Ran out of meeting rooms? Think again

It’s easy to assume that more space is always the solution to meeting room problems. But what if the real issue isn't a lack of rooms, but rather how you're using the ones you already have?

Think about it: have you ever found yourself running out of space, even though a few rooms are barely used? Or maybe small meetings are taking over large rooms that could be better suited for bigger teams. This was exactly what we uncovered in our own office—and it changed everything.

I’m Luka Birsa, the co-founder of Joan Workplace, and I’m here to show you how a simple meeting room audit can save you time, money, and frustration, all without adding a single new room.

Think of a meeting room audit as your chance to take a step back and see your workspace in a whole new light. It’s like hitting the refresh button and asking yourself, "Is this working?" Too often, we get caught up in managing the chaos of booking rooms, dealing with no-shows, or feeling like we need more space—when, in reality, we might already have everything we need.

👉 An audit gives you the clarity to uncover the hidden inefficiencies. For example, have you ever found yourself scrambling for space, even though a few rooms are barely used? Or maybe smaller teams are booking large rooms that would be better suited for bigger groups. These patterns aren’t always obvious, but they’re costing you valuable time and money. That’s where the audit comes in—it helps you spot these issues and gives you the foundation for making smarter decisions moving forward.

A solid audit answers key questions like:

✅ Which rooms are overbooked, and which are underused?
✅ Are small meetings filling up rooms meant for larger groups?
✅ Is your booking system wasting time, or are there opportunities to save money?

By taking a closer look at how your spaces are being used, you can create a clear action plan for managing them more efficiently. And trust me, the difference in how your office flows is night and day once you’ve got the data to back it up.

How to audit your meeting rooms (guide)

As someone who’s seen how challenging it can be to manage meeting spaces effectively, I can tell you that the audit process doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, when done right, it can uncover valuable insights that can significantly improve how your spaces are used.

Here’s how I recommend getting started—though, if you find it tricky to do on your own, just ping me and I can help you out with a personalized audit for your space.

Before diving into the data, I always suggest stepping back and getting a clear view of your available meeting rooms. Take a walk around—whether it’s a cozy huddle room or a large conference area, make sure you’ve got all the details covered. 

Things like room capacity, available technology, and any special features that might influence usage are important to note. Having this inventory in place gives you a solid foundation when it’s time to analyze how your spaces are actually being used.

We often focus on the obvious costs, like the price of booking a room, but I’ve found that the real expenses go much deeper. 

Think about the technology investments, cleaning services, maintenance, and staff time required to keep each room running. When you add it all up, you might be surprised by how much a meeting space costs to operate. I recommend looking at these hidden expenses to get a true picture of how each space impacts your budget.

Once you have your spaces and costs in order, tracking usage is where the magic happens. Use tools to monitor which rooms are being used most often, and which ones are sitting empty.  We rely on the analytics provided by Joan Room Solution to optimize our space usage 

I’ve often noticed that rooms which look fully booked might not actually be in use, or they’re being booked unnecessarily for small meetings. Tracking usage over time helps you spot these trends and make more informed decisions about how to use your meeting rooms efficiently.

Through the audits I’ve done, I’ve come across a few recurring issues that tend to pop up. Some of the common problems include:

• Double bookings that create unnecessary stress
• Unused rooms that are still reserved, blocking other teams from using them
• Last-minute scrambles for available spaces because people can’t find what they need in time

These issues waste both time and resources, and from my experience, catching them early can save you a lot of headaches down the line. With your audit data in hand, you’ll be able to address these problems proactively and streamline the whole process.

P.S. If you want to dive deeper into the details, we’ve hosted a webinar on this topic. You can watch it here.

Here are some easy wins that make a difference today

When I talk about meeting room optimization, I often hear the same concern: "Sounds great, but we need results now." I get it. While long-term strategies are important, let's focus on improvements you can implement this week that will show immediate impact on your bottom line.

Here's a secret that transformed our own office overnight: you don't need a complete overhaul to see significant improvements. 

These low-hanging fruit strategies can deliver instant results:

1. 10-minute no-show policy: Before, we had rooms booked, but often left empty due to no-shows. By implementing an automatic room release after 10 minutes of no-shows, we saw a 25% increase in available meeting space within the first week. For example, if you had 100 rooms booked per week, that's an extra 5 hours of usable meeting space weekly.
2. Smart sizing standards: Before, small meetings were often booked in large conference rooms, wasting valuable space. By creating simple guidelines to match meeting size to room size, we freed up 30% more conference room availability instantly. If your rooms are booked for 40 hours a week, that’s an extra 12 hours available for other teams.
3. Basic occupancy sensors: Before, rooms were frequently booked but underused. By installing affordable plug-and-play occupancy sensors ($50-$100 per room), we reduced wasted space by 50%. For a room that’s typically underused by 3 hours a day, this could mean saving 15 hours per day across multiple rooms, paying for the sensors within a month.

Start small: This week's action plan

Monday:

• Audit your calendar system for recurring meetings that haven't had attendees in 3+ weeks
• Cancel or update these bookings 

Tuesday:

• Document actual vs. booked meeting room usage for your busiest rooms
• Look for patterns in no-shows and early meeting endings

Wednesday:

• Implement the 10-minute no-show policy
• Communicate the change to your team

Thursday:

• Set up size-appropriate room guidelines
• Start tracking how often small groups use large rooms

Friday:

• Review the first week's data
• Calculate your initial savings using our quick ROI calculator below

Show me the money: Quick ROI math

Let's put some numbers behind these changes. Here's a simple calculation you can do today:

Current monthly costs:

1. Room operating costs = (Square footage × Cost per sq ft) ÷ 12
2. Current utilization = Hours used ÷ Available hours
3. Cost per utilized hour = Monthly costs ÷ Utilized hours

Once you've put these changes in place, look forward to:

• Average utilization increase: 25%
• Energy savings from better management: 15%
• Monthly savings = (Increase in utilized hours × Cost per hour) + Energy savings

Remember: your workspace doesn't need to be perfect by Monday. Start with one small change this week - maybe it's just tracking no-shows in your favorite conference room, or finally setting up that 10-minute release policy you've been thinking about. Sometimes the smallest tweaks lead to the biggest breakthroughs.

And hey, if you’re finding it tough to tackle this on your own, we can help with a 1-on-1 personal audit for your office. Just let me know here!

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