On Monday, divisions of media conglomerate Québecor began installing heat sensors beneath employee work desks across its Quebec offices. The devices are positioned under the desk surfaces to detect a person's presence by measuring temperature changes, allowing the company to monitor which desks are occupied at any given moment. This rollout is intended to gather data on workspace usage as the organization continues to support hybrid work arrangements.
By collecting real‑time occupancy information, Québecor aims to adjust desk allocation, reduce unused space, and streamline the scheduling of hot‑desking areas. The sensors transmit data to a central system that can reveal patterns of desk use throughout the day, helping facilities managers decide how many physical workstations are required versus remote‑work capacity. The technology is meant to support employees who split time between office and home environments, ensuring that the office layout reflects actual demand.
Québecor’s initiative follows a growing trend among Canadian employers turning to sensor‑based solutions to manage office resources amid increasingly flexible work policies. As remote‑work arrangements become more common, companies are seeking ways to make the physical workplace more efficient and cost‑effective. Heat‑based occupancy sensors provide a non‑intrusive method to gather usage data without requiring employees to check in manually. The data is expected to inform future office design and hybrid work strategies.
The installation started early Monday morning and will continue over the coming weeks until all targeted desks are equipped. Employees have been told that the sensors only record temperature variations for occupancy purposes and do not capture personal identifiers. Québecor states the information will be used solely to improve space planning and support its hybrid work model.