There are obstacles to change, however, and the toughest are cultural. Some managers are still possessive about private offices and keeping their staffers together, says Michael Bell, an analyst at Gartner Inc. in Stamford, Conn. But for enlightened companies, he says, "the office as a symbol of rank is gone."

Ready or not

Change is happening even if companies haven't planned for it. More people are working on the road, from hotels and from their homes, Bell says, which raises the question, "Why do we need all this space?"

To the rescue come integrated workplace management systems, which have become more sophisticated in recent years, allowing facilities managers to more easily analyze needs and reconfigure space. "These systems are shining a light," Bell says.

But it's a light some CIOs haven't seen. Bell, Barkley and others say CIOs need to work more closely with HR and facilities executives to successfully transform the traditional workplace into a more flexible configuration.