Office Space Per Employee in London - What Is Actually Optimal?

If you search for office space per employee in the UK, you will find tidy averages: 8 square metres, 10 square metres, 12 square metres.

Clean numbers. Clean diagrams. But London offices are rarely clean diagrams.

The real question is not what the average is. It is what makes sense for your team, in your type of building, at this stage of growth.

The Traditional Benchmark

Historically in the UK, many offices were designed around 10-12 sqm per employee in conventional layouts, with slight adjustments for managerial offices and high-density corporate floors.

This often included desk space, circulation, shared meeting rooms, and small breakout areas.

For many London SMEs, that range still works, but only if layout is disciplined.

Why London Is Different

London introduces constraints that general UK guides often ignore:

1. Buildings are often older.
2. Floorplates are irregular.
3. Columns interrupt ideal spacing.
4. Natural light distribution is inconsistent.

You cannot apply textbook density rules blindly.

A 120 sqm rectangular new-build floor behaves very differently from a converted Shoreditch warehouse with structural quirks.

Open Plan vs. Zoned Layout

Space per employee changes significantly depending on layout philosophy.

Open Plan Focus

You may operate effectively at 7-9 sqm per employee, but only if meeting rooms are shared efficiently, storage is controlled, and hybrid attendance reduces daily occupancy.

Balanced Layout (Desks + Meeting Rooms)

Common in London professional firms. Typical range: 9-11 sqm per employee.

This usually allows 1-2 meeting rooms, defined circulation, and moderate breakout space.

Collaboration-Focused Layout

Common in creative, tech, or hybrid teams. Typical range: 10-14 sqm per active employee because collaboration zones require more area.

Hybrid Work Changes the Calculation

Many London businesses now operate at roughly 50-70% physical occupancy on average days.

That means your effective sqm per active employee can increase without physically expanding.

Example: 15 staff, 60% average daily presence, 120 sqm office. Effective occupancy is around 9 people, giving about 13 sqm per active person.

This is the hybrid attendance compression factor in practice: total headcount remains fixed while active occupancy changes, so usable sqm per active person rises or falls with attendance discipline.

The space may feel generous, but only if zoning supports flexibility. Hybrid does not automatically justify reducing space; it shifts how space should be structured.

When Space Feels Tight (Even If Numbers Look Fine)

A London office can technically meet 8-10 sqm per person and still feel constrained.

Common reasons include too many fixed private offices, oversized reception areas, poor storage planning, under-designed meeting rooms, and weak acoustic separation.

Space per employee is not just mathematics. It is proportion and distribution.

Example: 100 sqm Office in Greater London

Scenario: 12 employees, one formal meeting room, hybrid attendance, and an open-plan desk cluster.

Raw calculation: 100 / 12 = 8.3 sqm per employee. On paper, acceptable.

But if 20 sqm is taken by oversized storage and unused reception, real usable desk area drops dramatically. Rebalancing zones often improves experience without increasing rent.

Is More Space Always Better?

Not necessarily.

An oversized office with poor zoning can feel empty and inefficient. Under-utilised space is still paid for monthly.

For London SMEs, the ideal office is rarely the largest one affordable. It is the one proportioned correctly for workflow.

Industry Range Table (London)

Across London, most practical targets sit broadly within an 8-14 sqm range depending on workflow and room mix.

Practical London Guidelines

• Below 7 sqm per active employee: likely tight unless highly optimised.
• 8-10 sqm per active employee: efficient for structured layouts.
• 10-13 sqm per active employee: comfortable balance for hybrid teams.
• 14+ sqm per active employee: generous or potentially under-utilised.

These are directional guidelines, not legal rules.

The Overlooked Factor: Circulation

Corridors and movement paths are frequently underestimated in London floorplans.

In older buildings, circulation can consume 15-25% of total floor area. If this is not planned intentionally, workspace density suffers.

Before Expanding Your Lease

Many London businesses consider relocation when they feel cramped.

In practice, redesigning internal zoning often resolves pressure without increasing footprint.

Before signing a larger lease, evaluate true sqm per active employee, meeting room demand patterns, hybrid attendance reality, and storage inefficiencies.

Evaluate Your Own Workspace

If you want a structured assessment of your current London office efficiency, use our tool:

Office Space Efficiency Tool

It helps estimate effective sqm per active employee, zoning balance, and strategic direction. It is a practical business evaluation, not an architectural compliance check.

Final Reflection

There is no single ideal office space per employee in London.

There is only what aligns with your team structure, work pattern, building constraints, and growth plans.

The goal is not density. It is alignment. When space aligns with behavior, productivity follows naturally.