*Note: This case study is based on a composite of real client scenarios. Company names and specific financial details have been anonymised.*

The Situation

A mid-size technology services company with 300 employees was occupying 40,000 sq ft in a Grade-B building on Sohna Road, Gurugram. The lease had been signed in 2019 for a 5-year term at ₹75 per sq ft per month. By 2023, post-COVID hybrid work patterns meant that peak office attendance was 180–200 people: less than 70% of the space was being used on any given day.

The company was paying ₹3 crore per month in rent for space it was not using, while simultaneously struggling to attract senior talent who expected a better office environment. The lease was due for renewal in 2024.

The Analysis

A workspace utilisation study was conducted over 8 weeks, tracking actual attendance by day, team, and floor. The findings were clear, the company needed 22,000–25,000 sq ft of well-designed space, not 40,000 sq ft of underutilised space. The study also revealed that 30% of employees lived in Noida or East Delhi, making the Sohna Road location a significant commute burden.

The Solution

  • Primary office: 20,000 sq ft in a Grade-A managed office on Golf Course Road, Gurugram. Premium environment, fully branded, with enterprise IT. Cost: ₹14,000 per seat per month for 150 dedicated seats = ₹2.1 crore per month.
  • Satellite office: 30 managed desks in a coworking centre in Sector 62, Noida, for employees based in East Delhi and Noida. Cost: ₹8,000 per seat per month = ₹24 lakhs per month.
  • Total new cost: ₹2.34 crore per month, versus ₹3 crore per month previously. Annual saving: ₹7.9 crore.

The Outcome

The transition was completed in 6 weeks. The company moved from a Grade-B building to a Grade-A managed office, reduced its total occupancy cost by ₹7.9 crore per year, eliminated the fit-out capital requirement for the new space, and improved employee satisfaction scores by 22% in the first post-move survey.

The satellite Noida office reduced average commute time for 30% of the workforce by 35 minutes per day, contributing to a measurable improvement in retention among Noida-based employees.

*Key Takeaway: Right-sizing is not about cutting costs: it is about aligning space with actual usage. A workspace utilisation study is the essential first step. The result in this case was a better office, a lower cost, and a happier workforce.*