Trends such as hybrid working, sustainability and digitalisation have transformed how work and what we expect from our workplace. Planning office space is no longer based on a simple calculation – allocating one desk per person, five days a week. 

To respond to these evolving changes, organisations are re-evaluating their space utilisation and allocation to create a more efficient, versatile and productive environment. One of the most common questions we get asked is, how much office space do we need?

Let’s dive into four office space planning steps that will help establish a long-term workplace strategy: 

1. Define organisational needs and values
2. Analyse workplace data 
3. Collect employee feedback
4. Design for adaptability

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Step 1: Define organisational needs and values

The first step to calculating how much office space you need is to identify how and why your business is evolving. Mapping out the core reasons for change will ensure the data you go on to collect is relevant and impactful.

The factors that drive change are different for every organisation but can be broadly categorised into three key areas:

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Step 2: Analyse workplace data

Space analysis is about tracking and collecting relevant workplace data to determine occupancy patterns, traffic flow, activity levels and over- or underutilised spaces. Tracking this data will highlight the cost of space per person, challenge current space allocation and identify ways to improve operational efficiency, employee satisfaction and overall business success.

These are some of the methods our consultants use to capture and analyse data:

Space utilisation

• Space sensors
• Wi-Fi tracking
• Booking systems
• Physical walkthroughs
• Badge-swipe data

Cadence scenario planning 

• Analyse patterns of daily attendance to inform spatial modelling
• Team schedule
• Employee schedule

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A 65% reduction in space – The Post Office, London

With an average 14% occupancy in its 54,000 sq ft office, the Post Office knew there was an opportunity to create a more efficient environment. But how do you determine how much space you need, while also ensuring your office can handle growth or a sudden influx of staff or visitors?

By carrying out extensive scenario planning, leveraging insights from predictive cadence mapping and engaging employees from all levels of the business, we captured both data and sentiment. This process allows us to envision the potential future occupancy and incorporate essential factors like wellbeing. 

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Identifying inefficiencies and opportunities guided the decision to move location and solidified a clear vision to design a frictionless and positive workplace experience.  This strategic approach led to a 65% reduction in space – moving to a 17,500 sq ft office – designed to be more efficient, enable flexible capacity and support a breadth of activities.

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Step 3: Collect employee feedback

Gone are the days when key decisions were made by a select few behind closed doors. Imposed changes often lead to poor choices and employees becoming detached and disengaged. Real long-term success happens when organisations pair employee feedback with workplace data to guide more purposeful decisions.

Co-creation is about putting employees front and centre and tapping into the collective intelligence, first-hand experiences and creativity of a diverse workforce. By drawing on their feedback, insights and expertise, organisations can gain a deeper understanding of what’s working well, what tasks are undersupported and what matters most to their people.

There are several ways you can capture employee sentiment, including:

• Interviews 
• Surveys and questionnaires 
• Focus groups and workshops
• Suggestion boxes
• Appointing Change Champions to represent different departments across your organisation.

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Step 4: Design for adaptability

One of the most important things to remember is that for a workplace to be sustainable, it has to be adaptable.

Traditionally, an office would be re-designed every eight to ten years. As we begin to use technology and capture real-time data, there’s now an opportunity to create more timely and strategic solutions. Organisations can make regular evidence-driven design changes, in response to evolving employee needs and job-role demands.

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Twice the employee experience in less than half the space – Sodexo, London

Designing an editable environment was a key consideration when delivering Sodexo’s new London office. By creating multi-functional spaces and installing modular furniture, we were able to offer twice the employee and client experience in less than half the space Sodexo previously used. Not only that, but reducing the space by 50% delivers huge sustainability gains through carbon footprint reduction. The operational savings follow a similar pattern. 

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Planning office space with purpose

The office is competing with every other destination, and so it now has to work harder than ever before to offer an experience that draws people in. Before an organisation can calculate how much office space it needs, it has to redefine its purpose. What do people want? What do people need? How can our space adapt to accommodate evolving work patterns and activities?

It’s about creating informed solutions and discovering the opportunities that lie within the office for a more prosperous future.

If you’re looking for opportunities to make the most of your office space, our workplace strategists are always here to advise. Contact us.