Occupancy and space planning

Occupancy measures how many people are assigned to a space (capacity allocation). Utilisation measures how much of that space is actively used at a given time. The distinction is critical because the two metrics often tell very different stories about portfolio performance.
 

A building can be 100% occupied (every seat assigned) yet only 40% utilised (fewer than half those seats are in use on any given day). JLL's 2025 Global Occupancy Planning Benchmark Report found that global office utilisation averaged 54%—meaning organisations are actively using just over half the space they pay for. The gap between allocated and utilised space represents the single largest cost optimisation opportunity in most corporate real estate portfolios.

Leading organisations measure both metrics across multiple dimensions:

• Occupancy rate: Total assigned headcount divided by total seat capacity. JLL benchmark data shows the average office allocation rate now exceeds 111%—meaning more people are assigned than physical seats exist, reflecting the shift to seat-sharing models.
• Utilisation rate: Actual presence measured by sensors, badge data, or WiFi analytics against available capacity. JLL data shows Tuesday peaks and Friday drops to - a pattern consistent across hundreds of millions of square feet.
   

JLL's occupancy planning methodology integrates multiple data sources—sensors, badge systems, booking platforms, WiFi analytics, and HR headcount data—to produce a complete utilisation measurement framework that accounts for these measurement gaps.

Occupancy planning connects directly to business strategy by turning real estate from a fixed cost into a strategic lever that affects talent attraction, workforce productivity, capital allocation, and ESG performance.

• Talent and productivity: Workplace quality directly influences recruitment, retention, and daily productivity. Occupancy data reveals which space types employees actually use and prefer, enabling evidence-based design decisions that improve the work environment.
• Capital allocation: Occupancy insights inform the most consequential financial decisions in a CRE portfolio: which leases to renew, where to consolidate, when to expand, and how to balance owned, leased, and flexible space.
• ESG performance: Space optimisation reduces energy consumption and Scope 1/2 emissions—directly measurable outcomes that support corporate sustainability commitments and regulatory compliance.
• M&A readiness: During mergers, acquisitions, or restructuring, occupancy data provides the analytical foundation for integrating real estate portfolios quickly and making defensible decisions about which locations to retain.
   

JLL's consulting practice—combining workplace strategy, location strategy, and portfolio management—uses occupancy planning data as the quantitative foundation for strategic recommendations. JLL's partnership with Koch Industries demonstrates this integrated approach: JLL delivers occupancy planning, workplace strategy, experience services, and portfolio optimization across Koch's 140 million square feet in 50+ countries under a unified "LIFT" operating model.