The year 2024 marks a turning point for the world of work, with more employees returning to the office. This development is driven by a quest for collective efficiency and a renewed desire for proximity within teams. At the same time, conscious of the importance of their social and environmental responsibilities, companies are continuing their efforts to reduce their real estate footprint. They are seeking to balance the reduction of operating costs with a significant reduction in their carbon footprint, illustrating the adoption of a pragmatic yet eco-responsible approach to the management of their workspaces.
After a period of adaptation to remote working, many companies are seeing a gradual return of their employees to the office. According to a survey conducted by Slack France and OpinionWay in autumn 2023, 82% of French companies have issued directives to encourage this return. This movement is not only a response to a demand for greater socialization and collaboration between colleagues, but also an opportunity for companies to reaffirm their culture and team cohesion.
Reducing the real estate footprint: a priority
What's more, in a context where environmental responsibility takes center stage, companies are looking to reduce their carbon footprint. Workspace management therefore becomes a strategic lever for achieving these objectives. Closing unused buildings, as Société Générale did in the last week of 2023, is a perfect example. By reducing the active surface area of their offices, companies can significantly reduce their energy costs and their impact on the environment.
Employee commitment: an essential lever
The effectiveness of a policy to reduce the real estate footprint relies heavily on the support of employees. As the main players in the use of workspaces, their acceptance of and commitment to flex office and the coordination between telecommuting days and office days are crucial. Sober space management is only possible when employees embrace and value these new forms of work organization, thus actively contributing to the company's collective effort towards greater sustainability.
The Société Générale example
Société Générale brilliantly illustrated this trend by closing 73,000m² of offices across 5 sites over the Christmas period, and repatriating employees to other sites that remained open. This resulted in a significant reduction in energy consumption and carbon footprint. Far from being an isolated measure, this initiative reflects a well thought-out, coordinated strategy involving all employees, the company and its partners. It's a fine example of what dynamic space management can achieve in terms of energy savings and "eco-responsible" employee commitment.
Towards dynamic, intelligent occupancy management
Technology solutions are proving invaluable to businesses. Jooxterfor example, offers sensors that measure the actual occupancy of spaces and thus feed artificial intelligence algorithms. The use cases are numerous, such as the continuous optimization of meeting room reservations, parking spaces or electrical terminals, the regulation of building management systems (BMS) and all building services. These innovations enable not only more efficient use of resources, but also proactive adaptation to the dynamic needs of employees and the company.
Conclusion
The 2024 trend in work and workspace management will be closely linked to companies' CSR strategies. Returning to the office and reducing the real estate footprint are not just questions of efficiency or economy, but also issues of social and environmental responsibility. By adapting their practices and equipping themselves with the right tools, companies are contributing to a more sustainable future, where balancing the needs of employees and respect for the environment becomes an essential priority for long-term success.
