Dive Brief:
- Planon is combining its integrated workplace management system with Microsoft’s room and desk planning tool to help facility managers better use space, according to a joint announcement by the companies.
- The integration means organizations can connect the spatial data and floorplans in Planon’s platform with the space planning capabilities of Microsoft’s Places app. For example, the integration can help building managers identify floors that are consistently underused, those with excessive demand and what opportunities areavailable to consolidate space, according to Kimberly Castle, president of Planon North America.
- “For workplace operators, the real value of the [Microsoft] Places plus Planon integration is that it provides a complete view of intent, reservation and utilization,” Castle told Facilities Dive in an email. “That combination enables workplace leaders to make smarter decisions about space, services, energy consumption, employee experience and long term portfolio strategy, ultimately creating a workplace that is both more efficient and more attractive to employees.”
Dive Insight:
Improving space data accuracy and reporting capabilities are top of mind for workplace facility leaders, according to a JLL survey.
The JLL report says there’s demand for space as more organizations require employees to work on-site, while at the same time organizations want to manage their space more efficiently. That puts a premium on space management tools, JLL says.
A survey by global property management company ISS reinforces the idea that managers are putting a premium on how they use space. The company found that 83% of business leaders believe how the workplace is organized through space optimization has a large impact on organization performance.
“Most organizations are still not structured to capture the full value of the workplace, creating a significant opportunity for FM and CRE leaders to unlock additional value,” Steve Quick, CEO of Americas at ISS, said in the survey report.
The effort to align space use with occupancy trends and building systems optimization requires accurate data, something that facility managers recognize, the JLL report says.
Chung said the joint effort by Planon and MIcrosoft responds to the data-focused effort that building operators are driving.
"Organizations everywhere are rethinking how their workplaces can bring people together more effectively,” Chung said.
Released in 2024, Microsoft Places is designed to help employees and teams coordinate in-person office time, while providing employers with occupancy and space use data that facilities managers can access to improve workplace experience, according to Microsoft.
Planon, which is majority-owned by global energy technology and automation company Schneider Electric, provides AI-enhanced building management software to connect building operators with data, the company says.
”Microsoft Places provides employee presence signals, work patterns, Outlook and Teams integration, and AI-driven scheduling recommendations. Planon provides workplace operations, space management, floor plans, reservations, occupancy management, maintenance, workplace services, and portfolio insights,” said Kimberly Castle, president of Planon North America, in an email. “Together, they create a seamless employee and workplace management experience.”
With the integration, facility managers and others that oversee spatial planning will be able to connect building data with floorplans to better manage space, and employees will be able to manage bookings for desks, meeting rooms and other workplace resources directly within their calendar in Microsoft Outlook and Teams.
The integration also aims to improve meeting space management by helping operators identify frequently overbooked meeting rooms, those that are too large or reserved but rarely occupied, and to determine the demand for different types of rooms. Additionally, the technology can be used to align building operations with actual demand through adjusted HVAC scheduling, reduced lighting use, optimized cleaning schedules and better security staffing management, Castle said.
“We are focused on creating work spaces that are smarter, more connected and easier to navigate,” Planon CEO Peter Ankerstjerne said in the announcement.
