Implementing Workspace Booking Software: Best Practices for a Smooth Transition

Having a workplace with various multipurpose rooms available can be a great resource for your staff and stakeholders. Without the right booking system in place, though, things can very quickly descend into chaos. Adopting an agile and reliable booking software certainly helps here, since it is easy to see what spaces are available. This actively supports collaborative efforts.

It’s important to recognize that you can’t just adopt software and let things run their course. There will be a period of transition between adoption and engagement in which your staff get to know the system and discover the right ways to incorporate it into their workflows. Implementing some best practices that support your staff through this process is essential.

Clearly Document Processes

In the best-case scenario, you’ve chosen workplace booking software that has a relatively intuitive user interface (UI) to lessen your staff’s learning curve. However, it is still important to provide clear guidance on how to effectively interact with the platform.

Part of your approach to ensuring a smooth transition to booking software should be to implement agile documentation practices while also providing clarity. This will help you give consistent and reliable information but also give space to adjust the documentation as needs change. Wherever possible, commit to making document creation a collaborative process. This enables your staff, stakeholders, and department leaders to provide insights based on their practical experiences with the software and offer tips for more efficient usage.

You should also follow up with staff after they read through your guidance. Get to know what they understood or what was a little challenging to grasp. Invite them to suggest alternative instructions that improve clarity or are more relevant for the audience. Storing these documents on the cloud also enables easy sharing amongst the workforce, particularly those who are hybrid workers who occasionally need to book office space.

Make Booking Accessible

Your booking software shouldn’t be difficult for staff to use. As with any tech tools you bring into your organization, you need to make certain they meet high accessibility standards. You have an ethical duty to make certain no stakeholders are excluded from utilizing your workplace tools. It also tends to be less stressful for employees if the software doesn’t needlessly disrupt their productivity and workplace experiences.

When making choices about investing in a workspace booking platform, there should be features that support those living with disabilities and other challenges. For instance, text on the platform should be compatible with screen reader tools. The user interface (UI) must have high contrast color use between backgrounds and text to aid comprehension for workers navigating dyslexia. Even being able to customize color coding for floor plans can ensure you can communicate the availability of spaces clearly to those who have certain types of color blindness.

Accessibility is also about ensuring the software meshes with the individual working practices of your staff members. Some of your workers may spend a lot of time outside of the office and on the move. Desktop-based booking software might not be convenient for them. Instead, choosing a platform that offers mobile workspace booking apps alongside the desktop versions can be better. This added convenience mitigates practical hurdles and may encourage some staff to utilize the tools more consistently.

Optimize Efficiency

It’s likely that you’re adopting workplace booking software to keep operations more organized. As with any software, you’ll get the best results from mindful use. One of the best practices to ensure a smooth transition is to find ways to further optimize the efficiency of your booking platform.

You can start by reducing the potential for human error. Mistakes in reserving rooms or communicating availability can make even the best designed software less impactful. Automation can help here. For instance, you can connect booking software to sensors that are placed throughout your workspace. These sensors can track motion and occupancy, enabling the software to automatically update meeting room availability, rather than rely on users’ manual adjustments or cancelations.

Additionally, you should aim to adopt optimization that reduces the unnecessary administrative workload for your employees. Alongside automation, training your employees how to correctly use technology to save time boosts their engagement. It also ensures they’re getting the most out of the resources available to them. Rather than simply taking them through the basic steps of booking and canceling, give them tips about how to better integrate booking processes into their workflow. Importantly, regularly review how they’re using the booking platforms and find solutions that empower them to be more efficient and productive.

How to Get Started

Adopting some best practices helps ensure a smooth transition when implementing new workspace booking software. This involves providing greater clarity of use cases, solid training, and embracing automated features, among others. Remember to also track the data on how your staff is interacting with the platform and any consistent errors or hurdles. This helps you to make adjustments that boost positive outcomes and support long-term engagement.