Managing office space isn’t just about having enough rooms and desks—it’s about using them efficiently. If meeting rooms are always booked, employees struggle to find space. If they sit empty, you’re wasting valuable space (and money, too).
Room occupancy monitoring helps you see which rooms are used the most, when the busiest times are, and if spaces are used effectively. In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to do that.
Guide to room occupancy monitoring
What is room occupancy?
Room occupancy is the number of people using a meeting room at a given time.
Meeting room occupancy, together with room utilization and capacity, helps you understand how your meeting rooms are being used and whether you’re making the most of your office space.
Room occupancy: How many people are in a room?
Room occupancy is simply the number of people inside a meeting room at any given time. For example, if five people are in a room, its occupancy is five. Tracking this helps you see if rooms are being used properly—are they often too empty, too full, or just right?
Room utilization: How often is a room used?
Room utilization shows how frequently a meeting space is booked and actually used. It answers questions like:
- Are some rooms always in use while others sit empty?
- Do people book rooms but never show up?
- Are small rooms used for large meetings or vice versa?
This helps you figure out if spaces are being used efficiently or if changes are needed, like creating more small meeting areas or better scheduling rules.
Room capacity: How many people can fit?
Room capacity is the maximum number of people a room can hold. This depends on the room’s size and furniture. For example, a big conference room might fit 20 people, while a small one may only fit 4. Knowing this helps you plan meetings and avoid overcrowding.
Why monitor room occupancy?
Meeting room occupancy monitoring helps you understand how your office space is actually being used:
1. Avoid wasted space
Are meeting rooms always booked, or are some sitting empty? Are small rooms used for big meetings, while larger spaces are underused? Monitoring room occupancy regularly lets you easily spot trends and make smarter decisions about organizing your space.
2. Balance office usage
If your office feels too crowded on certain days but empty on others, occupancy data helps you balance space usage. For example, suppose Mondays and Wednesdays are packed with meetings, but Fridays are quiet. In that case, you can adjust schedules, encourage remote work on busy days, or convert underused spaces into collaboration areas.
3. Save costs
Office space is expensive, and paying for rooms that never get used is a waste. Monitoring occupancy helps you right-size your office, whether that means rearranging desks, reducing the number of meeting rooms, or even subleasing unused areas. Plus, fewer rooms in use mean lower utility costs, such as heating, cooling, and lighting.
4. Improve employee experience
A well-organized office with available meeting spaces helps your teams get work done without fighting over meeting rooms. Understanding how different teams use office space also allows you to create a setup that works best for everyone. For example, if one team needs frequent meetings while another works remotely, you can design spaces that fit their needs. This makes it easier for employees to be productive, collaborate, and enjoy their workspace.
How to measure meeting room occupancy
Here’s how you can measure and monitor room occupancy in your office.
1. Look at room size and setup
The layout and size of a meeting room determine how many people can comfortably use it. Different room setups are better for different types of meetings, for example:
- Boardroom style – A large table in the center with chairs around it. This is best for formal meetings, executive discussions, or team meetings that require a shared workspace.
- U-shape – Tables set in a U-shape with chairs around the outer edges. This is useful for training sessions and presentations where interaction is needed.
- Classroom style – Rows of chairs with desks in front. This setup is suitable for workshops and training events.
- Theater style – Just chairs, all facing the same way, like in a lecture hall. This is ideal for large presentations and speeches.
Each setup affects the number of people who can use the space. If a room always feels too small or too big for its purpose, it might need a layout change to improve efficiency.
2. Calculate room occupancy rate
Room occupancy rate tells you the percentage of time a room is booked compared to the total available time. Here’s how you can calculate room occupancy rate:
- Find out how many hours a room is available per month. If a meeting room is open for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, that’s 40 hours per week or 160 hours per month (assuming a 4-week month).
- Track how many hours the room is booked. If the room was used for 120 hours in a month, the calculation is: (120 ÷ 160) × 100 = 75% occupancy rate.
A healthy occupancy rate for meeting rooms is usually between 45% and 65%. This ensures that rooms are used regularly without being overbooked. If occupancy is above 80%, employees might struggle to find an available meeting room, meaning you may need more rooms.
3. Use technology to monitor room occupancy rate for you
Instead of relying on guesswork, you can use technology to track room usage accurately. The best options for a room occupancy monitoring system are:
- Room booking software – Employees book meeting rooms using an app, and the system records every booking. This makes it easy to track how often each room is used.
- QR codes or touchscreens – Visitors or employees check in by scanning a QR code or using a touchscreen. If no one checks in, the system can free up the room for others to use.
- Sensors – Motion sensors or cameras detect if a room is occupied. These tools automatically track real-time usage without requiring manual check-ins.
4. Track how rooms are used
Once you have the right technology like Archie in place, you can answer these key questions:
- How often is the room booked? If some rooms are always booked while others sit empty, you need to balance how space is used.
- How many people attend meetings? A room booked for 10 people but only used by two means the space is not used efficiently.
- Are certain rooms more popular? If employees prefer specific rooms, it might be because of location, technology (like screens or projectors), or comfort.
- Are meetings happening as planned, or are rooms sitting empty? If people book rooms but don’t show up, that’s wasted space.
- Are meetings being canceled or rescheduled frequently? If cancellations are common, it may indicate that your booking system needs adjustments.
5. Identify peak and slow hours
Not all meeting rooms are used equally. Some rooms might be booked all the time, while others stay empty. Understanding these patterns helps you manage space better:
- Adjust scheduling – If certain times of the day are more popular, you can encourage employees to book during off-peak hours.
- Offer alternative spaces – If large meeting rooms are often booked for small groups, you might create smaller collaboration areas to free up space.
- Rearrange office space – If some meeting rooms are rarely used, you can convert them into quiet workspaces, breakout areas, or extra desks.
Tracking usage over time helps you plan ahead. Instead of guessing, you’ll know when rooms are in high demand or underutilized.
Why use a booking system for room occupancy monitoring (and more)
A meeting room booking system like Archie helps you track how your office space is used without checking rooms yourself. Here’s how it works:
- Room bookings – Every time someone books a meeting room, the system saves the reservation. Even if they don’t show up, you can see how often rooms get booked.
- App & QR code check-ins – Employees can check in and out of rooms using an app or by scanning a QR code in the room. It’s quick, simple, and keeps records accurate.
- Workplace analytics – You can easily find out how often rooms are used, which rooms are the most popular, what the busiest times and days are in the office, and whether meeting rooms are being used efficiently, all without calculating anything yourself.
Once you understand the current room occupancy and usage, you can make smart decisions about your office space. For example, if some rooms are rarely used, you might turn them into shared workspaces. If rooms are always full, you may need more meeting spaces. If too many rooms stay empty, you might be paying for space you don’t need. A booking system helps you plan better so your office works smoothly for everyone.
Monitor office occupancy with Archie
Archie makes booking rooms, checking in, and tracking office usage simple. You can see how often rooms are used, who’s in the office, when the busiest times are, and how full the office gets over time—all in one place.
Archie’s interactive office maps let employees quickly see available desks, meeting rooms, and workspaces. Instead of looking for a spot, they can check the digital floor plan, find the best workplace, and book it instantly.
But that’s not all. Archie also helps your team connect better by showing who’s in the office and where they’re sitting. Instead of guessing, employees can check in advance and plan meetups, making teamwork and collaboration much easier—without switching between apps, be it Slack, Teams, or Google Calendar.
Want to see it in action?
Room occupancy FAQ
To calculate meeting room occupancy, track the number of hours a room is available and the number of hours it is booked. Then, divide booked hours by available hours and multiply by 100 to get the room occupancy rate. For example, if a room is available for 40 hours a week and booked for 30, the occupancy rate is 75%.
Room Occupancy Rate = (Available Hours / Booked Hours) × 100
A good occupancy rate is between 40-60%, meaning rooms are used efficiently without overcrowding. If the rate is too low, rooms might be underused, and you may need to repurpose space. If it’s above 80%, employees might struggle to find available meeting rooms, and adding more spaces or improving the booking system could help.
A small room might comfortably fit 4-6 people, while a larger boardroom can hold 10-20 people. If you’re setting up a bigger space, like a training or conference room, you might fit 30 or more depending on the seating arrangement.
A general rule is to allow about 15-25 square feet per person to ensure everyone has enough space to sit and move around comfortably. If you’re using tables, you’ll need more room per person. Also, think about how the space will be used—do you need extra space for a screen, whiteboard, or presentation area?
To calculate the capacity of a meeting room, start by measuring the length and width of the space. Multiply these numbers to get the total square footage. Then, divide that by the amount of space each person needs. A good rule of thumb is 15-25 square feet per person for a comfortable setup.
Berenika Teter
Archie's Content Manager, fueled by filter coffee and a love for remote work. When she’s not writing about coworking spaces and hybrid workplaces, you can probably find her exploring one.
