Unlocking Workplace Insights with Badge Swipe Data

In CRUX Workplace’s recent research, we found that monitoring utilization remains a top priority for employers. While some companies are leveraging sensors (11%) and exploring Wi-Fi monitoring (6%), the majority still rely on badge swipe data to track office attendance.

The tricky part is—badge data only tells us who entered the building, not how they use the space. To truly forecast workplace needs, we need employee insights to contextualize the data. That said, badge swipe data still holds valuable clues for workplace strategy! 

Here are a few ways to leverage it effectively:

✅ Midweek Peak Mitigation – Are Wednesdays packed? Instead of assuming more space is needed, analyze team collaboration patterns to distribute office attendance more evenly across the week—reducing strain on meeting rooms, cafeterias, and parking.

✅ Events & Meetings – Identify which events drive higher attendance. This helps plan engaging team gatherings and ensures facilities teams are ready for high-occupancy days.

✅ Room Usage Trends – Overlay badge data with room scheduling systems (analog or digital) to see which spaces employees prefer, especially on low-occupancy days when they have more choice. This is great information to validate directly with employees to understand why they choose certain spaces.

✅ Peak Time of Day – Understanding arrival trends helps optimize culture-building initiatives and uncover potential barriers (e.g., caregiving responsibilities, time zone conflicts, or rush hour avoidance).

Badge data gives us a broad picture of utilization. By using it strategically, companies can optimize space planning—without immediate investment in new tech.

How is your organization leveraging workplace data for smarter decision-making? Let’s discuss in the comments! ⬇️

CRUX Workplace

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