Introduction

Cooperation VGZ, a leading Dutch health insurance company, embarked on a journey to optimize its workspace, aiming to enhance employee experience and operational efficiency. In collaboration with Measuremen, VGZ adopted the iBASX Smart Office Solution to collect and analyze workplace data, enabling data-driven decision-making that aligns with their company goals.

Challenge

VGZ faced challenges with workplace utilization, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of hybrid working. Additionally, they noticed a shift in the way people where working, which had become more team based. 

Along the way, they noticed mismatches between the actual occupancy and reservations of individual workstations, team tables and meeting rooms. This led to inefficiency and wasted space, but also caused frustration among employees that had a hard time finding available workspaces. 

The company needed to get a better understanding about how their spaces were being used in order to optimize occupancy, reduce operational costs, and improve employee satisfaction. In short, VGZ needed a more comprehensive, real-time view of workspace usage to utilize it in the most efficient way.

Solution

VGZ began their optimization journey by implementing Measuremen’s foundational workplace sensors and the iBASX reservation module for workspaces. This became an important part of the introduction of activity-based working and team tables which VGZ introduced in February 2022.

As they progressed, VGZ recently expanded their use of Measuremen’s technology, adding people counters, room sensors, and advanced dashboarding tools. The data gathered from these tools allowed VGZ to understand office space utilization, spot trends and make strategic decisions about workspaces. 

However with too many available spaces, it was challenging to drive a shift in employee behavior. Therefore VGZ deliberately created a scarcity of available spaces to encourage conscious behavioural changes among employees.  

In April 2022, VGZ began analyzing the impact of closing their offices for one day a week, leading to an official decision by September 2022. As per January 2023 they closed down the Arnhem office on Fridays and per February 2023 they closed down the Eindhoven office on Mondays. By choosing a different day per location, they always give employees the opportunity to work from the other location. Although in practice they see that this rarely happens.

This strategy resulted in significant energy and cost savings while reinforcing VGZ’s commitment to sustainability. The data-driven approach also enables VGZ to move to a new building and efficiently downsize their office space in Eindhoven, aligning with their broader cost-saving and efficiency strategy.

Employee Impact and Behavioral Insights

During the initial phase of sensor implementation, some employees felt uneasy about the data being collected and its usage; they raised concerns about data privacy. However, through clear communication, in collaboration with Measuremen, VGZ reassured their staff about the purpose and benefits of the data collection. 

Beside data collection, VGZ also actively asked employees about their work activities and the types of spaces they needed, with the intention to allocate rooms based on activity and function.

They also have a designated person, who works closely with employees and management, ensuring smooth communication during the office transition and encouraging the desired behavior changes. To address issues like desk hoarding, VGZ introduced behavior codes through a light-hearted campaign, encouraging employees to adhere to new workplace norms.

While the new system hasn’t fully resonated with employees yet, VGZ plans to assign specific days for office attendance. Allowing teams to have at least one in-office day, with some flexibility for additional days for individuals. Once this is in place, they expect the changes to become more ingrained in employee routines, though the reasons behind these adjustments are already understood by the workforce.

Conclusion

VGZ’s strategic partnership with Measuremen has been instrumental in transforming their workspace into a data-driven, efficient, and sustainable environment. By leveraging iBASX technology, VGZ has optimized their office layout, reduced operational costs and fostered a more collaborative and flexible work culture. 

This case study demonstrates the power of data in making informed decisions that benefit both the organization and its employees. VGZ’s experience also highlights the importance of clear communication and employee engagement in successfully implementing technological solutions in the workplace.