Fixed allocation
A named user retains the same locker until policy or administration changes it.
- High continuity
- Longer-term ownership
- Lower sharing potential
2026 UK WORKPLACE LOCKER BUYER'S GUIDE
Workplace Locker Systems UK: How to Choose the Right Office Locker System
A practical UK framework for evaluating workplace locker suppliers, allocation models, hybrid-working capacity, employee identity, integrations, occupancy, multi-site rollout, specification and whole-life cost.
- Allocation model
- Hybrid capacity
- Identity & integrations
- Whole-life cost
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Start with how people use the workplace—not the number of locker doors.
A workplace locker system is part storage, part employee service and part workplace infrastructure. Buyers should define who needs storage, how often they attend, how long they need a locker, which credential identifies them, what releases the locker and what the workplace team needs to see.
This guide is designed to help UK buyers compare requirements and suppliers before moving into the Vpod Workplace Lockers solution for configuration, survey and deployment.
01 · ASSIGNED VS FLEXIBLE VS DYNAMIC
Choose the allocation model by user group, not by habit.
Vpod distinguishes fixed, flexible and dynamic allocation. A single workplace can use more than one model where different employees, teams or accessibility needs require different levels of certainty.
Flexible allocation
Authorised employees use an available locker for a visit, shift or defined period.
- Hybrid day use
- Shared capacity
- Higher utilisation potential
Dynamic allocation
Software applies identity, availability, location and policy rules when assigning storage.
- Automated assignment
- Multi-zone estates
- Central governance
Selection principle:
use the least restrictive model that still meets security,
accessibility, continuity and service requirements.
Compare Vpod's fixed, flexible and dynamic allocation models →
02 · HYBRID WORKING
Hybrid storage should follow attendance rather than fixed ownership.
When employees move between desks, neighbourhoods and offices, a one-locker-per-person model can leave doors reserved while the assigned user is elsewhere. Shared or dynamic allocation can return unused capacity to the available pool.
466
workplace lockers in Vpod's Skyscanner deployment
3
connected UK locations
90%
less locker administration
70%
better locker utilisation
Vpod's published Skyscanner smart locker case study shows flexible workplace storage across London, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
03 · LOCKER-TO-DESK RATIO & CAPACITY
Do not buy to a universal locker-to-desk ratio.
The right workplace locker capacity depends on peak attendance, locker take-up, fixed-user requirements, dwell time, zoning, compartment size and growth. Average attendance alone can hide shortages on busy days.
Eligible employees
Separate total payroll from the population that genuinely needs workplace storage.
Peak attendance
Use the busiest realistic team or office days—not only the weekly average.
Locker take-up
Measure what proportion of people on site actually require storage.
Fixed users
Identify roles, accessibility needs or equipment requiring dedicated capacity.
Zoning
Test demand by floor, neighbourhood and building rather than only estate total.
Growth allowance
Add controlled headroom for hiring, policy change and peak-pressure scenarios.
Planning framework
Eligible employees × peak attendance × locker take-up + fixed
assignments + zoning/growth allowance = planning capacity
Read the Workplace Locker Capacity Planning Guide →
04 · ACCESS METHODS & EMPLOYEE IDENTITY
Treat locker access as part of the employee identity journey.
Workplace lockers can use employee cards, mobile credentials, PINs, QR codes or other agreed access methods. The important buying question is not simply “which reader?” but how eligibility, authentication, entitlement, revocation and exceptions are governed.
Employee badge
Mobile credential
PIN
QR
Visitor access
Fallback process
IDENTITY
Recognise the person
→
ENTITLEMENT
Check policy
→
LOCKER
Allow or refuse
→
EVENT
Record outcome
05 · WORKPLACE INTEGRATIONS
Connect the locker to the systems that already govern people, access and space.
Enterprise buyers should define which system is authoritative for employee identity, workplace context, access credentials, allocation policy and reporting before integration design begins.
ID
Microsoft Entra ID
Identity and group context can inform locker eligibility across joiner, mover and leaver events.
Explore identity governance → OKOkta
Connect approved workforce identity and lifecycle decisions to physical locker permissions.
Explore Okta pathway → HIDHID
Extend an agreed employee card or mobile credential into the locker access journey.
Explore HID access → YRYAROOMS
Link workplace planning, attendance context and storage into a joined-up hybrid journey.
Explore YAROOMS →
Need another workplace platform?
Explore the Vpod Integrated Partners Hub →
06 · OCCUPANCY & UTILISATION
Buy visibility as well as storage capacity.
A workplace locker management system should help facilities and workplace teams understand availability, occupancy, assignment status, dwell time, exceptions and recurring demand pressure.
Availability
Which lockers are free now?
Occupancy
Which capacity is currently in use?
Dwell time
How long is capacity retained?
Exceptions
Which lockers require support?
Utilisation
Which zones work hardest?
Trend
Where is demand changing?
Use the data to adjust allocation rules and capacity rather than assuming the original design remains optimal forever.
07 · MULTI-SITE ROLLOUT
Standardise the service—without forcing every office into the same locker ratio.
Multi-site programmes work best when identity, software, reporting and support standards are consistent while each building keeps the capacity, zoning and compartment mix its employees actually need.
Baseline
Define the common workplace policy, user groups and data requirements.
Survey
Measure each site's attendance, available space, power, network and installation constraints.
Localise
Adjust quantity, zoning, size mix and accessibility for each office.
Pilot
Validate user journey, support process, identity and integrations before scale.
Roll out
Use repeatable commissioning, training, communications and acceptance criteria.
Optimise
Review utilisation and exceptions across the estate after go-live.
08 · WORKPLACE LOCKER SPECIFICATION
Write a specification suppliers can answer consistently.
Separate mandatory requirements from preferences and ask every supplier to state what is standard, configurable, integrated, third-party or excluded.
Fixed, flexible, dynamic, mixed use, duration, release rules and exceptions.
Sizes, materials, finishes, accessibility, ventilation and service access.
Door state, release logic, override, power loss and fault behaviour.
Credential types, readers, fallback journeys and administrator override.
Authoritative identity source, groups, entitlements and lifecycle events.
Administration, policies, dashboards, audit events and reporting.
APIs, data direction, ownership, failure states and support boundaries.
Power, network, cabling, controller location and resilience.
Site survey, programme, logistics, floor protection and commissioning.
Warranty, response times, remote support, spares and service ownership.
Credentials, data access, permissions, audit trail and governance.
Additional sites, extra locker banks, new credentials and software updates.
09 · WORKPLACE LOCKER SUPPLIER COMPARISON
Compare the complete service—not just the locker cabinet.
Workplace locker suppliers may appear similar at furniture level but differ substantially in software, integration responsibility, deployment experience, support and ability to operate across multiple sites.
| Evaluation area | What to ask | What strong evidence looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant deployments | Have you delivered comparable hybrid workplace locker projects? | Named case studies with scale, operating model and outcomes. |
| Allocation flexibility | Can one estate support fixed, shared and dynamic users? | Clear rules, workflows and administration demonstrated live. |
| Identity & access | How are credentials, entitlements and leavers handled? | Documented identity lifecycle and integration ownership. |
| Software | What can facilities teams see and change? | Real dashboard, audit trail, reporting and exception handling. |
| Integrations | Who owns API design, testing and operational support? | Defined responsibilities, data direction and failure behaviour. |
| Rollout | How will multiple offices be surveyed and commissioned? | Repeatable deployment methodology and acceptance criteria. |
| Support | Who resolves hardware, software and integration incidents? | Clear service levels, escalation route and support boundaries. |
| Commercial model | What is included over five years? | Transparent hardware, software, integration, maintenance and change costs. |
10 · WORKPLACE LOCKER COST
Compare whole-life cost, not price per door.
Workplace locker cost varies because the physical cabinet is only one part of the solution. The operating model, electronic locks, software, credentials, integrations, installation and support can materially change the commercial picture.
Cabinet & finish
Door quantity, dimensions, materials, finishes and bespoke joinery.
Locking hardware
Electronic locks, readers, controllers, power and associated infrastructure.
Software
Management platform, licences, administration and reporting.
Integrations
Identity, workplace, access-control and other agreed integration scope.
Installation
Surveys, delivery, site labour, commissioning and project management.
Support & change
Warranty, maintenance, software support and future configuration.
BETTER COMMERCIAL QUESTION
What will this system cost to deliver, operate, support and change
over five years?
Discuss your workplace requirement
SEE WORKPLACE LOCKERS IN PRACTICE
Use deployment evidence before signing off a specification.
Vpod's video library and case studies show locker journeys, installation and workplace outcomes. Use them to challenge supplier claims with real deployment evidence.
VPOD VIDEO LIBRARY
See workplace locker journeys in practice
PROCUREMENT CHECKLIST
What to confirm before choosing a workplace locker supplier.
Ask every shortlisted supplier to answer the same questions in writing. Differences in assumptions often explain more than differences in headline price.
QUICK ANSWERS
Workplace locker buying FAQs
What is a workplace locker system?
A workplace locker system provides secure employee storage and can support assigned, flexible or dynamic allocation with central administration, access control and usage visibility.
What is the difference between assigned and dynamic workplace lockers?
Assigned lockers stay reserved for named users. Dynamic lockers are allocated using rules such as identity, location, availability and policy, then released according to the configured workflow.
How many workplace lockers does a hybrid office need?
Capacity should be based on peak attendance, locker take-up, fixed-user needs, zoning, compartment-size mix and growth allowance rather than total headcount alone.
What is a good locker-to-desk ratio?
There is no universal ratio. The right figure depends on attendance, desk-sharing, allocation model, dwell time and the proportion of people who need storage.
Can workplace lockers use existing employee credentials?
They can where the agreed credential, reader and entitlement design are compatible. This can include workplace cards or mobile credentials, subject to solution design.
Can workplace lockers integrate with identity systems?
Yes. Vpod provides integration pathways around systems such as Microsoft Entra ID and Okta, with exact scope, events and data direction confirmed during solution design.
What should a workplace locker specification include?
Include allocation rules, capacity, cabinet design, electronic locks, access, identity, software, reporting, integrations, power/network, installation, acceptance testing and support.
How much do workplace lockers cost in the UK?
Cost depends on hardware, door mix, finishes, access technology, software, integrations, installation and support. Compare whole-life cost rather than only a price per door.
How should workplace locker suppliers be compared?
Compare relevant deployment evidence, allocation flexibility, software, identity and access capability, integration ownership, rollout experience, service levels and five-year commercial scope.
Can one workplace use both assigned and shared lockers?
Yes. Organisations can combine dedicated lockers for defined users or needs with shared or dynamic capacity for hybrid employees and other user groups.
FROM BUYER'S GUIDE TO WORKPLACE SOLUTION
Turn your workplace policy into a configured locker system.
Bring Vpod your employee groups, attendance patterns, buildings, access methods and integration requirements. The commercial solution can then be configured around the real operating model.
