Most facilities need lockers for somewhere between 60 and 80 percent of peak-shift headcount rather than one locker per total employee, since not everyone working across all shifts needs a locker at the same time. Planning locker count off total employee count instead of peak shift overlap is the most common mistake facility managers make.
Why Total Headcount Is the Wrong Number to Use
A facility with 300 total employees split across three shifts doesn’t need 300 lockers. At any given time, only the employees on the current shift, plus any overlap during shift changes, actually need locker access. Using total headcount typically results in far more lockers than the space or budget realistically needs.
The Formula Facility Managers Should Use Instead
- Identify peak shift headcount, the largest number of employees working at the same time
- Add a buffer for shift overlap, typically 10 to 15 percent, to cover the window when two shifts are both on site
- Adjust for locker-sharing policies, since some facilities assign lockers per shift rather than per employee
- Factor in seasonal headcount swings for facilities with predictable busy periods
Example Calculation
A facility with 150 employees on its largest shift and a 15-minute overlap window covering roughly 20 additional employees from the next shift would plan for around 170 to 195 lockers, not the full multi-shift headcount of 400 or more employees across the entire facility.
Other Factors That Affect Locker Count
Beyond the basic formula, a few additional factors shift the final number a facility should plan around when finalizing an order.
- Whether the role requires protective clothing storage separate from personal items, which can require two lockers per employee instead of one
- Turnover rate, since high-turnover facilities benefit from slightly more lockers to avoid bottlenecks during onboarding waves
- Locker size, since larger lockers built for bulky gear sometimes get assigned to two employees sharing a shift pattern
Why Over-Provisioning Wastes Budget and Space
Facilities that plan locker count off total headcount instead of peak overlap often end up with unused locker banks taking up floor space that could go toward other facility needs. Right-sizing the locker count up front avoids that waste without leaving employees without secure storage during their actual working hours.
How Growth Plans Should Factor Into Locker Count
Facilities expecting headcount growth over the next few years should build some buffer into their locker planning rather than sizing exactly to current peak shift numbers, since retrofitting additional locker capacity later is more disruptive and expensive than installing slightly ahead of current need.
A common approach is to size for projected peak headcount 2 to 3 years out rather than current headcount alone, particularly in facilities with a documented hiring plan tied to expansion. ASI Storage Solutions’ breakroom lockers page covers general workforce storage options built with this kind of phased growth in mind.
Revisiting Locker Count After Policy Changes
Shift structure changes, new protective equipment requirements, or a move to hybrid work schedules can all shift peak-shift headcount enough to warrant recalculating locker needs, even in a facility that hasn’t grown its total employee count on paper.
How to Handle Locker Requests From Remote or Hybrid Staff
Facilities with hybrid schedules sometimes see uneven locker demand across the week, with certain days seeing far higher on-site headcount than others. Rather than sizing for the single busiest day of the week, many facilities set policy around the typical peak rather than the rare outlier to avoid over-building capacity that sits unused most days of the month.
For roles requiring separated protective equipment storage, the healthcare lockers for hospitals page shows configurations built for that exact use case, and the storage cabinets and desks page covers supplemental storage for facilities that need more than locker capacity alone. The lockers product overview rounds out the full range of sizes available once peak-shift headcount has been calculated and confirmed.