Did you know that in Tokyo, office space often comes with showers and a washing machine? Or, that in Germany every office must have a window by law? Africa has some of the world’s most expensive offices, often secured with suitcases of cash, while the USA is addicted to oversized private offices.

These are just some of the surprising and quirky facts revealed by comprehensive research into the serviced office market. The research also reveals the cities with the biggest serviced office markets, and includes invaluable data on price trends and costs of floor space in locations around the world.

The survey showed London to be the world's top serviced office market, ahead of New York and Paris, with Manchester in seventh place, only just behind Sydney and Tokyo.

The UK’s share of the global serviced office market overall is currently a whopping 36%, which shows the importance of flexibility in the UK markets. The world’s top 10 serviced office markets are:-

1.       London

2.       New York

3.       Paris

4.       Hong Kong

5.       Tokyo

6.       Sydney

7.       Manchester

8.       Los Angeles

9.       Atlanta

10.   Melbourne

The data will be revealed in a comprehensive piece of research undertaken by Instant into the serviced office market (due to be published later this year). The research looked at the global market for serviced offices and included details such as:

-          The number of business centres and their capacity by country

-          Cost per workstation and how this has changed over time

-          How workstation rates have been impacted by the overall economic environment and property movements

-          Analysis of major business centre operators by region

-          Quirky facts about serviced offices around the world

The survey revealed that workstation rates in UK business centres in 2011 are only just recovering to 2001 levels, having dropped off in 2007 following the financial crisis. Of the UK centres surveyed, only London City and Docklands had recovered to above 2001 prices.

Office space in Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh now costs roughly half what it does in London. On the other hand, there are fewer centres to choose from in those cities.

Tokyo offices – compact but fully featured

The survey also threw up some intriguing facts about office life around the world. In Tokyo, for example, the size of the offices may be among the smallest in the world, but some are packed with extra amenities essential for the busy professional. A typical five square metre office includes everything that you would find in a traditional serviced office, in addition to a private bathroom with toilet and shower. Reception services go a step further by adding a coin-operated laundry. Do people live in these offices? Of course not! … but they may choose to work up to 96 hours in the week!  

Africa demands money up front

Elsewhere, the survey showed the cost of serviced office workstations in emerging economies in Africa are among the most expensive in the world. Offices are usually sold on a flat workstation rate with prices that can range from USD $2,000 to $4,000 per month! It’s also common practice in Africa for rent to be paid in advance, often quarterly, but sometimes even annually. The various payment options often include suitcases of cash. The petrochemical industry doesn’t seem to mind though.

An office with a view?

In Germany, all serviced offices are required by law to have a source of natural light in every office. A view, however, is not guaranteed. Internal spaces are reserved for meeting rooms and other common areas. 

Where internal offices do exist, they are always sold as registration offices or storage rooms.

Germany is also among the most generous countries in terms of space per workstation at 8m².

The regulations seem to work though – all that extra space and natural light mean that most people choose to work throughout the day without ever turning on the lights.

Can you supersize that?

Everything is bigger in America, including the offices. The Instant office survey showed that average workstation rates in the US could easily be cut in half if Americans embraced the office practices of Europe.

Most Americans prefer to have their own private office, and serviced offices are designed to accommodate this preference. Most offices range between 120 to 180 square feet, and while able to accommodate many more, are usually only occupied by one person. In Europe, offices of this size would normally be occupied by two to three people. Large open plan offices are almost unheard of in America.