In 2024, 92% of organizations reported using hybrid work models, resulting in underused office spaces, with many companies seeking solutions to optimize their real estate investments. Every square foot of office space costs money, yet most companies aren’t using their space efficiently.

With hybrid work in full force and real estate costs rising, businesses need more than static floor plans; they need real-time, data-driven space planning.

Space planning software addresses these challenges by offering real-time occupancy tracking, interactive floor planning, and data-driven decision-making. These tools enable businesses to optimize space management, reduce costs, and enhance workplace experiences.​

This guide explores the functionalities of space planning software, its benefits, key features to consider, and strategies for selecting the right management solution for your organization.

What is space planning software?

Space planning software helps design, manage, and optimize office layouts. Unlike traditional floor plans, these platforms use data-driven insights to streamline workspaces for hybrid work and fluctuating occupancy.

Also referred to as space management software or office space planning tools, these solutions offer:

• Dynamic floor plans 
• Occupancy analytics to track desk and room usage
• Scenario planning to test layouts before implementation
• Integration with booking systems for workspace reservations

Who uses space planning software?

Space planning tools are essential for:

• Workplace Managers – To ensure efficient space use and a positive employee experience
• Facilities Teams – To manage office layouts and seating arrangements
• Corporate Real Estate Professionals – To optimize portfolio size and reduce costs
• HR and Operations Leaders – To create flexible, people-centric workspaces

Why space planning matters

1. Improved space utilization and efficiency

Underused offices cost businesses millions, especially if they lease office space based on outdated assumptions.

Space planning software identifies inefficiencies by analyzing desks, meeting rooms, and common areas. With real-time occupancy data, you can reallocate space, repurpose underused areas, and ensure every square foot adds value.

Ironclad used Gable’s analytics dashboard to track office attendance trends, ensuring they aren’t paying for unused space. They optimized their hybrid office setup by analyzing space demand and employee behavior, eliminating excess seating while creating more high-demand collaboration zones.

2. Cost savings

Office space is one of the largest business expenses, yet most companies overpay for unused square footage. If a company needs 20,000SF of space at $2.60 per square foot per month in rent, it will save over $300,000 over a five-year lease term just by leasing 10% less space. This is significant even at a low rate, whereas the average US company is paying $35 per square foot of office real estate.

With space planning software, you’ll have real-time visibility into your office space needs. By eliminating excess space and implementing flexible workspaces, you can redirect savings into employee experience and workplace innovation.

Checkr used Gable’s data to rethink office layouts and transition from fixed seating to on-demand workspaces. This hybrid-first approach resulted in a 20% reduction in lease costs while maintaining strong in-person collaboration.

3. Enhanced employee experience & productivity

McKinsey reports that office attendance was down by an average of about 30% compared with before the pandemic. 

Employees work best when their workspace matches their needs. Traditional office layouts often fail to support different work styles—some need quiet zones for deep work, while others thrive in collaborative spaces.

Space planning software aligns office design with how employees work. It helps businesses create purpose-driven spaces that boost engagement, increase collaboration, and enhance employee well-being.

Docker embraced Gable’s flexible solution to give employees on-demand access to workspaces, ensuring they could collaborate in person while maintaining flexibility. This approach increased productivity and engagement, allowing employees to choose work environments that best suit their tasks.

4. Flexibility for hybrid work and growth

Workplace needs aren’t static - they shift as teams grow and hybrid schedules evolve. 

Without a dynamic space strategy, you’ll waste money and create frustrating employee experiences. Space planning software solutions enable dynamic space allocation, allowing companies to:

• Adjust seating arrangements based on attendance trends
• Implement hot desking and shared workstations
• Scale office space up or down as business needs evolve

Apartment List transitioned to a virtual-first company, maintaining a dedicated HQ in the Bay Area. By implementing Gable's platform, they effectively managed coworking spaces and their office through a centralized system. They got comprehensive insights across various workspace types, ensuring efficient management of flexible workspaces and dedicated office areas. As a result, Apartment List achieved a 63% increase in bookings and an 80% employee adoption rate, enhancing overall space utilization while maintaining high employee satisfaction.​

5. Data-driven decision making

Making office space decisions based on assumptions leads to inefficiencies and wasted resources. Instead, you need real-time data to understand how offices are used: desk occupancy, meeting room usage, office traffic patterns, and peak in-office days.

This data-driven approach allows leaders to optimize their office layout proactively rather than reacting to problems after they arise.

Quizlet leveraged Gable’s workplace analytics to track office usage patterns, optimize space allocation, and enhance the hybrid experience. With real-time data, they identified inefficiencies, improved collaboration spaces, and ensured employees had access to the right work environments.

6. Compliance and safety

Office layouts must comply with regulations such as fire codes, accessibility laws, and workplace safety standards. Poor space management can lead to overcrowding, blocked exits, and unsafe working conditions.

Space planning software helps businesses:

• Ensure compliance with health and safety guidelines
• Avoid overcrowding by monitoring real-time occupancy
• Plan evacuation routes and emergency exits effectively

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Key features of space planning software

1. Interactive floor plan design & visualization

Real-time digital floor plans let you see, edit, and optimize office layouts. These interactive tools make it easy to adjust layouts for office moves, team expansions, or hybrid work transitions. 

2. Occupancy tracking & analytics

Occupancy tracking monitors desk utilization, meeting room demand, and peak office hours, preventing overcrowding in popular areas while making underutilized zones more functional. For instance, if a company sees low occupancy on Fridays, it can allocate those areas for flexible seating instead of assigned desks.

3. Scenario planning (“What-if” analysis)

Space needs can shift rapidly, making scenario planning a crucial tool. "What-if" analysis helps businesses test different layouts before implementing changes. A company anticipating a shift to a hybrid model can simulate the impact of reducing assigned desks while increasing collaboration areas, ensuring employees have the right mix of space when they come in.

4. Move management

Relocating teams or adjusting office layouts can be a logistical challenge. Move management tools streamline the process by seamlessly automating seating assignments and coordinating transitions. 

5. Integration with booking systems

A seamless office experience relies on easy access to workspaces when employees need them. This could be office hoteling, hot desking, or conference room bookings.

Integration with desk and meeting room booking systems ensures that teams can reserve the right space at the right time. 

Gable’s booking system makes managing hybrid work schedules and space reservations easy.

6. Analytics & reporting

Making informed decisions about office space requires accurate, real-time data. Advanced analytics provide insights into utilization rates, peak usage times, and workspace efficiency, helping workplace managers refine their office strategy. For example, a company that notices low meeting room utilization may convert excess rooms into breakout spaces or smaller, more practical collaboration areas.

7. Collaboration and accessibility

Space planning doesn’t happen in isolation. Cloud-based access and real-time collaboration tools allow multiple teams - from facilities managers to HR and IT - to work together on office planning. Workplace teams can instantly share updates on seating arrangements, space usage reports, and future expansion plans, ensuring everyone stays aligned.

8. Integration capabilities

An effective space planning tool seamlessly connects with HR systems, workplace management platforms, and facilities tools to create a unified experience. For example, integrating with an HRIS platform allows seating assignments to update automatically when new employees are onboarded or teams are restructured, saving time and reducing manual adjustments.

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Use cases for workplace & facilities managers

1. Optimizing an office floor (Facilities management)

Office layouts should reflect how employees use the space, not outdated assumptions. Space planning software helps identify office space utilization patterns and repurpose areas efficiently.

For instance, if data shows a bank of empty desks while employees crowd into collaboration spaces, you can convert unused workstations into huddle areas or soundproof meeting pods. 

2. Portfolio right-sizing (corporate real estate)

With the rise of hybrid work, many companies find themselves leasing more office space than they need. Space planning software provides real-time occupancy insights to determine whether downsizing or restructuring is necessary.

A global enterprise might use these insights to consolidate multiple locations, shifting teams into a smaller, more optimized footprint while reducing unnecessary lease costs.

This approach saves money and ensures that office space is designed for maximum efficiency and engagement.

3. Managing moves and changes (HR/workplace teams)

Hybrid work policies make managing seating assignments and office layouts increasingly complex. Space planning tools simplify office relocations and seating reconfigurations by allowing HR and workplace teams to dynamically assign desks, track occupancy trends, and anticipate future space needs.

For example, if a startup expands its engineering team, software can automatically allocate additional workstations while ensuring collaboration spaces remain available for cross-functional projects.

4. Enhancing employee experience (Workplace manager)

A workplace should support productivity, not create friction. By integrating desk booking systems and space analytics, companies can create an employee-centric environment that makes reserving workspaces, finding teammates, and accessing amenities easy.

Space planning software ensures the office remains frictionless and high-functioning, where employees feel empowered to do their best work.

How to choose the right space planning software

Choosing the right space planning software is essential for optimizing office layouts, reducing costs, and improving employee experience. These key steps ensure your planning aligns with your workplace needs.

1. Assess your needs and goals

Before exploring software options, define what you need from a space planning tool.

• Identify the biggest pain points—Is office space underused? Are employees struggling to find available desks?
• Determine if you need real-time occupancy tracking and utilization data metrics to monitor space usage.
• Assess whether you’re managing multiple office locations and need visibility across sites.

2. Ensure key features are represented

The best space planning software goes beyond static floor plans to provide real-time insights and automation.

• Look for interactive floor planning that allows for easy drag-and-drop modifications.
• Ensure real-time occupancy data helps track desk and meeting room usage.
• Check for scenario planning features to test different layouts before making costly changes.

3. Check integrations and compatibility

A space planner should seamlessly fit into your existing workplace tech stack.

• Confirm it integrates with HRIS systems, desk booking platforms, and collaboration tools.
• Look for APIs or built-in integrations that allow data to sync across platforms.
• Ensure it supports cloud-based access for remote or multi-location management.

4. Consider usability and adoption

A tool is only effective if teams actually use it.

• Choose a user-friendly platform with an intuitive interface.
• Look for role-based access, so workplace managers, HR teams, and IT admins can use it efficiently.
• Consider a vendor that offers training and customer support to streamline onboarding.

5. Scalability & flexibility

Your business will evolve, and your office space needs will too.

• Select software that supports dynamic workspace needs, including hybrid work models.
• Ensure it allows adjustments for team growth, office downsizing, or relocations.
• If you operate in different locations, look for solutions that support multi-office planning and forecasting.

6. Budget and ROI

Space planning software should be an investment that delivers measurable returns to your stakeholders.

• Compare pricing models—Does the software charge per location, per user, or a flat rate?
• Evaluate potential cost savings from real estate optimization, like reducing unnecessary leases.
• Look for tools that offer detailed reporting dashboards to measure ROI and track workplace efficiency improvements.

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