SPACE UTILISATION
An on-site team meeting in progress. If data suggests higher attendance on
specific days of the week, estates and facilities teams can prepare by allocating resources accordingly.
supporting hybrid working, or improving the patient and staff experience, data provides the foundation for smarter, more responsive estate management. The first step is
understanding how space has been used historically. For example, fstates and facilities managers can understand past trends and identify inefficiencies when analysing past data, such as office bookings or occupancy sensors. This data can show which areas are popular at specific times of the day, and which are underused. In a sense, it reveals a
repairs with the need to create adaptable, efficient spaces that support both wellbeing and productivity. Findings from the Verdantix Global Corporate Survey:
Matt Etherington
Matt Etherington has spent the past 10+ years helping public sector organisations implement ‘world-class’ resource management software as a service (SaaS) platforms within their workplace. During this time, he has assisted organisations across the NHS and local government with the adoption of SaaS solutions to enable them to switch to flexible and hybrid working. Quick to understand public sector clients’ unique challenges and ensure that Matrix Booking continues to evolve its products and services to meet them, he has been the driving force behind the business’s work to support the adoption of flexible working across the sector, and the concept of resource- sharing between public sector organisations. Matrix Booking says this is ‘helping to enhance the value and efficiency of the public sector estate, giving customers more time and resources to focus on vital frontline services’.
Real Estate Technology Budgets, Priorities & Preferences For 2025 further highlight that across sectors, space utilisation is now a higher priority than managing hybrid work or enhancing occupant wellbeing. Yet, many organisations still lack the tools to track it effectively. While 25 per cent of respondents plan to adopt space planning and utilisation software for the first time, just as many have no plans to invest, often relying instead on proxy data from room bookings or visitor logs. In healthcare, this lack of visibility continues to lead to costly inefficiencies. This fluctuating dynamic only translates to unpredictable office occupancy, where spaces may be quiet one day and overcrowded the next. That lack of clarity about who will be in the office on any given day makes resource allocation even more difficult. Superficial tracking methods like badge swipes or card scans offer little insight into how spaces are used or how long staff stay, while trends like ‘coffee badging’, where employees briefly check in to meet attendance expectations, further distort the picture. Estates and facilities teams therefore find themselves in a delicate position. Without reliable real-time data, it’s almost impossible to figure out not only who’s in the office, but also for how long, or how spaces are being used.
Ill-equipped ‘traditional’ office management methods ‘Traditional’ office management methods simply aren’t equipped to answer these questions, especially in a healthcare setting, where every square metre must support patient care, staff wellbeing, or operational efficiency. To address these challenges, estates and facilities managers need real-time insights and data-driven strategies that reflect the complexity of modern healthcare work. Almost two-thirds (62%) of NHS managers face significant management-related challenges that hinder their ability to act. From navigating complex internal systems to balancing competing demands, estates and facilities leaders are often left without the clarity or tools they need to make confident decisions. In this context, clear, actionable real-time data becomes a powerful enabler, allowing them to cut through complexity, and helping teams move into a more modern way of working. By harnessing data correctly, healthcare estates teams can better understand how space is used, where inefficiencies lie, and how to adapt environments to meet evolving needs. Whether it’s reallocating underused areas,
78 Health Estate Journal October 2025
‘past view’ of how spaces have been used. Recently, this was seen in action when an NHS Trust
analysed occupancy data to identify a need for more meeting rooms. From there, 30 out of 160 desks were replaced with an extra meeting room, saving about £65,000 per year by eliminating the cost of booking external meeting spaces.
Informing practical decisions Once historical patterns are understood, the next step is to combine that insight with on-the-ground knowledge and simple technologies to inform practical decisions. For instance, pairing occupancy data with local feedback from EFM teams can help identify underused areas or mismatched allocations. In some cases, this approach has allowed healthcare providers to unlock capacity for additional services or community health initiatives within their existing footprint. Real-time data then offers a ‘present view’ of how spaces are being used at any given moment. This is particularly valuable in healthcare settings, where demand can fluctuate rapidly. Estates teams can use live occupancy data to temporarily close off underused areas – saving energy – or reconfigure layouts where possible to address overcrowding. Integrating environmental sensors, for example, can
also provide real-time usage reports on what’s being used and where. Even with the likes of sensors in entryways or booking systems for shared clinical rooms, teams can gain actionable insights. From here, managing wider resources such as lighting or heating can also be applied only when needed – reducing costs and creating an adaptive environment that works for everyone. Predictive insights then take this even further, allowing managers to anticipate future workspace trends while ensuring that spaces are both functional and efficient. If data suggests higher attendance on specific days of the week, estates and facilities teams can prepare by allocating resources accordingly. This could include scheduling cleaning, adjusting HVAC systems, or ensuring that enough space is available. Estates and facilities managers thus benefit from this
proactive approach, or a ‘future view’ of workplace trends. This kind of foresight is especially valuable in healthcare, where operational disruptions can have knock- on effects on patient care. To make this possible, however, the right systems must be in place. The most effective strategies avoid siloed, one-off solutions in favour of integrated platforms that provide
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184
