The cost of office space per full-time employee per year decreased in Belgium last year, according to the Occupier Cost Index (OCI), the benchmark that analyses this data all across Europe.
The OCI calculates how much a company has to pay to keep a full-time employee in the office for a year. In 2022, the Belgian OIC amounted to €11,067 per employee, a decrease of 4% to 2021. The European average also fell by 4% to €9,122.
The cheapest country in Europe to employ a full-time person remains Bulgaria. The countries with the highest costs are Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, France, Denmark and Germany.
However, the OIC states that Belgium could see a marked increase in its costs this year. "If energy costs quadruple or even quintuple, and inflation leads not only to higher material costs, but also to labour and rent costs, then office costs will be 14% to 23% higher," it says in its latest report.
Related News
The hybrid work situation is also likely to have an impact. With working from home still an option for many employees, if only between 25% and 40% of employees come to the office and if the office space has not yet been reduced, then the number of square meters per occupant – on which the OIC bases its calculations – increases.
"If we recognise the new occupancy standard related to hybrid work in most organisations, which is 25% on average, with peak days at 40%, the actual costs per occupant will be between 28% and 48% higher in 2023," the OIC said.
This potential spike in costs could lead to companies reassessing their office space needs and moving to flexible service contracts for employees.
