Access
Part of Coworking capacity and occupancy
Comparing peak attendance with average occupancy
Compare matched attendance periods and recurring peaks, then check which coworking resources are constrained.
Compare people present in typical periods with recurring busiest periods. The average shows usual load; a repeatable peak shows when space may run short. Count attendance first, then check which desks, rooms or other resources those people need. A headcount is not a desk-occupancy rate.
Compare like periods
Choose time blocks that suit the decision, then count people in the same area throughout each block. An entry count alone is insufficient unless you also account for departures. Observe a range of ordinary operating days, and mark closures, holidays, events and changes in membership or usable capacity.
Calculate the mean of comparable observations, then identify the highest counts and their frequency. Do not compare a whole-day average with a single midday headcount as though both describe simultaneous demand. If available capacity changes, show the change rather than blending periods into one occupancy rate.
Suppose, hypothetically, ten midday headcounts at a site average 11 people and reach 19 on two regular team days. The average would conceal those busier days. It still does not show that 19 desks are needed: some people may be in meetings or using another suitable area. Check concurrent resource use and unmet requests before deciding what to add.
Classify the peaks
- Repeatable:
- part of the site's regular attendance pattern.
- Planned:
- expected from a known change but not yet observed.
- Exceptional:
- linked to a temporary event needing its own arrangement.
Record the reason for each classification. Show a planned peak as a scenario, not a measured result. Keep an exceptional peak visible without silently designing the normal week around it.
For each high-use block, ask whether people found suitable places to work, meet and move through the site. A desk shortage, a reception queue and a full meeting room need different responses.
Check the site's applicable occupancy arrangements and facilities before proposing overflow into another area. Safe Work Australia's model code covers managing the work environment and facilities; WorkSafe Victoria provides office layout and design guidance.
Report mean attendance, recurring and exceptional peaks, resource constraints and unmet demand together. Check a proposed booking, timetable or space change in the same blocks that produced the problem.
