Measuring What Matters

27th June, 2025

PEOPLE, PERFORMANCE & PLACE

A strategic return to the office is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing transformation. Like any transformation, it must be measured to ensure it delivers value.

BEYOND ATTENDANCE

However, many organisations fall into the trap of relying solely on “vanity metrics” like gate-count data or basic space utilisation statistics. Knowing that 60% of desks are occupied tells you nothing about how people are working or why they are there.

To truly understand if your return strategy is working, you need to measure what matters. This requires a shift in focus. You must evaluate the impact on your people (engagement and sentiment), your performance (speed and output), and your place (functionality and flow). As the guide notes, “measurement is not the end. It’s how you stay aligned”.

THE MARIS METHODOLOGY:

INTEGRATED INSIGHT

Our methodology moves beyond spreadsheets to “Integrated Insight”. We advise clients to look for the stories behind the data by balancing quantitative hard data with qualitative soft data.

1. People:
Start by tracking absenteeism trends and turnover patterns, particularly among “high potential” talent. Are they voting with their feet? But do not stop there. You must listen to the narrative. “What stories are people telling around the watercooler?” Are new starters settling in faster? Is there a tangible “buzz” in the social zones?

2. Performance:
The office must deliver a “performance dividend”. This does not mean longer hours. It means better alignment. We help clients track project timelines to see if decision-making velocity improves when teams are co-located.

3. Place:
Monitor behaviour, not just occupancy. “Are certain rooms consistently overbooked? Are other areas avoided entirely?” If teams are improvising makeshift solutions, your design needs to evolve.

THE CFO’S CORNER:

THE EFFICIENCY GAIN

For the Finance Director, measurement is about asset performance. Real estate is often the second-largest cost on the balance sheet.

The Opportunity: By identifying underused zones via sensor data, we help Finance Directors rationalise their real estate footprint.
The Action: Instead of holding onto empty floors, organisations can release space or repurpose it for higher-value activities.
The Result: In the case of a professional services client, precise measurement allowed us to reconfigure meeting rooms into agile zones. The firm achieved a 78% average occupancy and identified a £350k annual efficiency gain through space rationalisation.

MARIS TOOLS:

PROACTIVE LISTENING

Modern measurement requires the right tools to visualise patterns in real-time. We recommend a “toolkit” approach to data collection:

Smart Sensors: To track utilisation rates and heat-map the office. This reveals “dead zones” that are wasting budget.
The Pulse Check: A digital, low-stakes suggestion box for “everyday conversation” rather than annual reviews.
The Snagging Tracker: A system to ensure friction points (broken tech, cold rooms, missing cables) are reported and resolved immediately. Daily frustrations build resentment; solving them builds trust.

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