Discovery and analysis

In a world of opinions, you need data. Our evidence-based discovery and analysis capabilities provide critical decision-support tools and methods that yield solid quantitative and qualitative data about your organization.

What we do

Implementing long-lasting change in organizations often requires heavy investment and a lot of patience. Using our proprietary tools, we rigorously research your organization, analyze the data and benchmark that against your own historical data and/or other relevant data sets to inform and provide perspective.

Below are some examples of how we use discovery and analysis to help you and your team make well-supported, evidence-based and data-driven decisions around work and place:

People. We seek to understand how individuals wish to work in the future. Our digital survey goes much deeper than simply determining how many days should be spent in the office. It helps us to understand the underlying needs of your people to do their best work, the barriers in the way and their personal and professional aspirations.
Space. Before the pandemic only around 50% of desks were occupied in an office on any given day. Our workspace analysis adds real-time data to critical decision points around occupancy and utilization, including granular and comparative data, across all types of occupied space.
Analysis. We collect, analyze and synthesize vast amounts of data about your organization, transforming the data we gather into insights, identifying key personas and/or themes, and presenting in ways you can easily use as part of your design, real estate, change management and communication strategies.
Algorithm. The data is fed into our unique algorithm, enabling us to accurately predict the true demand for workspaces and quantity of work settings for different tasks (focused work, collaboration and social engagement) and different usage patterns.
Benchmarking. In addition to benchmarking to your own historic data, our latest study – Insights from the Covid-19 Pandemic: What the data tells us and how we can move forward – provides critical benchmarking data and insights from more than 11,000 individuals working across 15 industry sectors in 20 countries.

Why AWA

We know what we’re talking about. Our team is made up of multi-disciplinary experts across a range of fields including workplace strategy, human resources, space utilization, organizational psychology and facilities management, to name but a few.

We are constantly curious, always looking for ways to explore new questions around work and workplace through evidence-based and data-driven approaches to gather both quantitative and qualitative data.

Our approach is grounded in science and we have undertaken extensive research on knowledge worker productivity, cognitive performance, and virtual working that guides our narrative.

Our work is rigorously supported by neuroscience around cognition and performance, to explore, analyze and inform strategies for work, workplace and change. We partner with leading research organizations such as the Center for Evidence Based Management (CEBMa) to provide deep insights into the ways we work.

Hybrid working strategy

Curious about how our research supports new ways of working? Learn about how our approach maximizes the benefits of hybrid working for the organization, team and the individual.

Learn more

Testimonials

“Mintel has worked successfully with AWA for over a decade on several major projects. We chose them for their expertise and experience at the cutting edge of understanding workplaces. They lead the industry with well-crafted research to understand the dynamic workplace landscape and help solve the real-world issues of operating successfully in a changing world. Along with data and insights they bring practical processes that involve everyone from grass root team members to the most senior executives, developing effective change to meet all parties’ goals. They have become trusted advisers around not only workplace matters but in behavioral change.”

Peter Haigh Chairman, Mintel

“We have worked with AWA for more than five years and value the collaborative partnership we have with them. They have supported the ongoing evolution of our workplace, providing deep insights and extensive expertise. With their help, we’ve been able to create a transformational space which supports our hybrid working approach and transforms our culture and ways of working to become more agile and innovative. This helps us recruit and retain the best talent, which supports our core purpose of funding research to save lives. None of this would have been possible without the help of AWA.”

Kerry Smith Chief People Officer, British Heart Foundation

“Leading a major change management project in complex international organization is challenging undertaking. I knew it would involve multiple stakeholders, take wide-ranging collaboration and that we would need some expert, confident experience to help steer and deliver it. AWA has provided that, not by steaming in and dictating how things should be based on their ideals, but by listening to us, learning, understanding and advising. I have enjoyed working closely with them on this project. I have felt supported, they have always been available to discuss challenges and options and have always responded promptly, constructively and positively with solutions and alternative ideas for consideration.”

Tom Crame Head of Global Workplace, Amnesty International

“AWA has been a great resource of global data and research for us regarding agile, hybrid and the world of working. They are responsive, willing to question assumptions, and work as a partner to help us make good decisions.”

Neil Austin VP Real Estate Portfolio Management and Transaction Services, Omnicom Group

“We were really keen to understand how the learnings and behaviors of Covid enforced home working would affect the post-pandemic return of staff and in particular to our Sheffield campus as we have plans to restack and refurbish the office space. AWA’s detailed and in-depth engagement process allowed us to reach out to all levels of occupants and really understand staff perception on what will be needed to create a new working environment that would align with business requirements and where changes in behavior, management style and space might be appropriate. Their insights also allowed us to create a blueprint of alternative space types that we’ve used to inform the repurposing of space across our nationwide estate.”

Steve Chapman Interim Head of Estates ICF Security, Estates and Information Directorate, Home Office