Denser

Employers are putting more desks and workstations into offices than ever before, according to new stats from the British Council of Offices. There's been a 40% rise in the past 12 years - in 1997, the average office density (the net area per workstation) was 16.6 sqm; now it stands at 11.8 sqm.

But be reassured: Richard Kauntze, Chief Executive of the BCO, says "It is a misconception that higher office densities mean we are all packed in like sardines. The increase in density has come about because, on the whole, we are working differently and using space more effectively. The cellular, inflexible offices of the 70s and early 80s have gradually been replaced by open-plan, team-orientated environments with a range of facilities from kitchens to gyms. We are a knowledge-based service economy where comfort and amenity play a significant role in workplace productivity."