Office Space is Shrinking

It seems that as the mobile phone has shrunk over time, so has the mobile phone workers office space. A study by the property consultancy Knight Frank has reported that office space per worker in the south-east of the UK is shrinking. Citing several companies, including Vodafone - the study reported that historic allocations of 140 - 190 sq ft are now reducing to 120 - 130 sq ft per person.

The M25 Office Market Demand Research Paper assesses the changing requirements of occupiers within the South East office market which is seen as the economic powerhouse of the UK. Four of the UK's mobile network operators are headquarted in the South-East, the exception being Orange which is based in Bristol although it has offices in London as well.

As a consequence of flexible workstyles, companies are "sweating" their assets to accommodate more people in less space as increasing emphasis is being placed upon cost efficiencies. New technologies have enabled different and more flexible workstyles which have allowed organisations to become much more fluid in their use of space. New standards for best practice in space management are challenging previously accepted norms in occupancy density. These trends are also encouraging different approaches to building specification where cost and value are considered key elements in the overall design of the building.

The "talent war" that many companies now face in order to attract and retain the right calibre of staff to fuel growth and competitive advantage is a significant issue of concern within the South East office market. This competitive environment is leading to the need to provide a high quality work environment with appropriate amenities in order to attract and retain the calibre of staff."

Posted to the site on 11th August 2006