So-called workplace experience (WEX) applications enable companies to improve their employees’ everyday work at the office by streamlining room booking, workday planning, and scheduling. With the hybrid working model commonplace in many organizations, a workplace experience application helps office workers find the best days to work in person and remotely.
Furthermore, WEX applications provide valuable data to companies for keeping track of office attendance and the occupancy rate of different spaces, such as meeting rooms. With access to actionable insights about office use, companies can optimize both the premises and the employee experience.
Key highlights
- Workplace experience (WEX) software streamlines room booking, workday planning, and scheduling while optimizing office operations.
- WEX software supports a positive return to the office by making RTO a positive employee experience, even without strict mandates.
- By collecting real-time occupancy data, WEX software allows companies to monitor space usage, optimize office layouts, and make informed decisions to provide an excellent workplace experience.
The return of RTO
The subject of RTO, or return to the office, was sparked following the pandemic when companies wanted their previously in-person workers to return after months or over a year of remote work.
The approach to RTO divided companies into several camps, some enforcing a strict five-days-a-week rule while others adopting the so-called hybrid working model, where only some days are spent at the office. Yet, other companies gave their employees the freedom to choose for themselves or within teams how to arrange the workweek. This has led to many choosing to spend a majority, if not all days working from home.
According to Gallup data from 2024, over 50% of remote-capable employees in the United States follow a hybrid model of work.The question of return to office was reignited once more in September 2024 when Amazon announced that all of its employees would be returning to a full five days per week in person at the office, starting on January 2nd, 2025. Although Amazon’s return to office mandate is among the strictest in its league, it is far from the only company with similar policies—among them giants like Goldman Sachs.
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Support a return to the office
Reactions to such strict RTO mandates have been mixed, with some employees expressing dissatisfaction with the new requirements. Yet, returning to the office can be a positive employee experience. At best, companies do not need to manage their employees’ workplace attendance if coming to the office is a voluntary and positive experience.
This is among the main goals of workplace experience applications. By optimizing the everyday experience of office workers, companies can promote a workplace that employees are happy to return to day after day. WEX software promotes a positive return to office experience with these functions:
- Meeting room booking: Being able to book rooms, booths, and pods removes the guesswork of finding available space for hybrid and in-person meetings. In addition to bookable rooms, make sure the office has enough smaller, always available smart pods for unexpected phone calls and video meetings. Framery Connect lets you book meeting rooms through the Framery App, your workplace calendar, and room displays.
- Calendar integration: Booking meeting rooms and checking their availability should be easy whenever and wherever. When all bookable meeting rooms are connected to the workplace calendar, hybrid workers can plan their in-person days in advance. With Framery Connect, the data is always up-to-date, showing real-time availability based on calendar bookings. Our smart pods can be made bookable by integrating them with the workplace calendar.
- Room panel: Room panels help to navigate through the office by showing whether the desired meeting room or pod is free or occupied. The panels also help employees to check schedules and book meeting spaces instantly. Checking the availability of meeting spaces is simple with Framery Room Display (available early 2025) – its color coding indicates whether the space is available (green) or occupied (red).
- Mobile app: Difficulties with room booking and finding the right spaces for meetings can make office work unproductive. In fact, 40% of workers spend over 30 minutes each day searching for a vacant space. A mobile workplace app is the fastest way to book meeting spaces and keep every calendar connected. The Framery App makes navigating every workday simpler.
Data-driven insights: Real-time usage data is a requirement for maximizing the use of limited office space. WEX software empowers companies to gather valuable occupancy information, including insights into which office areas are at full capacity and which connected spaces are underused. Framery smart pods are equipped with built-in sensors to collect anonymous occupancy data. With the Framery Connect Sensor, you can you can extend occupancy measuring to the entire office.
Sub-optimal use of limited office space means that companies do not get the full benefit from one of their greatest material assets: the office. For example, larger meeting rooms are occupied by fewer than three people roughly 80% of the time. Armed with intuitive data and visual insights, companies can make design choices to benefit from their office space while providing a great workplace experience to their employees.
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Promote privacy and productivity for a successful return to office
Many knowledge workers are understandably concerned that the office does not enable productive and distraction-free work. This issue is all the more greater in open plan offices where employees work in large open areas with multiple workstations.
Fortunately, companies can promote a productive workplace experience with office design practices, including private meeting spaces, such as soundproof smart pods and meeting booths. Framery smart pods, such as the single-person Framery One, foster productivity and well-being at work thanks to their award-winning soundproofing.
Provide sufficient access to soundproofed spaces for small meetings and private phone calls in the office. Our Pod Placement guide helps you choose the right number of different-sized smart pods and use them to create zones for various work activities.
Schedule and book meeting spaces with just a few taps, ensuring the right room or smart pod is always available when needed. Set up the Framery App with your calendar to streamline meeting and workspace scheduling.
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FAQs about workplace experience software
What is workplace experience (WEX) software?
Workplace experience (WEX) software is a tool that helps companies streamline office operations and enable employees to book meeting rooms, plan their workdays, and find spaces for in-person or hybrid meetings. It enhances employee and employer experience by making offices more efficient and data-driven.
How does WEX software support a return to the office (RTO)?
WEX software facilitates a smoother return to the office by helping employees easily book meeting spaces, plan their in-person workdays, and integrate the workplace calendar for easier access. It creates a positive, efficient office environment that encourages people to return without strict RTO mandates.
How WEX software optimizes office space usage?
WEX software can optimize office space by providing data-driven insights into room occupancy and usage patterns. This allows companies to redesign or allocate resources more effectively. With the real-time data, companies can also identify meeting rooms and smart pods that are under and overutilized. Smarter use of limited office space ensures that the workplace is used to its full potential.
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