The Future of Work Takes Center Stage at WORKTECH New York 2025

This week, Skedda had the opportunity to speak and exhibit at WORKTECH New York 2025, hosted at BlackRock Headquarters in Hudson Yards. The event brought together leaders from across facilities, real estate, workplace strategy, technology, and design to explore what’s next for the future of work and the workplace.

Skedda SVP Jenny Moebius joined the main stage panel “Powering the Intelligent Workplace: Technology, Data, and Experience,” alongside Cameron Gagne (Embrava) and moderator Jonathan Mills (Osborne Clarke LLP). The discussion uncovered the realities of modern work today — and how organizations can use data and technology to create smarter, more human-centered workplaces.

Rethinking Workplace Utilization

One of the biggest myths about the workplace right now? That everyone’s back in the office five days a week. The reality is far more nuanced.

Jenny shared the reality that 70% of organizations in the U.S. are operating with flexible and structured hybrid models (Flex Index), and Cameron shared that utilization rates are actually on the rise — averaging 53% in 2025, up from 38% just a year prior (CBRE data). Even pre-pandemic, utilization rarely exceeded 65%. The shift highlights that while employees are returning, they’re using the office differently than before.

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From “Me Space” to “We Space”

Cameron also shared that the design and purpose of offices are undergoing a profound shift. Individual “me spaces” — desks and assigned seating — are giving way to “we spaces,” designed for collaboration, creativity, and connection.

She highlighted that collaborative space has doubled in the past four years, reflecting a major change in how people want to work. Employees are increasingly willing to trade personal space for shared experiences, valuing environments that help them do better work together. The office, she noted, has evolved from a daily requirement into a flexible perk — one that supports meaningful, in-person moments and team connection.

Creating Policies That Match Desired Outcomes

Jenny noted that even though average policy days required went up 10% in the last year, actual office usage only went up 2-3%. Policy is not compliance.

A key theme from the conversation was the importance of intentionality. As Cameron noted, “You need to create policy for the outcome you actually want.”

If the goal is collaboration, the mandate should reflect that — for instance, by establishing an anchor day each week for team connection or limiting video calls when people are on-site. The focus should be on outcomes, not appearances.

Hybrid success also depends on data-driven decisions. When companies can show employees the data behind policies — including utilization patterns and productivity metrics — they’re more likely to see buy-in and behavioral change.

The ROI of Space Management Tech

Jenny also shared the reality on the ground — actual case studies on how customers were using utilization and occupancy data to get buy-in for:

• Rightsizing their footprint (sometimes downsizing, sometimes expanding)
• Justifying spend for more resources (when things like supercomputers are always booked and in use)
• HVAC adjustments (saving millions of dollars in some instances)

She spoke about the cost of empty space and the consequences of overbooked and unavailable resources — both having an impact on the employee experience. Having the right data helps organizations design spaces and experiences that retain top employees, a premium in today’s economy.

The Next Generation Needs Mentorship — and Human Interaction

The panel also touched on the impact of hybrid work on younger generations, particularly Gen Alpha and Gen Z employees. Without regular exposure to in-person collaboration, many are missing out on valuable mentoring moments — the spontaneous, human interactions that teach “how things are done.”

Organizations that design intentional in-office experiences have an opportunity to bridge that gap, combining flexibility with the human connection that fuels growth and learning.

The Intelligent Workplace Is Here

The takeaway from WORKTECH New York was clear: the intelligent workplace is one that balances flexibility with intentionality, uses data to inform design and policy, and puts the employee experience at its core.

At Skedda, we’re proud to help organizations navigate this new world of work — creating spaces that empower teams to connect, collaborate, and thrive.