Most companies still pay for rooms and square meters they barely use. A modern space calculator that accounts for hybrid work helps companies use their office space more efficiently by showing how much office space you truly need, what to keep on lease, and which meeting rooms and on-demand options to add for in person collaboration.
By optimizing your workplace strategy with our calculator, you can achieve significant cost savings by reducing unnecessary real estate expenses and reallocating resources to more efficient workspace solutions.
Use our Hybrid Workspace ROI Calculator to plug in your numbers, get an instant savings estimate, and request a full report—free.
Dive straight into the Calculator
The office space calculation crisis facing German companies
Executives are asking the same question in 2025: how much office space do we really need for a hybrid work model? The traditional approach—assigning a desk and a room for every person—doesn’t match today’s work environment. Attendance varies by team, by week, and by project; in person peaks cluster around two days (often Tuesday and Thursday), while focused tasks shift to remote work.
Companies face new challenges in adapting to hybrid work and office space planning, such as maintaining collaboration, ensuring productivity, and fostering team cohesion with flexible arrangements.
What’s changed:
Different forms of work (deep focus, workshops, training, client meetings) happen across different types of spaces.
The workplace strategy must blend a smaller fixed office with access to meeting rooms, project rooms, phone rooms, and day offices.
Leaders want a simple, credible way to manage their office space and make better lease decisions—without months of studies.
That’s why we built an office space calculator that’s actually designed for hybrid.
What is a Hybrid Workplace?
A hybrid workplace is a network of physical and digital spaces that supports in person and remote work. In a hybrid workplace:
Hybrid work means employees split time between the office and elsewhere, guided by a hybrid work schedule that aligns teams for in person meetings, training, and collaboration.
The hybrid work model uses hot desking and booking to share desks, then layers in the right mix of meeting rooms, focus rooms, and collaboration rooms.
Space is planned for workforce peaks, not headcount; one room can serve multiple teams across the week.
The work environment uplifts company culture, employee engagement, and productivity by giving colleagues places to collaborate, learn, and do quiet work. The office also serves as a central hub for education and ongoing training.
Across different industries, hybrid takes different forms—from sales teams that meet clients in person often, to engineering squads that prefer two in person days for sprint planning and retros. A well-run hybrid workplace improves the work environment, expands the talent pool, and keeps employees safe and productive with clear etiquette and reliable meeting rooms.
Organizations across various industries are adopting hybrid workplaces to meet their unique needs.
The Office Space Calculator revolution (and why the old math breaks)
Legacy planning said: headcount × fixed m² per person = your office. In reality, hybrid work changes three things:
Attendance ≠ headcount. Peaks concentrate on two days, and vary by team and season.
Rooms over rows. Teams need a balanced mix of meeting rooms, focus rooms, and collaboration rooms—not endless desk rows.
Variable demand. Some work weeks need more rooms; others don’t. Your calculator must price a smaller core office plus optional on-demand capacity.
Our office space calculator does exactly that—without forcing you to provide city or rent benchmarks up front. It focuses on the inputs you actually know today.
This calculator helps companies implement a modern hybrid work strategy by providing actionable data for planning. By adopting this approach, organizations are better prepared for the future of work and evolving workplace trends.
How OneCo’s Hybrid Workspace ROI Calculator works (accurate walkthrough)
Current average monthly utilization (your real % use).
Current work model (e.g., fully in office, hybrid work, or remote work forward).
Optional: Toggle “Include on-demand space cost.” If you do, estimate the number of desks your company would use in coworking or day offices to cover in person peaks, workshops, and training. This captures extra meeting rooms or overflow rooms you’d use only when needed.
3. Click “Calculate Savings.” The calculator leverages advanced technology to provide accurate estimates based on your inputs. You’ll get an immediate basic report with your estimated annual savings and right-sized footprint.
4. Need the full report? Request it directly in the tool—free. Tell us where to send it, and we’ll include city-level context (we only use city data in the full report).
5. Want expert help? Email hello@onecoworking.com or call +49 (0) 157 925 81 419. Our team helps managers and executives turn the model into a practical plan—fast.
Prefer a quick overview? We’ll also include a short video in the article showing exactly where to put each number and how the space calculator turns utilization into savings.
Step-by-step: what the calculator is doing behind the scenes
It compares your current office (m² + monthly cost) to a hybrid work model that uses a smaller leased footprint plus the optional cost of on-demand desks and meeting rooms for your busiest in person days.
It uses your current average monthly utilization to infer “how many desks and rooms you truly use,” then shows what a right-sized workplace could look like.
If you add the optional on-demand line, the calculator prices that separate from your lease, so you can see the break-even between “more fixed rooms” vs. “flexible rooms you only pay for when you need them.”
The tool simplifies managing fluctuating office space needs, making it easier to coordinate hybrid teams and maintain productivity.
Why this matters for business: you stop paying full-time for underused rooms and desks, reduce real estate costs, and preserve your ability to bring people in person for meetings, training, and collaboration. The calculator's approach is informed by the latest research on hybrid work, ensuring evidence-based recommendations.
Designing a Hybrid Workspace for Maximum ROI
Designing a hybrid workspace is the foundation for hybrid work success and maximizing your return on investment in office space. The right hybrid work model allows businesses to reduce real estate costs, boost employee engagement, and tap into a broader talent pool by supporting flexible work arrangements.
To determine how much office space your company truly needs, start by using a space calculator. This tool helps you estimate the ideal mix of spaces—such as meeting rooms, private offices, and collaborative areas—based on your team’s hybrid work schedule and expected in person meetings. Instead of defaulting to a desk for every employee, focus on creating different types of rooms that support both focused work and dynamic collaboration.
A well-designed hybrid workspace balances the need for in person connection with the flexibility of remote work. By right-sizing your office and including the right number of meeting rooms and shared spaces, companies can create an environment that keeps employees engaged and productive, while also controlling real estate costs. This approach not only supports current employees but also makes your organization more attractive to top talent seeking a modern, flexible work environment.
Real-world style examples (fictionalized numbers, real approach)
Example A — 250-employee organization
Current state: 2,800 m²; €85,000/month (rent + utilities); 52% utilization.
Enter into the calculator → savings estimate shows a smaller core office with fewer desks plus access to meeting rooms and in person project rooms two days per week.
The new layout is designed to support hybrid workers' needs, ensuring both collaborative and focused environments.
Corridors and other common areas are included in the space calculation, contributing to overall building efficiency and smooth movement between sections.
Optional: add on-demand 60 desks for peak days. The basic report reveals annualized savings plus a safer cushion for in person meetings and training.
Example B — 80-person team
Current state: 900 m²; €28,000/month; 45% utilization; evolving hybrid work schedule.
After calculation, the plan shows a tighter office, more focus rooms, and access to meeting rooms near client sites, keeping company agility high while protecting company culture with regular in person days.
These examples are illustrative; your full report will tailor the desk-to-employee ratio, room mix, and optional flex use to your organization and industry.
Hidden costs your estimate should consider (and our full report does)
Companies often have concerns about hidden costs when planning office space for hybrid work. Even if rent dominates, these cost drivers shape ROI:
Cleaning & utilities: You pay less when you maintain fewer m² and fewer rooms.
Furniture & AV: Right-sizing desks and meeting rooms can defer purchases and align spend with hybrid work success.
IT & support: Smaller footprints mean fewer network closets, fewer rooms to wire, simpler maintenance.
Lease terms: Break options and sublet rules influence how quickly you can shift from fixed rooms to flexible capacity.
Training spaces: Many companies book meeting rooms or classrooms on demand rather than carrying large rooms that sit idle.
Focusing on the most impactful cost drivers helps ensure hybrid work success and addresses the main concerns about efficiency and value.
Our full report breaks these out and shows how a hybrid workplace keeps core rooms that matter (boardroom, training room, team room) and rents the rest only when a team needs them.
Case study template: 250-employee company saves €630K (how you’ll see it in your report)
Inputs: 250 employees, current office size, current monthly cost, utilization ~50%, hybrid work with two days in person.
Office after right-sizing: Fewer desks, more balanced meeting rooms and focus rooms, plus a small pool of on-demand desks for peak weeks.
Result: A modeled annual saving in the ~€600k range (varies by market and lease) while keeping in person collaboration, training, and meetings strong.
Your numbers will differ; the point is the method: replace underused fixed rooms with flexible capacity aligned to your hybrid rhythm. This case study can spark new ideas for hybrid workspace planning, helping you consider different strategies for optimizing your office setup. As workspaces shift from the traditional office desk to the kitchen table or other flexible arrangements, it's important to adapt your planning to these evolving needs.
How to use OneCo’s calculator
Run your numbers now: Use the Hybrid Workspace ROI Calculator and get your basic report instantly. The calculator also helps you plan for different hybrid work schedules, making it easier to adapt to your team's needs.
Ask for the full report (free): We’ll add city context, room mix by function (meeting rooms, focus rooms, project rooms), and scenario charts your executives and managers can act on.
Talk to a strategist: Email hello@onecoworking.com or call +49 (0) 157 925 81 419 to translate the model into a 90-day plan for your organization.
Remember, communicating your office space plans and findings clearly to your team and stakeholders is essential for successful implementation and collaboration.
Wrap-up
Right-sizing isn’t just cost cutting—it’s choosing the right rooms for the work, week by week. Use the calculator to see your baseline, request the full report for city-level nuance, and then decide which meeting rooms and desks to keep vs. rent flexibly. The calculator helps companies optimize their office spaces for hybrid work, ensuring efficient use of physical environments. Your organization gets a smarter footprint and your folks get a better place to do their best in person and remote work.
Start here: Hybrid Workspace ROI Calculator
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an office space calculator?
An office space calculator is a tool designed to help businesses determine their optimal workspace needs. It factors in hybrid work models, employee attendance, and room types to create a tailored office layout. By using this space calculator for office planning, companies can reduce real estate costs and enhance productivity. Start optimizing your workspace today!
How does a hybrid workplace affect office space needs?
A hybrid workplace combines in-person and remote work, changing how office space is utilized. The office space calculator helps assess how many desks and meeting rooms are needed based on fluctuating attendance. This approach minimizes wasted space and costs. Discover how to adapt your workspace strategy!
What are the benefits of using an office space calculator?
Using an office space calculator allows companies to optimize their workspace for hybrid work, leading to significant cost savings. It provides insights into necessary room types and helps avoid overpaying for unused space. Leverage this tool to enhance your office planning efforts!
How do I book a workspace through One Coworking?
Booking a workspace through One Coworking is simple! Just visit the website, choose your desired location, and select your preferred workspace options. You can easily secure day passes or longer-term arrangements tailored to your hybrid work needs. Explore available options now!
