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Top Hybrid Work Statistics to Help You Embrace the New Normal

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Hybrid work continues to evolve as companies adopt new hybrid workplace models, and there are many lessons we can all learn along the way. What do employees want when it comes to hybrid work, and what can employees do to balance that with the need for better predictability and space management?

These hybrid work statistics offer some guidance.

Employee hybrid work statistics 

As you consider how to adjust your workplace, it’s important to assess how employees feel about their work environment. Ask about their preferences, where they are most productive, and what they need from you to do their best work.

Does hybrid work increase productivity?

One major concern of managers and C-suite occupiers is that employees will become less productive in the hybrid workplace. This antiquated view that being in the office equates to being productive can lead to harmful management styles, such as micromanaging. When adopting a hybrid work model, it’s important to allow for flexibility within the set parameters and framework, keep your team connected with the right workplace technology, and find ways to enhance trust among managers and employees to give employees greater autonomy and ownership over their work – even if they are completing the work from their couch instead of their cubicle.

  • 90% of employees say they were as productive or more productive working remotely versus working in the office (OwlLabs “2021 State of Remote Work).
  • 55% of employees are high performers when provided radical flexibility over where, when, and with whom they work, versus 36% of employees who work a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift in the office (Gartner, June 2022)

Hybrid work statistics by generation

Navigating the shift in workplace models among different generations takes finesse and more than a little planning. Each generation has unique motivators, wants, and needs. Check out some of the insights we’ve gathered below.

Employee engagement and retention statistics

In “The Great Resignation,” the fluidity of employment status among employees is leading to increased turnover and a dwindling workforce. Cash no longer is king when it comes to motivating, retaining, and developing workforce talent. Over the past two years, the pandemic’s upheaval shifted employees’ priorities and desires.

Beyond pay – which is still important – employees are looking for positive work cultures, initiatives that make them feel valued and noticed outside of their work, and elements that help them find purpose and connection to their work. Don’t solely offer pay increases. Offer additional incentives such as increased or unlimited PTO, flexible work hours, supportive mental health and well-being initiatives, and opportunities for employees to connect with their team in-person and virtually. Consider these statistics:

Mental health and well-being in the hybrid workplace

The pandemic brought concerns about employee mental health and well-being to the forefront, and they remain important in the hybrid workplace. Burnout is increasingly common as the lines between home and work have blurred. Employers need to be more mindful of setting boundaries, including establishing hours when employees are expected to respond and when they should disconnect, encouraging employees to use their vacation time, and training managers to look for signs of burnout.

  • 64% of organizations have begun offering new well-being benefits, such as counseling services and self-care tools (Gartner, May 2022)
  • 96% of HR leaders are more concerned about employees’ well-being today than they were before the pandemic (Gartner, “Future of Work Reinvented”)
  • PwC announced in May 2022 that they will invest $2.4 billion in new employee well-being initiatives, which include the ability to choose which workplace format works best for them individually (i.e. Work from home, in-office work, a digital nomad who works anywhere, or a combination) (Forbes, May 2022)
  • 65% of employees say the pandemic has made them rethink the place work should have in their lives (Gartner, “Future of Work Reinvented”)
  • 56% of women are more likely to prioritize their health and well-being over work than pre-pandemic (Microsoft “2022 Work Trend Index”)
  • 47% of employees reported they are more likely to put their family and personal life over work than pre-pandemic, and 53% say they are more likely to prioritize their health and well-being over work than pre-pandemic (Microsoft “2022 Work Trend Index”)

Implementing hybrid workplace solutions

To support new ways of working, employers are investing in new solutions that make it easier to manage office space and reservations and improve collaboration from anywhere.

Gartner forecasts that IT spending worldwide will grow 5.1% this year – which equals $4.5 trillion. The majority of that is predicted to be on cloud technology and other similar technologies designed to support remote and hybrid remote work.

Make sure you choose a hybrid workplace model that puts your people first, then find the technology solutions to support it.

iOFFICE + SpaceIQ gives companies the tools to connect their people, places, data, and assets.

Our comprehensive portfolio of workplace and asset management software allows workplace leaders to make data-driven decisions and improve interactions within the built environment. Explore our solutions for more insights on the future of hybrid work and how to manage it.

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Film Studio Space Planning

filming production. cameraman shooting film scene with camera

By Dave Clifton
Content Strategist
SpaceIQ

There’s a tremendous amount of planning that goes into filming a movie, even on-set as opposed to on-location. There’s only so much space available to filmmakers as they visualize their production and strive to bring it to life on a lot or in front of a green screen. Much of this planning focuses on how to use available space efficiently and in the best way for the production. It’s why many production companies engage heavily in film studio space planning.

With all the duties and activities happening on-set, space planning becomes an important part of keeping productions organized and on-schedule. The last thing any movie wants is a delay stemming from stalled production or confusion on-set, resulting in mistakes or mishaps. Space planning can help reduce errors, minimize lost time, and maximize the opportunities of a space.

Film studios have plenty of moving parts to contend with during a production. Film studio space planning takes guesswork out of the production efficiency. Here’s what it looks like.

What is film studio space planning?

Film studio space planning involves identifying the demand for space amongst the many activities involved in production—then allocating space to meet those needs. From props and wardrobe, to hair and makeup, to craft services, and beyond, it takes multiple teams to bring a production together. Each team needs its own space to operate and contribute.

Beyond identifying and allocating space, movie studios rely on space planning to coincide with the demands of the production as a whole. Which set is the movie filming on today? Who’s in the lighting booth tomorrow? Is there enough space to set up the dolly track for a specific shot? These questions and countless others are all factors in space planning for movie studio operations.

In a nutshell, movie studio space planning puts production teams in control of the space around them, so they can put it to work effectively.

Benefits of space planning for film studios

There’s a significant level of planning that goes into every phase of filmmaking. Space planning is no exception. Film crews need to ensure facilities support the agenda for the day—if they don’t, the movie suffers. Here’s a look at some of the benefits that accompany good film studio space planning and allocation:

  • Film studio and production facilities become more accessible
  • Filmmakers have the space they need to execute on their vision
  • Reduction in the amount of space needed to conduct production
  • The cost to the company drops as facility efficiency lowers overhead expense
  • Fewer overlaps and interruptions ensure smoother operations
  • Enhanced safety, security, and privacy in well-orchestrated spaces

When everyone has enough space to make their contribution to the movie, the production wins. Imagine not having enough space to get hair and makeup ready, or what would happen to the timetable if craft services were in the next lot over. Bringing everything together on the same set, with space proportioned accordingly, puts filmmakers in control of their production and everything that affects its quality, timeline, and safety.

How does movie studio space planning software help?

Trying to coordinate the many facets of movie production within the context of a single set is a difficult endeavor, made even more difficult over the course of a dynamic filming schedule. The space needs of today aren’t the space needs of tomorrow or next week. Everything is in flux according to the needs of the production, which makes space planning difficult. Software creates a dynamic solution to an evolving challenge.

Using movie studio space planning software, production crews can map the static floor plan of a studio and allocate spaces or zones accordingly. It’s easy to create markups for each day of the filming schedule, as well as on-demand for unforeseen set changes or complications. The drag-and-drop space planning standard makes adjustments quick and easy, with results that are totally contextualized.

Software also makes it easier to centralize communication about changes to movie set space allocation. PAs and set administrators can loop stakeholders into the software to set out revised floor plans and space allocation changes in real-time, to keep everyone on the same page. Fewer complications in an evolving floor plan allow the production to progress on-time, without setbacks that cost money or compromise the feature.

Space planning keeps production on-track

Filmmakers operate on a tight schedule. Production needs to progress as-scheduled, without obstruction. To do that takes significant planning—specially film studio space planning. From set changes to space allocated for hair, makeup, costume, craft services, and more, space is precious on a film set and needs proper allocation to ensure it’s used correctly.

Filmmakers that practice good space planning will find themselves on-schedule, with fewer disruptions and production setbacks. The result is a better movie, by way of seamless production and better budget allocation—not to mention consistency behind the scenes. It all stems from having the right space at the right time.

Keep reading: Film and Move Studio Space Utilization Software Benefits

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Film Studio Space Utilization

Film crew working on a set.

By Devon Maresco
Marketing Coordinator
SpaceIQ

A movie set is one of the most dynamic environments you can imagine. From the actors, to the film crew, to the directorial and administrative staff, to the countless others standing by, film studios are incredibly complex. As such, they need a keen level of oversight to keep everything organized and on-track. It starts with the effective use of space. Film studio space utilization ensures that even in small, extremely busy spaces, everyone has the room to do their duty in pursuit of production.

It’s easy to think of film studios as massive spaces with endless square footage. But not every studio sits on a Hollywood backlot. Specialty studios, small production venues, and local movie production spaces often operate at a space deficit. It costs money to make a movie, and the last thing production companies want to allocate funds to are facilities. Making the most of every square foot is imperative.

Here’s a look at what it means to practice good film studio space allocation and how it contributes to a higher standard of production.

What is film studio space utilization?

Film studio space utilization is the act of delineating specific spaces around specific purposes or needs, to make the most of a given square footage or facilities. Where is wardrobe setting up today? Is it nearby hair and makeup? Is there space for craft services? During a shoot, where are the various cameras positioned? These questions and a thousand others factor into allocating and using space efficiently within a movie studio.

The goal of movie studio space utilization is to ensure minimal facilities costs and maximum production capabilities. It’s not just about saving money in the budget, either. Good space utilization can streamline the production timeline, reduce the need for reshoots, and even open up the set to more complex and intriguing shots. Above all, it’s about ensuring everyone who’s part of the production has the space they need to do their job.

The benefits of space utilization for movie studios

There are a multitude of benefits that come with good space utilization. Movie producers and studios alike benefit from the ability to make the most of space, no matter the need. Some of the most prevalent benefits associated with good space utilization include:

  • More efficient use of facilities, from both cost and operations standpoints
  • Better understanding of space allocation and utilization
  • Purposeful allocation of space to support the needs of employees
  • Context for broader facilities data such as utilization and occupancy
  • Insights and opportunities to repurpose or reallocate space
  • Smarter spatial layout of facilities, to streamline accessibility

Consider the cost savings that go into something as simple as allocating optimal space for props. Instead of renting a trailer or secondary lot, production can continue on one lot, with ample space to store and retrieve props. Not only does this reduce production cost, it also expedites production time and can even improve safety on set. This is just one example of how thoughtful utilization of space creates measurable efficiencies.

How can film studio space utilization software help?

As mentioned, film studios represent dynamic spaces. While it’s easy to identify demand for space, it’s not always easy to ensure maximum utilization. Facilities remain static; production is dynamic. Film studio space utilization software helps bridge the gap.

A CAD mockup of the studio provides set administrators and PAs with the context they need to allocate and utilize space effectively. For example, Zone A might house props today to support the current scene. Tomorrow, Zone A is where hair and makeup will set up—and on Friday, it’ll become an extension of the set to film a complex continuous shot. The ability to visualize Zone A and its many purposes over the course of a shoot enables studios to make the most of space in an operational sense.

Space utilization software is also paramount in ensuring on-site safety, no matter how you’re using a space. Various guild and studio regulations place significant emphasis on keeping studios and sets safe, private, clean, and organized. Utilization software can build in standards and codes to ensure there aren’t any violations on-set.

The identification, planning, and execution of space during film production necessitates the use of software. Without it, PAs and other set administrators could find themselves lost in a sea of clipboards, printouts, and requests for space. Software helps everything run smooth, so that production can run smooth.

Optimize facilities to produce a masterpiece

Outside of Hollywood blockbusters, film budgets tend to be tight. The more money spent on the production, the better. And while facilities are imperative to filming the movie, they’re not always the best use of funds. Instead, it’s better to make the most of the space you have and put as much of the budget into effects, post-production, distribution, and, of course, talent.

Thankfully, through good film studio space utilization, it’s possible to do more with less. Understanding and allocating space, and using it synergistically to facilitate production, is a great way to make the best use of a film’s budget. After all, audiences don’t see where you film a movie—all they care about is the quality of the finished product.

Keep reading: Movie and Film Studio Space Planning Software Benefits

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Film Studio Facilities Management

Behind the scenes shot of a camera operator shooting a scene with a state of the art camera inside of a studio during the day

It’s difficult to film a movie in facilities that aren’t conducive to the production process. What happens when the overhead spot lights don’t work or the dolly track becomes unstable? What do you do if the voice recording booth isn’t properly soundproofed or the craft services area isn’t temperature-controlled? Films depend heavily on the studio to facilitate production, which is why film studio facilities management is so important.

The ability of a film studio to meet the unique needs of its productions is inherently tied to how it’s managed. If the facilities themselves don’t work as-expected or as-intended, the film ultimately suffers. Production stalls while problems get fixed or filmmakers settle for “good enough” rather than delay the shot even further. It’s safe to say that facility management is hugely important to the caliber of the movie itself.

The scope of management required to keep film studios running smoothly is tremendous. Thankfully, modern studios have systems in-place to ensure the movie stays on-track and facilities continue to support it, no matter what stage of production it’s in.

What is film studio facilities management?

Movie studio facility management involves the upkeep, maintenance, and oversight of facilities in the pursuit of supporting production. It can range from upkeep and maintenance of vital building systems, to coordinating people and activities within the building, to creating synergies between the building and the operations within it. In simplest terms, it’s about maximizing the capabilities of facilities to enable the many activities essential to filmmaking.

According to the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA), facilities management encompasses employee support, facility technologies, health and safety, training, environment and sustainability, and facility maintenance. In a film studio, these areas of focus are prevalent throughout all stages of production, from principal shots to VFX and beyond.

A focus on facilities management is a focus on production quality. A great movie is only possible when the many contributions to its production can come together flawlessly: lights, camera, action. Undermaintained or mismanaged facilities will hinder production and take a quality toll on the movie.

Benefits of facilities management for movie studios

Emphasis on facilities management helps filmmakers produce a higher quality movie, while raising the reputation for the studio itself. When facilities support production and production credits facilities with quality, it creates a synergy that attracts future films to the lot and raises the bar for motion picture production. Here’s a look at some of the chief benefits of good facilities management:

  • Safe and secure facilities that promote accessibility, yet safeguard access
  • Streamlined operations through better space efficiency and utilization
  • More affordable facilities and better budgeting for upkeep and maintenance
  • Better transparency when it comes to company operations and activities
  • Easier management, upkeep, and improvement for space across facilities
  • Better adaptability and more flexibility to accommodate business growth

Film studio facilities management goes beyond keeping the lights on and soundproofing audio engineering booths. It needs to emphasize the actions and activities that take place within facilities and ensure everyone is capable of doing their job to a superior standard of quality.

When facilities enable filmmaking, the creative essence of the production comes to the forefront. Instead of wondering how to “make it work” filmmakers can focus on how to improve their vision within the context of facilities that enable anything.

How does film studio facility management software help?

There’s a lot going on within film studios at any given time. Filming and photography. Light and sound. VFX and post-production. Hair and makeup. Wardrobe and props. These and countless other focuses all need support from facilities. More and more movie studios are turning to software to ensure they’re getting it.

Facility management does the complex job of funneling the many demands of movie studio facilities into a single interface, where it’s easier for administrators to oversee and manage operations. This includes funneling support tickets and requests, as well as coordinating and allocating space. From fix-it tickets to floor plans, software brings facilities tasks to the forefront.

Film studio facility management software also provides insight into facility operations. Data streaming in from numerous sources makes it easy to pinpoint trends and action items, and even to prevent problems. Stay on top of and ahead of building demands helps keep productions on-time, under-budget, and to a higher level of excellence.

Software bridges the gap between physical facilities, filmmaker demands, and facility management expectations. The result? A studio that’s ready to support the production of a masterpiece.

Facilities are the backbone of production

You can’t produce a movie without the right facilities—it’s why film studios exist. But having the right space isn’t enough; movie studios need to support every phase of production and provide a backdrop for fluid creation. If facilities don’t support production, it’s difficult for a filmmaker to realize their vision, which means audiences miss out on what could’ve been.

Rather than risk a masterpiece production for something less, film studios need to focus on supporting production through better facilities management. The studios amenities need to support production crews, and the building itself should accommodate the operations taking place within it. Tending to facilities even in simple ways has a big impact on the movies that eventually come out of them.

Keep reading: Film Studio Stack Planning Software for Smoother Operations

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Film Studio Stack Planning

Close up ux developer and ui designer brainstorming about mobile app interface wireframe design on table with customer brief and color code at modern office.Creative digital development agency.panning

By Devon Maresco
Marketing Coordinator
SpaceIQ

Film studios are some of the most diverse workplaces out there. Depending on their size and the scope of services they support, a film studio might include multiple sets, effects labs, editing stations, post-production offices, and much more—everything it takes to bring a movie to life. And while these spaces can easily sprawl (especially on a Hollywood backlot), there are still limitations to space. Film studio stack planning is key in understanding where and how studio space gets allocated, and if that allocation is ideal to support the production.

Stack plans make it easy for film studios to understand space and how it’s dedicated to certain facets of production. Does it make sense for post-production to occupy twice as much space as wardrobe? Is there enough space in the editing department? What is the bulk of the studio dedicated to outside of the main set?

Looking at a film studio stack plan provides insight into space allocation. It can help studios use space better, to produce higher-caliber movies more affordably. Here’s how studios can understand space using a stack plan to leverage it better.

What is movie studio stack planning?

A stack plan is a macro, top-down view of space allocation within a specific facility. For a movie studio it tells the tale of where space is, how it’s used, and what that occupancy looks like in context. For example, the stack plan might tell you that Set B occupies 34% of the building’s total space. Or, you might find that the light and sound effects lab takes up 3,000 square feet of space. A stack plan can even tell you where space allocation pans out—such as post-production units on the second and fifth floors.

The act of stack planning involves using insights from the stack plan to inform better organization and allocation within facilities. It might mean combining those post-production suits into a single studio or cutting away some of Set B’s space to make room for a new on-set hair and makeup station. Whatever the changes, they’re informed by a top-down, high-level understanding of space.

Benefits of stack planning for film studios

There are a multitude of benefits correlated to stack planning for film studios. The ability to understand space at a high level puts PAs and facilities managers in a position to better-serve the needs of filmmakers and maximize the efficiency of a studio environment. Some of the biggest benefits include:

  • More efficient use of facilities, from both cost and operations standpoints
  • Better understanding of space allocation and utilization
  • Purposeful allocation of space to support the needs of employees
  • Context for broader facilities data such as utilization and occupancy
  • Insights and opportunities to repurpose or reallocate space
  • Smarter spatial layout of facilities, to streamline accessibility

Stack planning insights can help shape operations. For example, if VFX is on the third floor and sound engineering is tucked into a basement, the two may have trouble working together. Moving them closer can create natural synergies that enhance post-production results.

Above all, stack plans and the act of stack planning allow film studios to operate with efficiency. It costs no small sum to make a movie; the less money spent due to facility inefficiencies, the more is available for production budgets.

How does film studio stack planning software help?

The bigger the film studio, the more complex its operational needs and the more valuable space becomes. To create an informed stack plan and reap the insightful benefits that come with it takes an investment in film studio stack planning software.

Software automatically compiles a stack plan to provide immediate insight into space allocation at a high level. Administrators can observe facilities through any number of lenses. What’s the total footage of Set A? What percentage of total facility square footage is this? What’s the cost associated with that allocation? This broad-spectrum information opens the door to better stack planning.

Stack planning itself is also simpler through software. Sandboxing capabilities allow administrators to play with floor plans and allocations before enacting them, to see how they affect facilities as a whole. Moreover, it’s easy to allocate with a macro mindset, with mind for facility demand. For example, if your studio does more VFX work and less filmography, it’s easier to scale these areas accordingly from a top-down view.

Above all, film studio stack planning makes it easy to respond to the demands of dynamic operations. What space is static? What space offers wiggle room to adapt? Who needs more space? Less space? Stack planning software enables data-driven problem-solving at a high level.

Stack plan to improve production support

It takes a lot to bring a movie to life, from acting and filming to editing and post-production. Each of these important aspects requires its own space in film studio facilities. Using a stack plan can help studios identify current space allocations, and opportunities to reallocate in support of filmmaking.

Stack plans are a top-level strategy that can reduce the total cost of movie production by facilitating smoother operations. Fewer bottlenecks in the production process means more efficient use of the studio—and fewer wasted costs to contend with. Instead of contending with challenges at each phase of production, filmmakers can spend time focusing on the art itself. Cannes, Sundance, and Tribeca, here we come.

Keep reading: Movie and Film Studio Space Planning Software Benefits

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Gas and Electric Space Planning

By Devon Maresco
Marketing Coordinator
SpaceIQ

What makes a utility company? Other than its ability to provide gas, electric, water, and other essentials to homes and businesses, it also needs to support those utilities. That means departments for billing, customer service, dispatch, legal, and countless other departments. To accommodate them all and facilitate a cohesive, steadfast utility provider takes no small amount of gas and electric space planning.

Space planning for utilities functions like any other commercial business: identifying the various business lines and allocating space for them. Where it becomes different for utilities is in how that space shakes out. Massive call centers, high-tech dispatching departments, and busy billing sectors are hallmarks of a utility provider, and they all demand the right type of space to ensure smooth operations.

Gas and electric space planning factors heavily into the company’s ability to meet the demands of customers relying on it. The right space, allocated in the right proportion, helps utility company employees work effectively—which leads to happy, satisfied customers.

What is gas and electric company space planning?

The logistics of delivering gas or electric to populations in the tens or hundreds of thousands—or very likely, the millions—start with facility management. If the many moving parts of a utility company aren’t working together to turn the cogs, customers aren’t getting the essential gas or electric service they need. It comes down to space planning.

Space planning ensures that each business unit of a utility company has enough space to do its job, and that it’s able to work in synergy with the rest of the company. Billing and customer service are side-by-side, to ensure customer claims get due attention quickly. Monitoring and analytics work alongside dispatch to expedite response in emergency situations. Even ensuring facilities are easily navigable to the public is a form of conscious space planning.

Forethought to space allocation and capacity means forethought to operations. Does every business unit have the space it needs to be effective? Do the layouts across facilities support a common mission? Is there synergy between collaborative elements of the organization? The answer to each question needs to be a resounding yes for gas and electric companies to function in the capacity customers expect it to.

Benefits of space planning for gas and electric companies

The decision to organize, allocate, and arrange facilities culminates in a series of benefits that enable better performance out of utility providers. Some of the chief benefits that come with well-orchestrated facilities include:

  • Utility company facilities become more accessible to employees and visitors
  • Employees have the space they need to execute mission-critical tasks
  • Reduction in the amount of space needed to conduct operations
  • The cost to the company drops as facility efficiency lowers overhead expense
  • Fewer overlaps and interruptions ensure smoother operations
  • Enhanced safety, security, and privacy in well-orchestrated spaces

Giving everyone the space they need to execute mission-critical tasks is paramount for utility companies. It’s the difference between being able to deliver a consistent level of reliable service and constantly trying to patch gaps in the behind-the-scenes management of energy infrastructure.

How does gas and electric company space planning software help?

Gas and electric operations are prolific. Keeping track of each line of business and its needs, while coordinating operations across them all, takes a concerted effort. Gas and electric company space planning software makes it possible. It offers the essential tools and automations to identify space needs, allocate accordingly, and factor facilities into operational demands.

Does it make sense to allocate 1,000 square feet to call center operations? Should dispatch and digital analysis ops share an entire floor? Is it worthwhile to expand the real estate portfolio and move billing and collections to its own facility? Software provides the data-driven answers utility companies need to these questions, by way of assessing and understanding space demands and constraints. By assessing trends and deploying actionable data, utility companies can stay agile as demand for service grows and the nature of the industry changes.

Space planning software also puts utility companies in control of overhead costs. As companies compare their need for space against leasing costs across different facilities, it becomes easier to consolidate, conserve, or expand with intent. Software again provides the data necessary to understand space metrics in context to company operations. Utility companies can rely on space planning software to help them identify need, sandbox solutions, observe cost changes, and create solutions that work—all before they’re actually deployed.

Space planning for every line of business

Utility companies are so much more than the energy and resource they provide. They’re responsible for customer service and engagement regarding those utilities. They need to maintain and service utilities across the region. And, most important, they need to ensure that the people relying on them for answers to life’s most essential commodities are well-served at all times. The key to all of these things are facilities that support streamlined, efficient operations for the utility company itself.

Gas and electric space planning is an important step in enabling superior service. Utility providers that recognize their many roles and obligations are better-equipped to allocate the appropriate space to them. When they do, everyone wins.

Keep reading: Gas and Electric Facilities Management Software Benefits

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Gas and Electric Stack Planning

Businesswoman standing and leading business presentation. Female executive putting her ideas during presentation in conference room.

By Devon Maresco
Marketing Coordinator
SpaceIQ

One of the most unique features about utility companies is their decentralized operation. While it might have a large headquarters in the heart of its service area, a utility provider also tends to have numerous satellite offices. Whether it’s a local bill-pay depot, a field station, a call center, or a dispatch location, utility companies need to track how they’re using space across these many different locations. It’s where gas and electric stack planning come in handy.

Stack planning helps utility providers contextualize their sprawl. How many square feet are call centers A, B, and C? What percentage of the company’s real estate is devoted to billing and collections? What’s the context of service station square footage vs. the number of service techs in the field? These questions lead to insights about operational capabilities—and they’re all answered by looking at the stack plan.

What is a stack plan and how does it help gas and electric companies improve their efficiency? Here’s how a top-down view of how space equates to more effective management of space—and the benefits that come with it.

What is gas and electric company stack planning?

Stack planning is a top-down view of space allocated across a company’s many business lines. In the case of gas and electric stack planning, it involves looking at the many different business lines, locations, and operational expectations that rely on square footage.

The stack plan itself is the visual representation of space makeup within the company. It’ll show that call centers make up 24% of occupied space, that there are three facilities in the company’s portfolio with space allocated to bill pau, and that the total cost of HR facilities is $49,000 annually. Whatever space metric is most important to the company, the stack plan quantifies it.

The act of stack planning itself involves using insights from the stack plan to inform major decisions about space allocation and occupation. For example, if the company needs to house systems monitoring personnel in larger facilities, it may choose to take applicable space from another business line with more than necessary. The result? Better decisions about how to use space in a way that best-supports operations.

Benefits of stack planning for gas and electric companies

Stack planning unlocks a world of insights and opportunities for oil and gas companies as they seek to streamline facility operations in pursuit of efficiency. Some of the biggest and most prevalent benefits include:

  • More efficient use of facilities, from both cost and operations standpoints
  • Better understanding of space allocation and utilization
  • Purposeful allocation of space to support the needs of employees
  • Context for broader facilities data such as utilization and occupancy
  • Insights and opportunities to repurpose or reallocate space
  • Smarter spatial layout of facilities, to streamline accessibility

Utility companies that prioritize stack planning put themselves in a position to understand real estate as it relates to the greater mission of the company. Are facilities spread out in such a way that they run efficiently at cost? With the ability to look at space from a cost standpoint, through a spatial needs lens, and with mind for operations makes stack planning an important tool in any utility company’s arsenal.

How does gas and electric company stack planning software help?

Stack planning hinges on the ability to visually contextualize space at every level. To do this takes robust software. From digital floor plans, to integrations for cost and usage data, to automations that enable data visualization, gas and electric company stack planning software is a vital tool.

Stack planning software not only enables the visual stack plan, it assists in modeling changes within a sandbox environment. Utility companies can’t afford to disrupt operations—if they do, it could disrupt service. Sandboxing within software allows administrators to make changes, review options, and play with allocation figures to optimize floor plans—all before any physical changes occur. Sandboxing also provides modeling data that extrapolates trends for forward-looking insights.

Finally, stack planning software is as dynamic as utilities companies themselves. As they grow and expand, and service demands increase, so does the ability to reassess facilities. The stack plan puts administrators in control by showcasing current allocations in the context of operational data, to illuminate areas of opportunity. Stack plans allow for space optimization at the highest level, on an ongoing basis.

Contextualize space across sprawling operations

Spawl is part of the business when it comes to utilities. If you’re serving several hundred square miles or the better part of a region, you need office space that spans the area. Accounting for that space becomes an important part of keeping operations fluid and efficient. Gas and electric stack planning puts utilities companies in control of where and how they allocate space, and helps contextualize the function of that space in serving the community.

Utility companies that embrace stack planning will find themselves in a position to not just continue serving customers, but to optimize the efficiency by which they deliver those services. Recognizing the need for space and using the stack plan to allocate it is a game changer—especially when it comes to ranging utility providers responsible for delivering a uniform standard to everyone in their service area.

Keep reading: Gas and Electric Space Planning Software Benefits

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Gas and Electric Space Utilization

3d render of modern office interior

By Devon Maresco
Marketing Coordinator
SpaceIQ

Utilities are essential—there’s no getting around them. From power plants to field stations, billing offices to corporate campuses, utility companies need tight operations to ensure they’re meeting the exacting standards of the industry they’re in. Smooth-running facilities top the list: a place where essential employees can perform critical services without hindrance. To make this a reality takes a focus on gas and electric space utilization.

Gas and electric companies that use workplaces effectively put themselves in a position to better-serve the local population. Whether it’s responding to outage calls or processing billing, optimized facilities put utility companies in a position to meet the demands of customers beyond essential gas or electric services.

How can better space utilization enable gas and electric companies to raise their standard for service? Read on to understand the role of facilities in providing essential services, and how a little optimization goes a long way.

What is gas and electric company space utilization?

While some companies have mission-critical operations that demand more attention than others, utility providers face demand from all sides. To ensure every facet of operations meets the expectations of customers, municipalities, regulatory agencies and more, these companies need to use space effectively. Good space utilization allows seamless operations across every aspect: from grid monitoring and service dispatch to customer service and billing departments.

In essence, space utilization is simply using available space to the best of its abilities. It means organizing the call center to maximize staffing without creating cross-talk between service calls. It’s about ensuring field stations are small, yet have everything they need to meet the needs of the local population. Even something like ensuring bill pay offices have lobbies big enough to support multiple teller windows and queues represents forethought to space utilization.

Allocated accordingly, space serves as a foundation for gas and electric companies—it enables them to perform every critical function demanded of them.

The benefits of space utilization for gas and electric companies

Beyond keeping the lights on and ensuring the gas flows safely, utility companies function like any other company: they need to run efficiently to ensure profitability. Space utilization plays a role in efficiency, which contributes to the bottom line. Here’s a look at some of the ways space utilization translates into tangible benefits for oil and gas companies:

  • More efficient use of facilities, from both cost and operations standpoints
  • Better understanding of space allocation and utilization
  • Purposeful allocation of space to support the needs of employees
  • Context for broader facilities data such as utilization and occupancy
  • Insights and opportunities to repurpose or reallocate space
  • Smarter spatial layout of facilities, to streamline accessibility

The chief takeaway of gas and electric space utilization is the ability of utility companies to maximize their overhead costs to deliver a higher standard of service more efficiently. Everyone relies on utilities, and the weight of that demand falls on gas and electric companies. Forethought to space utilization raises the caliber of service capability, so energy companies can do more with less.

How can gas and electric company space utilization software help?

Space utilization software is a lynchpin for gas and electric companies in pursuit of efficiency. Because so many aspects of utility operations are mission-critical and each deserves its own space to operate out of, utilization becomes a priority. And, because gas and electric companies have so many different facets of operations and unique space demands, software becomes necessary in managing them all.

Beyond allocating space within context, gas and electric company space utilization software also assists with the management of these spaces. From compliance with Department of Energy (DOE) standards, to OSHA controls, to general health and safety standards within spaces and buildings—software offers automation control for each of these standards. As utility companies change and adapt space, software provides the essential parameters, to ensure they’re not overlooked.

And, of course, digitization of space utilization paves the way for integration. With space metrics digitized, energy companies can tie them into everything from wayfinding, to reporting dashboards, to IoT sensors—all in pursuit of optimizing building efficiency. This correlates to better space utilization: companies can identify where inefficiencies in space allocation exist and alter them to ensure better contribution to company operations.

Utilities are essential, and so is space optimization

Utility providers constrained by their facilities strangle their ability to serve customers. Sure, they may provide consistent gas or electric by way of operations—but what about handling high volumes of service calls, helping customers with bill pay, or resolving account issues? These services are just as important, and they require space within facility to ensure results.

Gas and electric space utilization is a priority for utilities that understand their role beyond an energy supplier. Space that’s well-utilized is space spent helping customers when it comes to customer service and account management: invaluable offerings that utilities need to win at. Well-utilized space doesn’t happen by accident—it takes a realization of demand and the drive to meet it.

Keep reading: Gas and Electric Space Planning Software Benefits

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Gas and Electric Facilities Management

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Gas and electricity are essential to everyday life. We rely on utility companies to provide us with them all day, every day, 24/7. To do this, energy companies themselves need to keep the lights on and the workforce humming along, which means having facilities that support complex operations. Safe to say, there’s no substitute for a keen focus on gas and electric facilities management.

For gas and electric companies, facility management is a cornerstone of operations management. Whether they work in billing, customer service, dispatch, legal, HR, technical services, or some other line of business, employees need to come to work each day and find an environment that supports the work they’re doing. Without it, customers suffer; anyone turning to a utility company for answers about these essential commodities.

Thankfully, good facilities management at a utility company can trickle down to exceptional service and experience. Here’s how forethought to facilities turns into a positive experience for the population served by a utility provider.

What is gas and electric company facilities management?

Facilities management centers on the maintenance, upkeep, and optimization of buildings and workplaces. The more conducive facilities are to the activities that take place within them, the better the result of a utility company’s operations. This directly contributes to the level of service the company is able to offer.

Take bill pay, for example. Many customers pay their gas and electric bill in-person. If the building isn’t handicap accessible, there’s no room to queue in line, or the facilities themselves are dark and dingey, it translates to a poor customer service experience. The same goes for employees. If dispatch coordinators deal with spotty Wi-Fi, shoddy equipment, or a messy workplace, they’re not going to do their best job.

In total, facilities management encompasses six chief areas of focus: employee support, facility technologies, health and safety, training, environment and sustainability, and facility maintenance. According to the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA), these are the core pillars that bridge the gap between where and how employees work.

Benefits of facilities management for gas and electric companies

Facilities management has rippling benefits for gas and electric companies. Not only does it enable a better standard of work within workplaces, it also ensures a higher caliber of result to utility customers. When facilities encourage an optimal standard, that standard gets passed down the line. Some of the chief benefits stemming from good facilities oversight include:

  • Safe and secure facilities that promote accessibility, yet safeguard access
  • Streamlined operations through better space efficiency and utilization
  • More affordable facilities and better budgeting for upkeep and maintenance
  • Better transparency when it comes to company operations and activities
  • Easier management, upkeep, and improvement for space across facilities
  • Better adaptability and more flexibility to accommodate business growth

Whether it’s the central headquarters for a utility company or a field office serving a specific population, facilities are central to support. Whether it’s bill pay, dispatch, marketing, or municipal liaison, gas and electric companies need facilities that support every element of its ties to the community.

How does gas and electric company facility management software help?

The scope of utility operations is extensive—often covering huge swaths of the local population or a geographic region. With multiple facilities and complex lines of business within them, facility upkeep becomes a paramount focus. Gas and electric company facility management software brings this massive responsibility into a single interface, rife with tools to manage every important aspect.

Take support ticketing, for example. From burnt-out lights in Marketing to cross-talk interference from the electronics in Dispatch, utility workers submit facility maintenance tickets to a central system, which can prioritize and organize them accordingly. The result? Quicker maintenance and a higher standard of solution, which keeps the company chugging along with minimal interruption.

The sheer amount of data surrounding facilities is also simplified within a facility management platform. Administrators can quantify trends and make data-driven decisions based on information contextualized within facilities. Is it worth it to keep maintaining the current headquarters, or is moving to a new building the less-costly measure? What’s the frequency of HVAC maintenance? When’s the last time there was an internal OSHA audit? The answers to these questions come to fruition within facility management software.

There’s also the complexity of operations to consider. With multiple facilities and complex operations across them all, utility companies need a way to monitor everything succinctly. The answer is a cloud-based facility platform that yields insights at a glance and enables agility no matter what the next course of action is. Simply put: as utility companies grow, they need a centralized management system that grows in tandem.

Facility management helps keep the lights on for everyone

Businesses rely on utilities to keep their facilities up and running. No power? No gas? No water? No productivity, and no reason to come into the office. But to keep these critical power systems on and flowing, utility companies need to pay mind to their own facilities. Namely, they need to enable a workplace where every important cog in the company has a place to come together for the good of the entire community.

Gas and electric facilities management can be the difference between a utility provider that’s equipped to serve customers, and one that’s struggling to keep up with demand. It’s in the best interest of everyone that utility companies keep their own operations ship-shape, starting with facilities.

Keep reading: Gas and Electric Space Utilization Software Benefits