SMaRT Building Tech & Flex Working
How a SMaRT Building Can Bridge the Gap: Hybrid and Flex-Mandate Models
At NuXform, we’ve observed first-hand the evolving challenges of bringing employees back into the office. With the initial allure of loyalty programs and gamification fading, many companies are now turning to stricter mandates to ensure attendance. While traditional mandates may fill seats mid-week, they don’t always account for the flexibility that modern workforces demand.
We believe the solution lies somewhere in the middle: flex-mandates and hybrid attendance models - a balance of structure and autonomy. This is where SMaRT Building technology can step in and enable this balance, creating environments that respond dynamically to evolving work habits and team requirements.
Stuart Russell, SMaRT Consultant at NuXform, explores how thoughtfully deployed SMaRT technology can reshape the employee experience and underpin operational efficiency in flex-mandate models.
Flexible Mandate Models
Team-Driven Mandates: Rather than enforcing blanket policies, many organisations now allow individual teams to set their own in-office schedules. This approach decentralises the mandate, making it more relevant and practical. The autonomy given to teams results in more engaged employees as their unique needs are met and the office becomes a place of collaboration rather than obligation.
Conditional Mandates: Office attendance is required only for specific activities such as client meetings, workshops and team building events, offering a tailored approach to in-person work. Employees are only asked to be present when their physical presence adds the most value, balancing flexibility with the need for occasional in-person interaction.
How SMaRT Buildings Empower Flex Mandates
SMaRT building technology is perfectly positioned to support these hybrid attendance models, offering data-driven solutions that adapt to employee behaviour and team requirements.
Here are some key ways it enhances the flex mandate approach:
Space Booking & Allocation
Occupancy-Based Space Management: With sensors and analytics, SMaRT buildings dynamically allocate workspaces based on real-time data about who is in the office. Teams that need to collaborate can be provided with the necessary rooms or areas, while unoccupied spaces remain powered down for efficiency.
On-Demand Collaboration Spaces: SMaRT solutions enable employees to reserve rooms, open-plan areas, or meeting pods in real time, reducing friction in the process of planning in-office collaboration. The system can automatically assign spaces based on occupancy levels and scheduled activities, streamlining how teams use the office.
Environmental Comfort and Wellness
Air Quality and Comfort Monitoring: Concerns around health and wellness are more prominent than ever. SMaRT systems continuously monitor air quality, temperature and humidity, making real-time adjustments to ensure employee comfort. For teams required to be in the office, these features create a stress-free environment, improving focus and wellbeing.
Energy Efficiency for Hybrid Work
Energy Savings on Non-Mandated Days: On days when fewer employees are in the office, SMaRT buildings can scale back energy usage. Systems like HVAC and lighting automatically reduce output in unoccupied areas, cutting costs and improving sustainability. This is particularly important in hybrid models, where a building’s energy needs to fluctuate based on team attendance.
Data Insights for Evolving Mandates
Tracking Patterns to Refine Policies: SMaRT buildings are equipped to gather insights on attendance, space usage and team preferences. Over time, this data can be used to refine attendance mandates, ensuring they reflect actual employee behaviour and needs. For example, if certain teams rarely use specific areas, the building can adjust its space management, or companies can revise attendance policies to align with these patterns.
Feedback Loops for Continuous Improvement
By collecting feedback on comfort, resource availability and the overall in-office experience, SMaRT buildings help management make data-informed decisions. This enables organisations to evolve their conditional mandates, ensuring policies are responsive to the unique needs of different teams.
Conclusion
The return-to-office question doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all answer. However, SMaRT Building technology can play a pivotal role in supporting hybrid and flexible approaches.
By optimising office environments based on real-time data and individual team needs, SMaRT systems empower organisations to create a workplace that is adaptable, efficient, and future-proof.
At NuXform, our SMaRT building consultancy focuses on helping companies design and implement these intelligent solutions. We guide organisations seeking to optimise their spaces for flexibility, improved energy efficiency and enhanced employee experience.
By partnering with a SMaRT building consultancy like ours, businesses can seamlessly integrate technology that not only supports their flex-mandate models but also lays the foundation for a more agile and sustainable future.
To speak with our team about a project, get in touch at hello@nuxform.com
