With offices moving away from people having fixed desks and hybrid working becoming the norm, smart office tech like occupancy sensors is on the rise. But recent headlines—like Boeing’s cancelled sensor rollout—highlight an ongoing debate: Are these sensors helping us or spying on us?
We get it. Cameras? Sensors? AI? It’s easy to jump to conclusions. But workplace occupancy sensors aren’t Big Brother watching you—they’re here to help workplaces run smarter, greener, and more efficiently.
Let’s break it down: what occupancy sensors really do, why they’re not about surveillance, and how companies can roll them out responsibly.
What Are Occupancy Sensors?
Put simply, workplace occupancy sensors are tools that help organisations understand how spaces are being used. These sensors, often mounted discreetly in ceiling tiles, on walls or under desks, use a mix of technologies:
- Motion detectors: Detect physical movement.
- Light, heat, and noise sensors: Measure activity in spaces.
- Low-resolution cameras (in some systems): Capture blurry images to map out occupancy, not individuals.
Key Point: Occupancy sensors monitor spaces, not people. They aren’t watching you send emails or sip your coffee—they’re gathering anonymous data to optimise the workplace.
How Do They Work?
Occupancy sensors detect when a space (like a desk, meeting room, or shared area) is being used. Sensors that go under the desk are a usually passive infrared sensor (PIR) which only monitor motion by detecting the heat emitted by the person entering the sensors field of vision. Think back to being in the office or room where the lights turn off due to lack of movement and only switch on when you begin waving your hands in the air like crazy.
The occupancy data captured is then fed back to the workplace booking system or workplace analytics software. The data provided to companies is when someone sits down and how long they are at the desk for. Sensors don’t provide companies information on who moved, meaning privacy of colleagues is retained. The data is completely anonymous.
Some sensors can have cameras included but they only capture blurry, anonymised images—think outlines, not faces. The reason why some companies may opt for sensors with cameras is because whilst a sensor can detect movement, it can’t always determine the difference between a person using a desk or empty chair/equipment triggering motion. The image being captured is a blurry image showing if multiple desks are occupied, or are lights just triggering motion sensors. Using a low-resolution camera, sensors are not capturing faces, details, or identities but outlines to help map the space more accurately.
What Sensors Don’t Do:
❌ Track individual employees.
❌ Capture identifiable photos or data.
❌ Monitor productivity or personal activities.
Think of occupancy sensors like traffic counters on a motorway—they measure how many cars are on the road, not who’s driving them. Companies don’t receive data like employee Jim arrived at 9:36 am and left his desk for 15 minutes every hour. Instead, they see anonymous, aggregated insights about how spaces are used.
The Benefits of Using Occupancy Sensors
At their core, occupancy sensors are about creating smarter, more sustainable workplaces that work for employees, not against them. Here’s how they help:
1. Energy Efficiency
If a meeting room isn’t being used, why light it or heat it? Occupancy data allows offices to reduce energy waste, supporting sustainability goals and lowering costs.
2. Space Optimisation
Offices can feel empty one day and overcrowded the next. Sensors provide real-time insights to help companies manage space better—whether that’s reallocating desks, redesigning rooms, or improving booking system
3. Improved Employee Comfort
No one likes fighting for a meeting room or sitting in an overcrowded area. Occupancy data helps keep spaces functional and comfortable.
Why Are People Concerned?
Let’s face it: words like “cameras” and “AI” can feel intimidating. Employees rightly want to know: What’s being recorded? How is the data being used? Why is it necessary?
The Boeing case highlights what happens when there’s a lack of trust and transparency. Without proactive, transparent communication, these fears escalate, leaving employees to fill in the gaps with worst-case scenarios. Ultimately, it’s not the technology itself that raises concerns but how it’s introduced and explained; clear communication, transparency, and reassurance are key to addressing fears and helping employees see occupancy sensors for what they truly are—tools to create smarter, more efficient, and comfortable workplaces.
How to Get It Right
For workplace tech to succeed, companies must:
- Be Transparent: Clearly explain what the technology does, what data it collects, and—most importantly—what it doesn’t do. Reassure employees that data is anonymous and aggregated, not personal.
- Communicate Early and Often: Involve employees from the start. Share the purpose, benefits, and limitations of the technology through meetings, FAQs, and open forums to address concerns directly.
- Focus on the Benefits: Emphasise how the technology improves the workplace—better space utilisation, reduced energy costs, and more comfortable, efficient environments for employees.
- Respect Privacy: Avoid placing sensors in sensitive areas and ensure policies are in place to protect employee privacy and data usage.
- Build Trust: Foster a culture of openness where employees feel heard and can voice concerns. Trust isn’t built overnight, but honest dialogue goes a long way toward easing fears and creating understanding.
By prioritising transparency, communication, and trust, companies can ensure workplace tech is seen as a tool for improving employee experience, not invading privacy.
It’s About Smarter Workplaces, Not Surveillance
Workplace occupancy sensors aren’t the bad guys. They’re tools designed to help organisations make better decisions for their people and the planet—from reducing energy waste to improving space management. The key is trust. Companies must communicate clearly, act transparently, and ensure employees see the benefits.
At Spica, we partner with trusted hardware providers such as Haltian to deliver privacy-first, people-centric workplace solutions. While we don’t manufacture our own sensors, we integrate best-in-class occupancy sensors into our GemEx platform to deliver valuable insights that improve workplace efficiency and comfort. Our Desk Booking, Meeting Room Booking and Workplace Experience solutions, transform sensor data into actionable insights. This helps organisations optimise space usage, reduce overcrowding and ensure efficient room availability, creating a better employee experience—ensuring the right resources are available when and where people need them.