Fixing Return To Office: Productivity Data & The Future of Work With Andrew Farah – RFP 62
In this episode, Andrew Farah, CEO and co-founder of Density, joins us to unpack what’s actually going on inside modern offices—and why so many companies are making costly decisions based on flawed assumptions. He explains why traditional metrics like badge swipes and headcount don’t reflect true office utilization, and how they’ve led to widespread inefficiencies, frustrated employees, and wasted space.
Drawing from years of aggregated, anonymized space analytics across millions of square feet, Andrew breaks down how companies can move beyond “butts in seats” to understand real human behavior inside buildings—without compromising privacy. From ghost meetings and empty desks to the psychological impact of office design, he shares actionable insights for leaders who want to create smarter, more effective workplaces built on data, trust, and human-centered design.
The traditional way to measure workplace productivity, tracking headcount or badge swipes, is not just outdated; it’s actively misleading. As Farah shares on the podcast, swipe data may tell you someone entered a building, but it doesn’t show how space is being used. Are people collaborating? Sitting at desks? Wandering around looking for an open meeting room?
In one example, Density’s sensors revealed that nearly 40% of all desks in a large corporate office were untouched for 90 days, despite complaints from employees that they couldn’t find seating. The real problem? Teams were informally “claiming” spaces without actually using them, creating invisible walls and deep inefficiencies.
“We assume people lie intentionally,” Farah says. “But really, humans are just bad at tracking their own behavior. That’s why we need better data—data that respects privacy but tells the truth.”
Cameras vs. Privacy: A Legal Time Bomb
One of the most discussed issues in the episode is the ethical and legal tightrope companies walk when using camera-based occupancy systems. Many workplaces use so-called “optical sensors” to monitor activity, which, as Farah bluntly notes, is just marketing-speak for cameras.
“Some companies literally place cameras above desks,” he says. “Even if they’re anonymizing the images, it opens the door to serious privacy and legal issues. We’ve seen lawsuits. We’ve seen employees quit over it. There’s a better way.”
Density’s sensors are anonymous at the source. They don’t record faces, track individuals, or store PII. It’s real-time, accurate, secure, and more importantly, trustworthy to legal teams and employees.
Why Return to Office Is Really About Trust
Farah argues that the heart of the RTO debate isn’t culture, collaboration, or even productivity; it’s trust. In-person work accelerates relationship-building, mentorship, and conflict resolution. “You can build trust remotely,” he says, “but the gas tank is just bigger in person.”
However, that doesn’t mean companies should return with rigidity or nostalgia. Instead, they need to clearly define their goals. If the goal is to build high-trust, high-performing teams, the workplace needs to reflect that, with policies, design, and tools that support real human needs.
Real Solutions: Daycare, Design, and Data
One of Farah’s most compelling ideas from the episode? Convert excess office space into onsite childcare.
“Childcare is the number one reason people value hybrid work,” he explains. “What if you turned two underutilized floors into a daycare center? Return to office rates would skyrocket overnight.”
It’s that kind of human-first thinking that defines the conversation in this episode—from smart design that creates gravitational pull (not ghost towns), to systems that make availability transparent and self-policing.
Federal Office Space: The $100 Billion Question
Farah also touches on the federal real estate portfolio, which includes over 300 million square feet—much of it unused or underused. With thousands of leases expiring in the next three years, and enormous deferred maintenance liabilities, the federal government is poised for a massive consolidation. Investors in government-anchored office buildings should take note.
Final Thought: Offices Aren’t Dead, Just Misunderstood
Farah closes the podcast with a powerful insight: “We didn’t build offices for them to be empty. We built them for people. And people, when put together in the right space, create gravity. That gravity builds trust, which builds great teams, which build great companies.”
If you’re an investor, occupier, or commercial real estate agent trying to figure out what comes next, don’t guess. Measure. Design. Adapt. And most importantly, listen to the people actually shaping the future of space.
