What is workplace occupancy rate?

Offices often sit half-empty, with research showing that around 9% of office space in London is unoccupied. This can lead to wasted resources and unnecessary costs, especially if you’re not paying attention to how space is being utilised.

Workplace occupancy rate tells you how much of your available space is being actively used. By tracking this metric, property managers can quickly assess whether they’re making the most of their office layout or leaving too much space unused. In this post, we’ll explore what occupancy rate is, why it’s important and how to calculate occupancy to maximise your office efficiency.

Why is workplace occupancy important?

Keeping track of workplace occupancy is crucial for making informed decisions about how to manage your office space. It helps you figure out whether your office is overcrowded or underused, both of which can have a negative impact on employee productivity and operational costs.

Operational costs

Monitoring occupancy can also result in significant cost savings. Even when office spaces are underutilised, they still rack up expenses like electricity, heating and maintenance. By repurposing unused areas, you can cut down on these costs, making your office more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

Employee productivity

Understanding your occupancy rate doesn’t just save money – it can also create a better workplace for your employees. Optimised spaces lead to a more comfortable work environment which can improve morale and productivity. Plus, with fewer wasted resources, your office runs more smoothly and efficiently.

Metrics to measure workplace occupancy

There are several key metrics that can help you track and optimise your workplace occupancy. These metrics give you valuable insight into how employees use different spaces throughout the office. By focusing on these figures, you can make smart decisions that improve space management and boost overall efficiency.

Employee-to-desk ratio

The employee-to-desk ratio shows how many employees are sharing each desk. In today’s hybrid work environment, the traditional 1:1 ratio may no longer make sense. Many offices now operate with a ratio closer to 1.5:1 or 2:1, depending on how often employees come into the office.

For instance, if your office employs 100 people but only has 60 desks, your employee-to-desk ratio would be about 1.67:1. A desk booking system can help track desk usage to ensure employees have enough space when needed. By keeping an eye on this ratio, you can prevent overcrowding and make sure you’re not wasting office space.

Space utilisation

Space utilisation measures how effectively your office’s available space is being used. Ideally, your office should strike a balance between productivity and comfort without being overcrowded. If your space utilisation is too low, it might be time to downsize or rethink how you’re using different areas of the office.

Tracking the average number of employees using desks compared to available capacity is a good way to monitor space utilisation. If you consistently see low usage, it may be worth removing some desks or redesigning underutilised areas. Regularly reviewing this metric will help you ensure the office is being used efficiently.

Meeting room utilisation

Meeting room utilisation tells you how often your meeting spaces are booked and how they’re being used. Ideally, a well-used meeting room should have a utilisation rate of around 40-60%. A rate much higher or lower could signal that you need to adjust how your meeting rooms are being managed.

If your meeting rooms are overbooked, employees may have difficulty finding available spaces for important meetings. On the other hand, empty meeting rooms can indicate that the space is being wasted. Using office space management software can help you track these trends and adjust room usage to better suit your team’s needs.

Visitor foot traffic

Visitor foot traffic measures how often guests, such as clients or job candidates visit your office. Tracking this metric ensures you have enough resources, like spare desks or meeting rooms, to accommodate visitors without affecting your employees’ workspaces. A visitor management system is helpful for gathering this data.

For example, you might notice that a high number of visitors come in on specific days, such as when HR conducts interviews. Knowing these trends helps you plan ahead and make sure the office is ready to host guests without disrupting normal work activities. Managing foot traffic effectively improves both the visitor and employee experience in the office.

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