How Sephora Took Control of Their Workspace Moves

by Tiffany Bloodworth Rivers on May 4, 2016
RECOMMENDED CONTENT
How Modern Enterprises Solve Real Estate Challenges
dots-pattern
inner-blogshape

The Workplace Manager of a successful enterprise must wear many hats, and don each of them well. Tasked with keeping churn rates at a minimum, keeping the workforce engaged, and ensuring the facility runs smoothly are just a few a the multitude of challenges they face daily. For many, planning workspace moves are an integral part of each day; a component that directly affects every “moving part” of the business.

When computers and software were introduced into the business environment, our lives were enhanced in ways we never dreamed possible. Excel spreadsheets and Word documents enabled us to track organizational assets and map out moves, reducing time spent on these tasks. But with so much to logistically work out, they still left room for error. And the paperwork; oh the paperwork!

Anyone who has ever moved from one office space to another knows how disruptive such an event can be. Productivity is interrupted while technology is moved and set up in the new location, paperwork is shuffled around and IT spends anywhere from hours to days ensuring all equipment is in working order. And this is assuming the move was mapped out ahead of time and that you encountered no glitches along the way.

How many times have you tried to plan a workspace move for your growing business, only to find yourself drowning in floorplans and emails from those who are playing a role in the move? How do you keep up with it all? How do you keep track of it all without becoming overwhelmed while trying to remain free of errors?

For one iOffice customer, the Manager of Corporate Facilities at Sephora, the answer was found through a better understanding of how their space is currently being used, and how it could be better allocated moving forward.

Taking Control of Workspace Moves Through Technology

When the Manager of Corporate Facilities at Sephora, a top global beauty-retail company, approached iOffice for a workplace management solution, their top challenges were in space and move management. His facilities team was still using Excel spreadsheets and Word documents to manage space utilization, and was working with a move management system specifically designed for retail stores to manage moves at their corporate facility. Not exactly a perfect match.

Located in downtown San Francisco, this dynamic enterprise was spread out over 2 buildings, with 40 different departments and over 300,000 square feet. And they were exponentially growing. His team was facing the challenge of moving 400 people, utilizing a software tool designed for an entirely different type of space. This antiquated system was difficult to use and costly in both time and resources; a recipe for error for an already overwhelmed Facilities department.

In just a couple months, their new Workplace Management software was fully implemented and it was put to the test immediately, as they planned their upcoming move. Their move strategy was mapped out ahead of time, allowing for a more fluid process – downtime for those involved in the move was minimized and productivity for the FM team was improved. Reporting capabilities now offer a breakdown of the workforce ratio of full-time vs. contractor employees and they have gained a greater understanding of space utilization – both critical for planning this enterprise’s future move scenarios. The results are a more engaged and empowered workforce and an informed management team.

The dynamics of today’s workplace changes routinely, requiring businesses to stay on top of the latest industry and technological trends. Moving locations can easily qualify as one of the most disruptive aspects of managing an office. By working smarter, operations become more successful and streamlined, allowing the workforce to stay productive. Aligning with the right software is key to reducing work time on all tasks, especially move management.

Read Sephora’s case study to learn more about what modules were implemented for better space and move management; and what their plans are for future data reporting and software implementations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tiffany Bloodworth Rivers

Tiffany covers leadership and marketing topics and enjoys learning about how technology shapes our industry. Before iOFFICE, she worked in local news but don't hold that against her.

Capterra Ratings: ★★★★★ 4.5/5