Density

📢 Something’s brewing in the world of work. One CEO. One RTO skeptic. And a very opinionated dataset from 19,000+ workspaces. What actually happens when people stop being polite and start getting real? We’ve got the data—and a debate on June 17 you won’t want to miss. 👀 Stay tuned.

🚨 Workplace innovation alert: Your meeting room just got smarter and it only took three minutes. While other systems are busy navigating cable installs and CFO panic attacks, Waffle – Density’s new plug & play sensor – is already on the wall and delivering data. And counting heads is just the appetizer. 🍽️ Early adopters are using Waffle for so much more: 🔍 Testing new space types without permanent installs 📍 Powering real-time wayfinding to open phone booths (finally!) 📊 Validating expensive real estate decisions with hard data 🧩 Solving the "Where can I take this call?" riddle It’s workplace analytics meets agile design—in the shape of a hockey puck. 🧠 Want to see how the smartest teams are using Waffle to rethink their space? Check out the blog: https://lnkd.in/gg84mnp8

Turns out, we really are social animals—and the workplace is no exception. The more people you invite to a meeting, the more likely folks are to actually show up in person, new Density research finds. The data from a customer says: -Meetings with 10+ people invited? 90% showed up in the flesh. -Bookings with 7–9 people? A solid 79% in-person attendance rate. -3–5 person huddles? Just 69% showed IRL Why do bigger meetings draw bigger crowds? A few guesses: -Big meetings can matter more (think: strategy sessions, launch planning, surprise birthday parties). -Booking a larger room might trigger an unwritten social contract: “If I booked it, you better show up.” -Or maybe we just like having witnesses when Kevin says something unhinged Whatever the reason, it’s clear: when the meeting matters, people show up. In person.

🚨 Getting RTO right? Density CEO Andrew Farah has thoughts. Check out @realfinds The Real Finds Podcast in which Andrew breaks down the myths and missteps around RTO. Host Gordon Lamphere dives deep with Andrew into: 🔹 The danger of “butts in seats” thinking 🔹 Why camera-based tracking is a privacy and security minefield 🔹 What real workplace data reveals about ghost meetings, empty desks & opportunity 🔹 Bold ideas for rethinking space—from in-office childcare to AI-augmented teams 🎧 Whether you're managing space, people, strategy or all three, this episode will change how you see the modern office. 👉 Watch it now: https://lnkd.in/gr-G8H_S

👀 Occupancy sensors are trending—but is your office accidentally starring in its own episode of "Big Brother"? Employees love working in smarter spaces but hate surveillance. ⚠️ Camera-based occupancy solutions can: -Make employees feel watched (productivity killer). -Create juicy targets for hackers. -Land you in hot water (legally & reputationally). Turns out, counting heads doesn’t have to mean compromising privacy. Privacy-first tech (like radar-based sensors) keeps your data safe and your teams feeling safe. ✅ Transparency, trust and secure tech aren't just ethical—they’re smart business. Dive deeper into how to create smarter spaces while preserving employee privacy here: https://lnkd.in/gMDq6nQ3

🏢 Is your RTO policy missing its why? 1 in 5 employees are ignoring return-to-office mandates—and it’s not because they don’t care. It’s because too many policies still lack a clear purpose. In a new piece from HRO Today, Density's own people leader Lucy Lin shares how HR and workplace leaders can shift the office from obligation to opportunity. Her take? RTO should be measured, flexible, and above all—intentional. 💡 If you're rethinking how (and why) your teams come together, this one’s a must-read. 👉 Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/eRiYZg2G

In a recent study with a Density customer, we found employees have a strong “home base” mentality. Faced with a dozen floors of wide-open meeting rooms, workers stuck to their turf like it was sacred ground. Once a week in mid-afternoon, chaos struck. All meeting rooms filled up and residents of one floor stormed management like a protest scene. Meanwhile, dozens of empty rooms sat untouched just a short elevator ride away. The fix? Surprisingly simple: A reminder email. (“Hey folks, the elevator isn’t lava.”) Managers also encouraged people to tweak meeting times to avoid peak-hour gridlock. What’s an even smoother solution? Real-time wayfinding. Employees could see open meeting rooms, tap a screen and get step-by-step directions. No guesswork. No chaos. No riots. Still, the takeaway is clear: Even in spacious offices with empty meeting rooms galore, humans are creatures of habit. We love our little corners of the world—and we're reluctant to leave them.

Hybrid work: the ultimate compromise or the ultimate conflict? In a spicy new chat with BenefitsPRO, Density CEO Andrew Farah reveals why hybrid policies often backfire—creating "an unhealthy asymmetry within the organization" (read: some folks follow the rules, others treat them more like casual suggestions). Turns out, going halfway might be more trouble than it’s worth. Companies might find better luck fully embracing either the buzz of the office or the freedom of remote. Check out "The Hybrid Trap: A Q&A with Andrew Farah" to unravel the whole story: https://lnkd.in/gXSBWZUv 👉 Hungry for more workplace revelations? Dive into Density’s "From Zooms to Rooms" report: https://lnkd.in/gGXHPFRc

New Density research featured in CFO reveals a surprising upside of return-to-office policies: companies can seriously slash their per-person real estate costs. 📉 Density’s latest data dives into how smarter space utilization means smarter spending. So dust off your desks—your CFO may thank you. 👉 Check out CFO's full story here: https://lnkd.in/gxsKvSQU 👉 Want more juicy insights? Grab Density’s "From Zooms to Rooms" report: https://hubs.ly/Q03ht9lp0