How do you calculate the occupancy rate?
At a specific point in time, calculate the share of desks in use as: desks recorded as in use divided by total desks available for use, multiplied by 100. Always specify the area, time and method used to record usage. This guide distinguishes a snapshot from a calculation over time.
A hypothetical example: an area has 40 desks available for use. A count at 10 am finds 24 in use. The share is 24 / 40 × 100 = 60%. This does not mean the same desks remain occupied for the rest of the day.
Desks at a point in time or desk-hours over a period?
For a time-based calculation, numerator and denominator must use the same unit. Divide recorded desk-hours of use by available desk-hours, then multiply by 100. Ten desks, each available for eight hours, provide 80 desk-hours. If 40 desk-hours of use are recorded, the share is 50%. These are illustrative figures, not customer measurements.
Do not simply count every desk used at least once during the day and call the result time-based occupancy. A desk used for half an hour and one used all day contribute differently to total usage hours.
Keep bookings and registered usage separate
- Booking data shows reserved capacity. A reservation is not in itself a confirmation that the space is used.
- Check-in shows a registered arrival. It does not necessarily tell when the person left the space.
- Sensor data shows the activity or presence that the selected equipment can detect. Clarify measurement range, intervals and handling of missing data.
If you only have reservations, label the result as a booking percentage. Compare bookings with use only when the areas, time periods and capacity definitions match. Missing sensor data should not automatically be counted as an unoccupied desk.
Use the same capacity basis each time
Describe which desks are included. Apply a clear rule to a closed floor or a desk under repair. If the number of desks available for use changes, show this in the report. Otherwise, the percentage can change even when usage stays the same.
Compare corresponding days of the week and time slots, and also look at the busy periods. A weekly average can hide the fact that a team lacks suitable seats on Tuesday morning. Nor does the number alone say anything about noise, equipment or the need to sit together.
From calculation to a decision
Note five things along with the result: area, period, data source, available capacity, and calculation method. Then investigate the fluctuations and talk to those who use the area before you change the layout or number of seats.
MyDesk can compare bookings with recorded activity through the agreed sensor setup. Measurements and update frequency depend on the equipment and configured rules. Explore MyDesk Analytics and read about the integration with IoT-Fabrikken.
Use our overview of space managementif you need to turn the findings into workspace planning. A calculation provides a better basis for decisions when its assumptions are visible; it does not determine how many desks an office needs on its own.