Schiada mentions she’s constantly hearing clients ask, “How do we incorporate hybrid technology to make our buildings future-proof?”

Having a robust approach to metrics is imperative because she says partial and anecdotal data needs to be more accurate.

As companies accelerate their investment in technology to meet the challenges of a hybrid office, researchers say it is increasingly difficult to understand the landscape, which tools are aligned with your specific goals and how best to integrate them into your operations.

Technology enables companies to capture new data types we weren’t even looking at five years ago. When companies looked at facilities management, they probably thought about cleaning, security and services. Now, it’s about looking at the space. Is it efficient? What is the energy use? What is the corporate real estate cost per person? Is the office inclusive? Is it diverse?

“A whole new level of metrics has emerged, and that’s what should be driving companies’ decisions,” Schiada says. “That’s what will allow them to be more nimble, transparent and responsive to the needs of their entire organization.”