Office workstations are getting smaller as companies re-evaluate real estate strategies and workplace planning for hybrid models. According to JLL’s “Global Occupancy Planning Benchmark Report 2025,” organizations are reducing individual desk space from 165 to 132 square feet. Moreover, companies are shifting toward shared seating, with a move from 1.3 people per seat to 1.1.

JLL’s findings reveal that 78% of organizations now follow standardized workplace planning protocols. These help guide decisions on office workstation sizes and agile seating models.
Fully unassigned seating, or “agile seating,” is also being adopted to further minimize operational costs. Since the pandemic reshaped workplace trends, companies have faced mounting pressure to adapt. HR teams and real estate managers are balancing budgets while optimizing spaces for hybrid models.

The report notes the global office utilization rate has reached 54%—up from 49% last year but still behind the 61% seen in 2019.  Technology and cultural changes continue to influence where and how people work.

A majority of firms now operate on hybrid schedules. According to JLL, 67% of employees work in-office one to four days a week, while 18% are fully remote, and 15% go to the office daily.

To suit this dynamic environment, companies are increasingly favoring shared spaces. Only 3% of firms are expanding open areas or private offices, while 13% and 17%, respectively, are cutting them.

The trend toward smaller office workstations is also clear. About 65% of respondents aim to keep enclosed office sizes under 125 square feet. Also, 78% of firms plan to reduce open workstation sizes to under 50 square feet though 32% currently exceed this benchmark.

Simultaneously, companies are eliminating non-essential areas such as reception desks, storage rooms, and printing stations. 

In their place, they are building private spaces like phone booths, huddle rooms, and lockers to enhance focused work. While optimizing real estate remains a key goal, organizations also acknowledge the evolving purpose of offices. They now view them as both collaborative hubs and quiet zones for deep work essential components of today’s hybrid workplace planning.

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News Source: Hrdive.com