The push for hybrid working may feel recent, but flexible workplace models have been part of the landscape for decades. Since the 1990s, many professionals have operated in hybrid ways, managing their own productivity in roles where outcomes mattered more than hours clocked in a specific location.

Facilities managers and Workplace professionals are now witnessing a push from executives for a full return to the office. Yet, this call for in-person work could be a step backward, bringing us to a style of management that values presence over productivity.

That may seem counterintuitive; from the Facilities Management perspective, surely the more people in bigger offices means more certainty around work and longevity; however, for Facilities Managers, who understand the critical role of space, employee well-being, and optimised environments, reverting to an outdated “factory-style” management model means letting go of the progress that workplace evolution has made. A mandated all-in-office policy challenges the flexibility, space efficiency, and operational alignment that FM professionals have worked hard to establish. It’s crucial to recognise how these mandates may impact facilities strategies and what workplace professionals can do to advocate for a forward-thinking approach.

Hybrid Work: The Original Solution to Space Optimisation and Productivity

Long before the pandemic, hybrid work had shown its value in balancing both employee and operational needs. Flexible work models allowed workplace professionals to adapt spaces for varied usage and improved efficiency. By reducing the demand for static seating, hybrid setups made it possible to design multi-use spaces that could be repurposed to meet different needs that supported innovation while reducing overhead costs. These advantages align directly with the facilities manager’s goals of minimising wasted space, optimising resources, and fostering environments that support productive, engaged employees.

Today, as some companies mandate a return to full-time office attendance, FM professionals are watching carefully. The question remains: is this move efficient, or are we falling back into outdated habits, driven more by “bums-on-seats” metrics than by genuine productivity?

The Problem with “Bums-on-Seats” Metrics

Regrettably, I see many companies in South Africa reverting to mandating and even enforcing full-time, in-office work. This regressive and somewhat Dickensian approach sends a message that all employees are expected to work in a sweatshop factory set-up where physical presence is prioritised and supervision is purely observation-driven.

Facilities managers know all too well that space is a valuable asset, but its use must align with business objectives, employee needs, and cost efficiency. Mandating in-office attendance simply for visibility creates challenges in facility planning and utilisation. Office presence alone doesn’t drive productivity; rather, it’s the work environment that empowers employees to achieve their goals. When executives focus on attendance rather than outcomes, it signals a lack of trust in employees’ ability to self-manage and reduces the impact of the FM team’s role in workplace innovation.

Reverting to lazy management metrics promoted by line-of-sight management ignores the nuanced demands of a modern workforce. It’s a factory-era mindset: measuring productivity by presence rather than output. In today’s workplaces, this outdated approach may lead to a cascade of issues, including space underutilisation, decreased morale, and a diminished return on workplace investments.

FM professionals, tasked with creating spaces that foster collaboration and focus, face new difficulties when workplaces are filled to fulfil policy mandates rather than performance needs.

The Value of Outcome-Based Management in FM

Today’s portfolio management challenges do not lie in the predictability of the amount of space required but rather in the work style demands of an ever-evolving and youthful workforce. However, FM needs to collaborate and create an ecosystem to embark on a model that is always going to be evolving and a journey of discovery to find out what makes teams and individuals effective. This is not a discipline that is easily embarked on by what has been traditionally an engineering-based discipline.

For facilities managers, the shift to hybrid work demonstrated that offices could be designed to support a results-focused approach. Outcome-based management has allowed FM teams to leverage data, tailor spaces for specific tasks, and adopt smart solutions that monitor usage and effectiveness. Hybrid models let FM professionals design agile environments that reduce waste, optimise occupancy, and contribute directly to employee satisfaction.

A mandated return-to-office model restricts this agility, making it harder to deploy flexible space solutions and undermining the FM role in fostering adaptable environments. Instead of innovating, facilities managers may find themselves caught in reactive space management, simply arranging desks to meet presence quotas rather than enhancing the overall employee experience.

The Opportunity for Facilities Managers to Lead Workplace Evolution

For FM professionals, the return-to-office debate is an opportunity to advocate for a workplace that works more like a club facility where you pop in as you need to. This approach needs to be facilitated by a workplace strategy that prioritises productivity, employee well-being, and resource efficiency. By championing a hybrid approach, facilities managers can drive conversations about maximising office resources to support focused work, collaborative spaces, and outcomes. When executives understand the value of hybrid work models, FM professionals gain the latitude to implement flexible, outcome-orientated environments that meet business goals without compromising employee engagement.

Facilities teams have a unique chance to shape the future of work by emphasising data-driven decisions that balance occupancy, cost, and user experience. With the right insights, FM leaders can demonstrate how hybrid models improve not only productivity but also sustainability by reducing unnecessary occupancy, lowering energy consumption, and creating a more dynamic workplace ecosystem.

Making the Case for a Productive, Flexible Future

As facilities managers and Workplace professionals navigate this trend toward mandatory in-office policies, the focus should be on advocating for a future where spaces are aligned with employee needs and business outcomes. Going back to rigid, factory-style management is a misstep that ignores the efficiencies and flexibility that FM teams have already achieved. By resisting “bums-on-seats” metrics, FM professionals can guide organisations toward more strategic, balanced workplace solutions.

In the end, facilities managers are essential to fostering a productive and adaptable work environment. This moment offers the chance to reshape perceptions of hybrid work, not as a temporary convenience but as an integral part of modern workplace strategy. By standing against a return to outdated policies, FM professionals can reinforce their role as leaders in creating workplaces that support real productivity, employee well-being, and long-term value.

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