FOCUS INTERVIEW
however, might see people coming in to
meet, collaborate and socialise, in which case
they’ll need di erent spaces.”
Here lies the benefit of dynamic capacity
planning. If companies have the knowledge,
data and insights into how their spaces are
used and what they need at all times, they
may dynamically alter their spaces to meet
those needs while also unlocking several
other e iciency benefits.
“Perhaps the lower four floors are
dedicated to head-down working, and upper
four floors are dedicated to collaboration,”
the CEO adds. “On Monday you might have
four lower and two upper floors open, and
Tuesday have two lower and four upper floors
open.
“Resultantly, you’re able to meet demand
while unlocking massive e iciency gains.
When we talk about energy savings, we
usually talk about using LED bulbs instead
of regular bulbs and things like that. But
imagine if you can shut o an entire floor.
It would remove massive portions of your
electricity usage, your gas usage, usage
of your water, your waste generation and
the need to dispose, to clear, to clean, to
sanitise...”
It is for these reasons that Krishnamurthy
argues that dynamic capacity planning
is equally important, if not more so, than
dynamic demand planning. Indeed, the
former allows spaces to be used in a much
42 JUNE 2022
smarter manner, benefitting both employer
and employee.
DATA USE
Of course, the collection, analysis and
use of data is imperative here. Indeed,
smart employers will be able to interpret
workplace data to respond to changing
needs while also providing tools that use
such data to positively empower their
employees at work. Yet doing so is no easy
task.
Krishnamurthy explains: “You need
incredibly detailed and granular data –
second by second, real time usage data. You
need behavioural data. You need to know
what is typical on every day of the week,
hour of the day, minute of the hour. You
need to know what happens on Thursday
a ernoons versus Friday a ernoons, and
when Monday really starts.
“You need to know what type of spaces
are popular, what are not, what people use
and what they don’t. Only then can you
make intelligent decisions.”
Not only is obtaining that data a
significant investment, but then using it to
manage significant complexity for multiple
teams over weekday hours is a complicated
and evolving process. Therefore, despite
the benefits that dynamic capacity planning
can o er, companies should carefully
consider if such investments are the right
move for them before diving in.
Here, Krishnamurthy outlines three key
criteria for consideration.
“First, you need to consider your capacity.
If you’re a company with 200 people
operating on one or two floors, it’s di icult
to conceive how dynamic capacity planning
will work for you,” he begins. “It’s much
more likely to work well for a company
operating across multiple floors, or even
multiple locations, providing sta with
the choice to frequent di erent spaces for
di erent needs.
“Second, you need to have true strategic
intent for your space. What I mean by this is
you need to see the value in creating spaces
that will make a positive impact on people’s
lives. The goal is to create workspaces
where people will want to come to and are
enriched in coming to. If you simply want
to save 20 per cent on your space, then
dynamic capacity planning isn’t necessary –
you can just downsize.
“Thirdly, you need to set clear, logical
goals around what you want to achieve
with your space. From HR to facilities
management, all key stakeholders should
be consulted to establish informed
objectives. It might be that you want to
boost employee retention, improve morale,
enhance productivity, reduce costs or a
combination of the above. The key is to
identify what you want to achieve from the
outset.”
Here, the CEO recommends consulting
various parties experienced in workspace
transformation and dynamic capacity
planning to understand a variety of
experiences, and therefore potential
benefits and challenges, to help determine
if it’s right for you. Freespace is facilitating
this with a network of global partners
that look into various aspects of flexible
working.
For many companies that meet those
three key criteria, however, dynamic
capacity planning is continuing to become
an increasingly attractive and logical path
to take.
“It is the future,” Krishnamurthy asserts.
“We live in a time of immense cost scrutiny,
so companies will need to justify to
shareholders why they’re holding onto
certain leases and using spaces in certain
ways.
“The only way you can do that is if you
have the data to confidently state that
your space is supporting your goals and
achieving what you want to achieve, be it
improving employee retention, employee
satisfaction, driving sustainability agendas
or something else.
“It is logical, and simply a matter of time
before it becomes the norm.”
We live in a time of immense cost scrutiny, so companies will need to
justify to shareholders why they’re holding onto certain leases and
using spaces in certain ways.”