IWFM launches new Good Practice Guide, Space Planning and Management 

News

IWFM’s new Good Practice Guide, Space Planning and Management, provides practical, evidence-based guidance for professionals in our industry. 

As organisations continue to adapt to hybrid working, technological change and evolving workforce expectations, decisions about space have become both more complex and more critical. The guide sets out how workplace professionals can respond to these pressures and ensure space supports organisational performance, employee experience and long-term sustainability. 

Workplace and facilities managers operate at the intersection of people, place and performance. Reflecting this, the guide positions space as a strategic asset rather than simply a cost to manage. It supports professionals responsible for planning moves, managing change, briefing design teams and improving how workplaces function day to day. 

Written by leading workplace planning expert Simone Fenton-Jarvis FIWFM, Space Planning and Management outlines how organisations can align space strategies with wider business goals. It explores the role of data, technology and user insight in shaping workplace decisions, while recognising the importance of experience, inclusion and wellbeing alongside efficiency. 

The guide covers a broad range of topics, including: 

• space strategy and standards 

• understanding space demand and utilisation 

• data-informed decision-making 

• planning and managing workplace change 

• inclusive, sustainable and flexible design principles 

• emerging technologies and future workplace trends 

A central theme is the need to move beyond traditional measures such as density alone. Instead, the guide encourages professionals to focus on how space is actually used, how it supports people, and how it contributes to organisational outcomes. 

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, Head of Policy and Insight at IWFM, said: ‘Workplace professionals are managing increasingly complex environments, where expectations around flexibility, inclusion and sustainability continue to grow. This guide provides practical support to help organisations make informed decisions about space and ensure it works effectively for everyone.’ 

Practical tools and step-by-step guidance are included to support implementation. These are designed to help professionals translate strategy into action, whether managing a single site or a complex, multi-location estate. 

The publication also reflects the continuing evolution of the office. Hybrid working patterns, sustainability targets and new technologies are changing how organisations think about workplace environments. In this context, space planning is no longer a one-off activity but an ongoing process of monitoring, learning and adapting. 

Space Planning and Management is available free of charge to IWFM members and priced at £65 for non-members. 

Download here >