{"id":78645,"date":"2025-07-10T11:06:37","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T10:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bco.org.uk\/?p=78645"},"modified":"2025-07-11T11:12:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T10:12:03","slug":"bco-report-calls-for-new-approach-to-space-planning-as-office-use-reaches-critical-shift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bco.org.uk\/bco-report-calls-for-new-approach-to-space-planning-as-office-use-reaches-critical-shift","title":{"rendered":"BCO report calls for new approach to space planning as office use reaches critical shift"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"78645\" class=\"elementor elementor-78645\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-140546a7 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"140546a7\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b49ddd7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6b49ddd7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The British Council for Offices (BCO) has published new research revealing a fundamental shift in how UK offices are used, with major implications for developers, investors and occupiers.<\/p>\n<p>The report, authored by Nigel Oseland of Workplace Unlimited, shows that the long-standing benchmark of 80% office utilisation may no longer be fit for purpose. Post-pandemic data suggests a more realistic, but nevertheless conservative, figure of 66% equating to an effective density of 15 m\u00b2 per occupant, up from the previous 12.5 m\u00b2.<\/p>\n<p>This recalibration reflects a maturing flexible working model that empowers organisations to right-size their space, reduce waste and enhance employee experience. With high-profile organisations in financial services and the public sector under the spotlight for space misalignment, the report offers timely, evidence-based guidance for the sector.<\/p>\n<p>The study draws on sensor data, observation studies and swipe card access records from across the UK.<\/p>\n<p>Key findings include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Utilisation has shifted from 80% to 66%, redefining the amount of space needed per person.<\/li>\n<li>Mid-week peaks dominate, with Tuesday to Thursday (TW&amp;T) occupancy averaging 40% in UK offices, compared to 30% across all weekdays.<\/li>\n<li>Corporate occupiers lead the return, with desk utilisation 13% higher than in the public sector.<\/li>\n<li>Regional offices outperform London, with desk utilisation around 7% higher outside the capital.<\/li>\n<li>Finance and legal sectors show the highest engagement, with above-average space utilisation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The findings have significant implications for office design and infrastructure planning. While escape routes are fixed by legislation at 6 m\u00b2 per occupant, services like lifts and toilets are based on assumed maximum occupancy. The report suggests providing services via incremental modular units and mothballing floors or deactivating surplus toilets and lifts, to align operational costs with actual usage.<\/p>\n<p>The report underscores that\u00a0low-density, high-utilisation offices are more sustainable\u00a0than high-density, underused spaces. This balance not only reduces energy consumption but also supports employee wellbeing and workplace satisfaction.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis shift in utilisation isn\u2019t a setback. It\u2019s a signal,\u201d said\u00a0Nigel Oseland, author of the report. \u201cOrganisations now have the opportunity to design smarter, more agile workspaces that reflect how people actually work today. A well-utilised, lower-density office can not only be more sustainable \u2013 it can also be more productive, more engaging and better aligned with employee needs and expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As working patterns continue to evolve, the BCO\u2019s report provides critical guidance for occupiers and landlords navigating changing trends. It calls for updated benchmarks and more consistent terminology and metrics to inform future office design, fit-outs and sustainability strategies.<\/p>\n<p>Eric Chong, Director of Research &amp; Policy at the BCO, said: \u201cThis report lands at a critical moment. As organisations rethink their space strategies, the data offers vital clarity to help ensure the sums add up. But beyond the numbers, it\u2019s about understanding how today\u2019s workforce \u2014 the customers of the office market \u2014 actually use their workspaces. Misjudging utilisation is costly, leading to wasted space and poor user experience. This insight helps the sector make smarter, more agile decisions that reflect how people really work \u2014 and what they truly need from the office.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>BCO members can access the report in full at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bco.org.uk\/publications\/about-our-reports\">https:\/\/www.bco.org.uk\/publications\/about-our-reports<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>About the BCO<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The British Council for Offices&#8217; (BCO) mission is to research, develop and communicate best practice in all aspects of the office sector. It delivers this by providing a forum for the discussion and debate of relevant issues.<\/p>\n<p>Established in 1990, the BCO is the UK\u2019s leading forum for the discussion and debate of issues affecting the office sector.<\/p>\n<p>Its members are all organisations involved in creating, acquiring, or occupying office space, whether architects, lawyers, surveyors, financial institutions, or public agencies. The BCO works to advance the collective understanding of its members, enabling them to work together to create more effective office space.<\/p>\n<p>Media Contact:<\/p>\n<p>ING Media<\/p>\n<p><u><a href=\"mailto:BCO@ing-media.com\">BCO@ing-media.com<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n<p>T: + 44 (0) 20 7247 8334<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The British Council for Offices (BCO) has published new research revealing a fundamental shift in how UK offices are used, with major implications for developers, investors and occupiers. The report, authored by Nigel Oseland of Workplace Unlimited, shows that the long-standing benchmark of 80% office utilisation may no longer be fit for purpose. Post-pandemic data [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":78646,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,97],"tags":[6],"class_list":["post-78645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-media-hub","category-news","tag-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>BCO report calls for new approach to space planning as office use reaches critical shift - BCO - British Council for Offices<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bco.org.uk\/bco-report-calls-for-new-approach-to-space-planning-as-office-use-reaches-critical-shift\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BCO report calls for new approach to space planning as office use reaches critical shift - BCO - British Council for Offices\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The British Council for Offices (BCO) has published new research revealing a fundamental shift in how UK offices are used, with major implications for developers, investors and occupiers. 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