BCO report says organisations now have chance to design 鈥榮marter, more agile鈥� workspaces to fit need

UK office utilisation has settled at a new normal level significantly lower than before the pandemic, according to the British Council for Offices.

The commercial development sector had long held to a benchmark of 80% for office space utilisation but occupancy rates were disrupted by the covid-19 crisis and the move towards flexible working.

Despite attempts by some firms to encourage staff back to the office, new research by the British Council for Offices (BCO) indicates that employees are not returning to the workplace in the same numbers they once did.

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The busiest period for office occupancy is between Tuesday and Thursday, the BCO found

According to the industry body, utilisation has stabilised at 66%, a decline which it said would have major implications for developers, investors and occupiers.

The figure equates to an effective density of 15sq m per occupant, up from the previous 12.5sq m.

According to the report, authored by Nigel Oseland of Workplace Unlimited, this recalibration reflects a maturing flexible working model that will give organisations the confidence to 鈥渞ight-size鈥� their spaces and reduce waste.

鈥淭his shift in utilisation isn鈥檛 a setback, it鈥檚 a signal,鈥� said Oseland

鈥淥rganisations now have the opportunity to design smarter, more agile workspaces that reflect how people actually work today. 

鈥淎 well-utilised, lower-density office can not only be more sustainable 鈥� it can also be more productive, more engaging and better aligned with employee needs and expectations.鈥�

>> Read more: 鈥橳his could be such a powerful platform鈥� 鈥� BCO鈥檚 new chief on finding a voice for a transformed sector

The study drew on sensor data, observation studies and swipe card access records from across the UK.

It identified a mid-week occupancy peak between Tuesday and Thursday and found that the finance and legal sectors had the highest space utilisation. Desk utilisation was also higher outside London.

The report said its findings had significant implications for office design and infrastructure planning. 

For instance, while escape routes are fixed by legislation at 6 m虏 per occupant, services like lifts and toilets are based on assumed maximum occupancy. 

The report suggested providing services via incremental modular units and mothballing floors or deactivating surplus toilets and lifts, to align operational costs with actual usage.

It also emphasised that low-density, high-utilisation offices were more sustainable in terms of energy consumption than high-density, underused spaces.