workplace strategy.

Create a data-first culture. We found that organizations with high data readiness are twice as likely to have leadership focused on effectively building their workplace strategy compared to low readiness.

• Leverage that leadership to highlight the importance for everyone at your organization to be a data advocate. When employees view data insight as their responsibility, then data accuracy, democratization, and enablement can thrive.

Look closely at the data your organization collects internally or gets from partners and third-party sources.

• How complex is that making your organization’s data landscape? Can your tools manage and track data from all sources?
• If your organization’s data landscape is too complex, turn to partners to help integrate tools, build and maintain consistent insight at your office locations, and work with diverse network infrastructure.