Workplace design maturity: Leveraging data on the path to growth

In my role as the Chief Product Officer at Envoy, I’ve had plenty of conversations with leaders grappling with the challenges of creating effective workplaces. A consistent theme emerges: they want to understand the ROI their workplace is delivering and how to optimize it for better results. For CFOs, this means knowing the immediate and long-term return on their workplace investments. CHROs need to understand how to achieve impactful workplace design that supports the business through a thriving and productive workforce.

Here’s the problem: companies either aren’t capturing workplace data or they don’t know how to use it. Without actionable insights, workplace leaders struggle to turn raw numbers into meaningful improvements, and the result is wasted real estate and missed ROI. 

So, what’s the solution? It starts with understanding where your organization is on the workplace maturity model and using that clarity to guide decisions. Without knowing where you are, it’s nearly impossible to identify the right priorities or take steps that lead to real impact. Below, I’ll break down the key characteristics and challenges at each stage to help you identify your position and create a roadmap for meaningful progress.

Stage 1: Foundational 

At this stage, the workplace is all about the essentials: functional setups that meet the organization’s immediate needs. The goal is to provide basic accommodations for employees while prioritizing cost savings. There’s little to no understanding of how design impacts engagement, collaboration, or performance at this stage, but it’s something for workplace leaders to aspire to. 

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Moving on from this stage means going from quick fixes to a clear, long-term plan that uses data for consistent and lasting improvements.

Leaders should consider:

What’s your vision for the workplace? Shift the focus from simply meeting basic needs to creating a space that enhances performance, supports company culture, and drives engagement. Learn more about crafting a stronger workplace value proposition here.

Where can you build in flexibility? Look for ways to make spaces adaptable to changing work styles and future growth to ensure they remain valuable over time. For example, thoughtful design with modular furniture and movable partitions can allow you to reconfigure spaces for collaboration, focus work, or meetings as needed—without costly renovations.

How can you start using data effectively? Begin by understanding the workplace data and technologies you already have. Collaborate with HR, IT, and any other relevant teams to get a comprehensive view of what’s available and identify tools that serve similar purposes or overlap in functionality. Here’s an intro to workplace analytics to get you started.

Stage 2: Reactive 

In this stage, you’re making changes to your workplace design, but only as issues arise or trends emerge. There’s no long-term vision yet, just a series of quick fixes to address immediate needs.

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Graduating from the Reactive stage requires moving from a cycle of quick fixes to a cohesive strategy that anticipates needs and leverages data for sustainable, long-term improvements.

Leaders should consider:

How can you align space changes with long-term goals? Ensure that workplace adjustments are tied to a larger strategy, such as creating multi-purpose spaces that accommodate hybrid work models and foster both collaboration and focused work. This will look different for every organization.

How can you avoid reactive decision-making? Build a structured rhythm for reviewing workplace data and employee feedback—quarterly or biannually, for example. Regular reviews will help you make proactive decisions that align with both employee satisfaction and business objectives. Here’s a look at some of the qualitative and quantitative data points to improve your space planning.

What tools can help you work smarter? Implement technology that goes beyond basic data collection. You’ll want tools that provide clear insights into how spaces are being used so you can make improvements. Read our “Workplace Design Guide to New Deployments” for an in–depth look at what to consider.

Stage 3: Strategic

Is your team starting to connect workplace design and data with your company’s bigger goals? If so, you might be in the Strategic stage. Here, decisions are driven by data and designed to align with business objectives while accommodating diverse work styles.

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Moving from this stage to the final stage requires strengthening your ability to continuously adapt and leverage data to drive smarter decisions. Focus on integrating technology and flexible design solutions that evolve with both your business goals and your workforce’s changing needs.

Leaders should consider:

How do we balance business goals with employee needs? Ensure that workplace decisions not only align with company objectives but also reflect a deep understanding of employee preferences and work styles.

What systems and tools will support integration? Invest in technology that seamlessly connects with existing infrastructure to support a unified, data-driven approach without adding complexity.

How can we empower our teams? Provide training and resources that enable teams to analyze and act on workplace data effectively, turning insights into meaningful actions.

Stage 4: Adaptive

At this stage, your workplace should feel like a competitive advantage. Your spaces are designed to be flexible and multi-purpose, supporting both business objectives and employee needs with precision and foresight. In this stage, you have access to systems and tools that provide actionable analytics to guide your decision-making. 

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In the Adaptive stage, your workplace isn’t just a reflection of your company—it’s a driver of its success, with every decision tied to strategic and financial outcomes. In this stage, your organization has a cohesive suite of tools to manage the workplace. These tools not only collect data and surface valuable insights about your workplace, but also make your daily operations more efficient for employees, workplace admins, and visitors.

Leaders should consider:

How can we apply our successful practices to other locations? Identify key elements that drive success in your current spaces and create a scalable playbook for replicating these practices in other locations. Be sure to adapt to local needs and conditions.

How can we maintain agility in our workplace design? Ensure that your workplace strategy remains adaptable, using real-time data to respond quickly to evolving business needs and workforce demands. 

How can we ensure our investments continue to deliver value? Regularly assess the impact of your workplace investments on both employee productivity and business outcomes, ensuring that each decision aligns with long-term strategic goals and provides measurable ROI.

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Where does your organization stand in the workplace design journey? Understanding your stage is key to transforming your workspace into a strategic advantage.

Ready to start diving into the data? Read our Workplace Analytics series to learn how to kickstart your journey to a more efficient and productive office.

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