Office 2030: workplace design trends, tertiary decree, hybrid working and ROI. The Kytom guide to deciding today about your office spaces over a five-year horizon.
"What will we be doing in our offices in 5 years?"
An office workstation costs between 8,000 and 12,000 euros per year, charges included. When 40% of workstations sit empty every day, a floor for 100 people ties up 350,000 euros with nothing in return. Under-utilisation weighs more heavily than a complete redesign over 5 years.
Sick leave for psychosocial risks has risen by 25% since 2019. An office ill-suited to hybrid working creates noise, isolation and disengagement. For HR, the 2030 challenge is concrete: retaining talent who now compare the comfort of the office with that of their home.
Regulations require a 40% energy saving by 2030 and 60% by 2050 for the tertiary building stock, on pain of penalties and public disclosure of failures. Around 70% of the French tertiary stock will need to be renovated. Postponing the decision beyond 2027 drastically reduces the technical and financial room for manoeuvre.
Active since 2006 with 11 branches in France and Spain, Kytom has delivered more than 1,200 office projects, giving us a precise reading of the 2024-2030 trajectories. Our method combines three perspectives: a financial perspective (cost per workstation, occupied m² ratio), an HR perspective (employee journey, attractiveness) and an environmental perspective (energy efficiency trajectory, regulatory compliance with an average max Cep,nr of 75 kWhep/(m².an) and an average max Cep of 85 kWhep/(m².an) for offices). On an average area of 850 m², we build a 5-year scenario, costed per m² and per workstation, factoring in the probable 20% reduction in floor space, the rise of collaborative spaces, and the trade-off between major renovation and gradual redesign. The deliverable is a master plan, not just a floor plan.
Measurement of actual occupancy rates (sensors, badge readers, on-site observations) over 4 to 6 weeks. Interviews with the executive committee, HR and a panel of 15 to 30 employees. Deliverable: mapping of 2024 usage and 2030 projection, validated by management.
Foresight workshop with the executive, HR and real estate management. Choice of the workstation/employee ratio (typically 0.6 to 0.8), the individual/collaborative mix and the level of environmental ambition. Deliverable: costed framing note, 3 budget scenarios compared.
Architectural and technical design based on the chosen target: zoning, acoustics compliant with the performance levels recognised for workspaces, lighting, signature furniture (Vitra, Herman Miller). Integration of the regulatory requirements for reducing the energy consumption of the tertiary stock from the sketch stage onward. Deliverable: detailed design, technical plans, works schedule and budget detailed per workstation.
Management of works over 12 weeks on average, turnkey delivery with furniture installed. Post-delivery measurement at 3 and 12 months: occupancy rate, employee satisfaction, energy consumption. Deliverable: costed review and continuous adjustment plan through to 2030.
"We reduced our floor space by 22% while increasing team satisfaction. The 2030 master plan allowed the executive committee to decide with figures, not gut feelings."