5 best space management software for office space planning

Having a well-thought-out office layout doesn’t mean simply ensuring that everyone has a place to sit; it involves creating an office that people want to come to and where they feel productive and creative. 

Imagine trying to focus in a cramped space or having to walk halfway across the office just to find an available meeting room. Not great for your productivity, right?

Two things help you provide the right type of workspace to your people: 

• Space planning, which defines how an office feels and functions
• Space management software, which enables you to manage day-to-day office ops and ensure everyone has access to the space and tools they need to do their best work

In this article, we’ll focus on space management apps, see what types of software you can use, and explain how to make the most of each one.

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What is office space management software? 

Whether it's helping employees find a desk for the day, booking a conference room, or keeping track of who’s in the office, office space management apps enable you to make sure your workspace is functional and gives your team the right conditions to do their best work. 

Plus, they help you make the best use of your office space, which, let’s face it, is an expensive resource that you need to manage carefully. With the right app (or suite of apps), you can: 

• Plan the layout of your office and define different areas, e.g. for focused work, collaboration, meetings, or video calls
• Enable your team to book desks and meeting rooms and ensure everyone has a place to sit when they come to the office
• Make sure your team members know when is the best time to come to the office to meet with others
• Manage visitors and the spaces you need to accommodate them
• Understand how your office is being used and ensure you’re not paying for more space than your team needs

That’s important for any office, but it’s crucial for hybrid workplaces, where people split their time between working from home and coming to the office. In a hybrid setup, most team members don’t need a permanent desk; space management apps simplify hot desking and enable your employees to book a desk only when they need it.

In short, if you want to create a system that works well for flexible work schedules and different working styles, space management software is the way to go. 

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Why is space planning critical to workplaces?

Efficient space management enables you to ensure everything is placed strategically, so that teams can easily meet and work together and that everyone has what they need close by.  Regardless of whether you’re in the process of scaling up, downsizing, or just trying to make the most of what you’ve got, the space you rent (or own) is a crucial resource that supports the needs of your people.

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But, to improve employee wellbeing, you need to design your office not only for your people, but with them, as furniture company Herman Miller points out. Otherwise said, you need to actively involve your team in making decisions about the office space and how they use it. 

The sense of agency is one of the main reasons why people seek flexible work arrangements; they want to be in charge of how, when, and where they work. Space planning and management (and the apps you use) help you provide this freedom to your team at no extra cost – or even save money by making sure every square foot is used wisely. 

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Benefits of using space planning software

Using space management software can make a huge difference in how smoothly your office runs and how effectively you use your space. 

Instead of guessing usage patterns and trying to manually adjust your space to them, this software gives you the tools to create a smart, data-driven office space. Here are some of the many benefits of thoughtful space planning:

• Reduce rent and resource costs: If you know exactly how your office space is being used, you’ll be able to ensure optimal resource utilization and save on rent and utilities.
• Boost employee satisfaction: If you give your team an easy way to book desks and meeting rooms, they can focus on what matters most, instead of on figuring out the logistics. They can also see when important meetings take place or when their favorite team mates (or even their pets!) are in the office.

• Build a collaborative culture: With real-time attendance visibility, team members can see who is in and plan collaborative work sessions around this. 
• Improve flexibility and adaptability: Space planning software enables you to quickly adapt to the changing needs of your business and team, whether it's accommodating more employees, hosting a series of interviews or meetings, or adopting flexible work schedules.
• Simplify decision-making: By collecting data on space usage, you can make informed decisions and quickly make adjustments. 

Simply said, space planning software takes the guesswork out of planning and helps you create a workspace that truly works for everyone.

5 types of space management software tools to try 

Space management software tools can make a big difference in how you manage your workplace, especially in a hybrid environment, but for this, you need to select the best app that suits your needs. 

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Desk booking software 

Desk booking software is a must-have for any modern office, and especially for hybrid work environments. With it, employees can easily book a desk, see who’s in the office – nobody likes to come to an empty office, after all – and join social events. This all helps maintain a well-organized space and supports flexibility, but for hot desking to work, you need a system that’s super easy to adopt and use. 

The best way to achieve this is to get an app that lives where your team members already use daily, i.e. Slack or MS Teams. Officely integrates with both, meaning that team members don’t need to open yet another app to book desks, see who’s coming, or get reminders. A tool like Officely that’s naturally woven into your team’s workflow guarantees that your people will actually use it.

Book a free demo to see our app in action and discover how to simplify desk booking and get accurate attendance information. 

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Meeting room booking system

Meeting room booking systems are another essential tool for managing office space efficiently, especially if a big part of the work of your team is collaborative, or if you’re often meeting with partners or clients at your office. 

A system that enables you to schedule, book, and manage meeting rooms efficiently is crucial for preventing double bookings, no-shows, and, well, general chaos. 

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Officely’s user-friendly interface enables team members to book meeting rooms and even integrates with everyone’s calendar apps. Condeco is another app that can help with that, although it’s geared towards larger companies. 

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Visitor management 

If you often need to meet visitors at your office (be it job candidates, clients, contractors, or partners), you need a solution that provides a smooth visitor experience – and that also enables you to keep your office space secure and only give access to those who need it. 

Tools like Sign In App and Envoy enable you to do this by offering digital check-in processes, pre-registration options, and visitor tracking features, all designed to keep your workplace safe and efficient.

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Resource utilization management 

To make sure you’re making the most out of your office space, you need the right resource utilization tools that enable you to track everything from desk usage to meeting room occupancy and attendance patterns. This, in turn, helps you make smart decisions about your office layout and resource allocation. 

In a hybrid work setting, understanding space utilization is critical for optimizing your space and making sure that you’re not paying for more space than you need. 

Officely’s resource utilization feature is an excellent example of how to harness this data effectively and make the most of it. Many tools out there, like OfficeSpace Software, offer similar capabilities, but Officely integrates these insights directly with other essential office space management features.

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Internal support portal 

An internal support portal is all about making sure your people have easy access to help and resources whenever they need them, whether it’s IT support, facilities management, office supplies, or general office queries. 

Having a centralized hub where they can access all that makes it easy for them to get the support they need, hassle-free, and focus on their work. In a hybrid office environment, where some employees might only rarely come to the office, need remote assistance, or not come at the same time as office managers or IT staff, having the right employee support system is even more important. 

For a comprehensive internal support portal, check out tools like HappyFox, where employees can easily submit tickets, track requests, and get the help they need, whether they're in the office or working remotely.

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Ready to optimize your space management?

To manage your office space efficiently, you need an app that integrates seamlessly into your team’s workflows; that’s the only way to ensure your team will actually use it (and benefit from it). And, if you’re managing a hybrid office, a hot desking solution that also tells you how your space is actually being used and enables you to manage meeting room bookings is key. 

Officely does all that, and much more – plus, it integrates with your communication platforms, such as Slack and MS Teams, enabling your team members to book desks with a few clicks, and see who’s in the office and when. 

To find out more about Officely and see for yourself how much simpler space management can be, book a free demo today.

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