In the Office, ‘We’ Space Taking Over ‘Me’ Space

Employees’ workstyles have changed more in the past two years than in the previous 20, according to a new report about office space utilization by CBRE.

Momentum was found with including larger workstations, fewer private offices, more use of desk-reservation systems and a greater emphasis on shared space and amenities are trending positively today, with 90% of respondents saying they now routinely gather utilization data – be it access-card swipes, Wi-Fi logins or occupancy-sensor data.

The survey was based on 60 clients of CBRE’s Occupancy Management practice.

CBRE found that space monitoring “equips those companies to make decisions about how to allocate their office space to various uses and whether to expand or shrink their overall office portfolio.”

Because more companies are using a hybrid return-to-work model, “we” use of space is increasing, leaning more toward collaborative uses such as teamwork pods, huddle rooms and lounges.

Companies in the study are dedicating an average of 16% of their office space to such collaborative uses, CBRE said, up from 13% last year. In contrast, space assigned to “me” uses such as private offices and assigned desks declined to 40% this year from 53% last year.

Other CBRE Survey Findings

• Workstations are getting larger as companies shift more to unassigned, “free address” seating.
• Private offices may be falling out of favor. Thirty-one percent of companies don’t include offices in their design standards.
• Shared space often functions best with reservations. The 54% of companies offering desk-reservation systems represent double last year’s share.