4 Solutions for Meeting Room Squatting

A workplace trend has been quietly asserting itself across office buildings. Meeting room ‘squatting,’ which involves employees occupying meeting rooms without prior reservations, is more prevalent than ever. In fact, 27% of all meeting room use now falls into this category, totaling over 18 million minutes of ad hoc gatherings year to date.

In reality, meeting room squatting isn’t a new phenomenon. But it has been on the rise since mass return-to-work mandates. As a result, meeting room squatting has become a hot topic for workplace leaders who continue to debate: is it good or bad? On the one hand, it calls into question employees' meeting room etiquette. On the other, meeting room squatting signifies a shift towards more spontaneous collaboration, which no workplace should fault. 

Regardless of your stance on the topic, meeting room squatting prompts workplace leaders to conduct a critical examination of office design. In particular, it begs them to ask the question: Are today's workspaces adequately tailored to accommodate the demands of a flexible workforce?

In this blog, we aim to demystify the phenomenon of meeting room squatting. We delve into the intricacies of its impact, exploring whether it is a disruptive force or a necessary evolution in the way we approach office dynamics. Join us as we navigate the blurred lines of this workplace trend, seeking not just to understand it but to harness its potential for a more adaptable and responsive office environment.

Understanding Meeting Room Squatting

To understand the impact of meeting room squatting, it’s crucial first to understand the underlying factors that contribute to its prevalence. Constant shifts in how employees prefer to work have had a monumental impact on workplace dynamics and have contributed to the rise in meeting room squatting. 

These reasons include: 

• Flexible Schedules & Remote Work: With employees shifting between remote and in-office work, they may use meeting rooms for impromptu discussions or virtual meetings, seeking a dedicated space for video calls or collaborative work. Furthermore, if workers don’t know what days they’re working remotely or in-office, they may forget to book meeting rooms in advance to suit their schedule. 
• Spontaneous Collaboration: This flexible work environment has increased the need for spontaneous collaboration. Employees may need on-demand access to meeting spaces to make quick decisions or to capitalize on a moment of creativity. 
• Privacy: Conversely, meeting room squatting may stem from a desire for secluded, distraction-free spaces, particularly for those accustomed to working from home. This inclination towards privacy reflects a need for concentrated, focused work within the confines of a meeting room.

The Downside of Meeting Room Squatting

Unfortunately, occupying meeting rooms without a reservation can cause frustration in the workplace and negatively impact the employee experience. Even when it’s as a result of spontaneous collaboration. 

This is because meeting room squatting can cause: 

• Meeting Space Availability Challenges: Unreserved occupation of meeting spaces exacerbates the difficulty for others to secure available rooms. The trend towards impromptu collaborations often leads to extended room occupancy, limiting options for those seeking meeting spaces. Addressing this challenge highlights the need to optimize office layouts and implement effective space management strategies to ensure a diverse range of meeting spaces remains easily accessible.
• Disruption to Scheduling and Team Productivity: Meeting room squatting can disrupt traditional scheduling practices and impact team productivity. Individuals, driven by the desire for convenience and sustained concentration, might need a formal booking to reuse spaces. While this speaks to the agility and adaptability of modern work dynamics, it necessitates a delicate balance. Leaders must explore innovative solutions that harmonize spontaneous meetings with structured scheduling, ensuring optimal productivity without sacrificing flexibility.
• Employee Frustration in Room Reservation: The potential for frustration arises when employees encounter challenges in securing meeting rooms due to the prevalence of meeting room squatting. As spaces are occupied without a booking, workers may find it challenging to locate available rooms, especially during peak usage times. This underscores the need for leaders to be attuned to their workforce's spatial needs, leveraging technology and thoughtful space design to mitigate frustration and ensure a seamless experience for all employees.

Because of these frustrations, there’s a common perception that meeting room squatting is a negative employee behavior that needs to be curbed. At VergeSense, however, we take a different stance. It’s not the behavior of employees we need to change. Instead, we believe workplace leaders must adapt to the new ways workers collaborate and use meeting spaces on the fly. 

Embracing On-the-Fly Meetings as a Positive Force

You heard us. We need to embrace what motivates workers to squat in meeting rooms in the first place. That is: the shift towards on-the-fly collaboration. 

In fact, at VergeSense, we prefer the term “on-the-fly meetings” over “meeting room squatting”. We believe this perspective acknowledges the genuine need for spontaneous collaboration, creativity, and idea-sharing that drive employees to utilize meeting spaces without reservations. Workplace leaders should not stifle this energy but instead recognize the limitations of traditional office layouts in accommodating these evolving needs.

As we advocate for embracing the positive aspects of on-the-fly collaboration, it becomes imperative to address and mitigate potential challenges. By doing so, organizations can unlock the full potential of this evolving workplace trend, fostering a dynamic and efficient work environment that caters to the diverse needs of today's workforce.

4 Solutions for Workplace Leaders 

To bridge the gap between traditional expectations and the reality of on-the-fly meetings, workplace leaders can leverage tools like occupancy data, open communication, and employee feedback to find a balance between structured and organic meetings. Here are 4 innovative VergeSense solutions for you to try in your workplace:

Occupancy Intelligence for Squatting Detection:

Space Efficiency Analysis to Pinpoint Squatting Prone Areas:

Integration with Booking Systems for Streamlined Reservation:

Creation of Varied Collaborative Spaces Based on Data:

To accommodate different needs within the workplace, VergeSense emphasizes the creation of varied collaborative spaces based on actual usage data. This data-driven approach ensures that the workplace is designed to meet the diverse requirements of employees, enhancing overall workplace efficiency.

The integrated approach not only addresses the challenges posed by on-the-fly meetings, but also enhances the overall adaptability and efficiency of the modern workplace. Leaders can rely on VergeSense technology to foster a dynamic and responsive work environment that maximizes the use of available spaces while catering to the diverse needs of employees.

Optimize the Workplace with VergeSense Data

Ultimately, the debate over meeting room squatting transcends a simple judgment of good or bad. It challenges workplace leaders to rethink and adapt their strategies to foster a collaborative and engaged work environment.

VergeSense technology emerges as a key ally, providing insights, analytics, and automation to meet the demands of a flexible and dynamic workplace. As we navigate the future of work, understanding and embracing on-the-fly meetings might just be the key to unlocking a more efficient and satisfying work experience.

To dive deeper into workplace occupancy trends and solutions, download the VergeSense Occupancy Intelligence Index for additional resources and insights. Embrace the future of work with data-driven decisions and redefine your workplace for the evolving needs of your employees.

Download our Q3 Occupancy Intelligence Index now!