Three keys to unlock the growing power of workplace data

Organisations are increasingly relying on data to navigate the future of work. From measuring space utilisation to employee collaboration patterns, the workplace is experiencing a boom in data points.

However, the full potential of data from Internet of Things (IoT) devices and digital communication tools is still being realised, according to a new report from Cisco in partnership with WORKTECH Academy and senior researcher and consultant Dr Agustin Chevez.

The Cisco report looks at ‘unlocking the power of workplace data’ and follows a roundtable in Sydney attended by 14 industry experts including developers, landlords, flexible space operators, government policymakers and workplace leaders.

Three key perspectives

The roundtable, which was convened by WORKTECH Academy and facilitated by Dr Chevez, discussed three important perspectives on achieving better capitalisation of IoT and digital data:

• Interactions are multi-dimensional: The roundtable identified six types of interaction – collaboration, cooperation, coordination, delegation, socialisation, and negotiation – each requiring different environments and technologies. A deeper understanding of these interactions is required to create more tailored and effective workspace designs.
• Match data to the workplace, not assumptions: Data alone cannot tell the full story of workplace behaviour. Often, businesses misinterpret data, leading to assumptions that don’t align with real-world needs. The Full Spectrum Workplace (FSW) framework presented by Dr. Chevez gives an insight into how different types of work occur across time and space, offering better guidance for workplace design.
• Better dashboards, better workplaces: Effective data dashboards are crucial for visualising workplace performance. Participants stressed the importance of customising dashboards to reflect an organisation’s unique goals, rather than relying on generic metrics. By integrating both experience and effectiveness data, businesses can create workplaces that not only function well but also support employee wellbeing and productivity.

The Cisco report, Unlocking The Power of Workplace Data: Leveraging data to create high-performance workplaces, can be accessed here.