Campus Facility Utilization and the Impacts of Changing Workplace PreferencesLisa Heffernan - Southern New Hampshire University The rise of hybrid and remote work that has followed the pandemic has created challenges, but also opportunities, for colleges and universities across the United States. A recent survey conducted by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources found that more than two thirds of the higher education staff surveyed expressed a preference for a hybrid or remote work environment with nearly as many believing that their duties could be performed remotely. Further, one third of those surveyed indicated that they were likely to look for new employment in the next year, with 44.2 percent citing the desire to work remotely as one of the top three reasons for doing so. At the same time, several studies conducted prior to the pandemic found college and university campus facility utilization to be quite low, with many administrators suggesting that reduced administrative office space would have little to no impact on student experience. While changing workplace preferences have played a role in the record-high levels of staff turnover across higher education, they also present a real opportunity for colleges and universities to assess campus facility utilization and enact changes that have the potential to enhance employee morale, limit attrition, and lower overhead expenses. Learning Objectives
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