Getting the right size office for your business is vital. An office that’s big enough allows your workforce to thrive and keeps them happy, promoting inclusivity and collaboration.
Of course, you don’t want to go too big, given the rising prices of office space plus maintenance and heating costs. So, how do you find the office size that’s right for your business?
While the number of staff is a key factor, many businesses rely on the common metric of metres squared (m²) per person. However, this approach can be detrimental, as lots of other factors come into play.
When determining office size, m² per person offers the advantage of simplicity. It provides a quick and easy estimate of the space needed based on your team size.
It’s not quite one-size-fits-all. At the very least, it’s considering the size of your business in terms of numbers. This approach might work if:
If this scenario fits your business, the HSE recommends at least 11 cubic metres of space per person. This equates to roughly 5m² per person, but it excludes space for furniture, equipment or breakout areas – making it a bare minimum. Around 10m² per person is a more accurate ballpark figure. However, it’s worth considering the limitations of a per person approach to office space.
Unfortunately, the scenario above – where everyone requires the same amount of space – is unrealistic. In the real world, businesses are a melting pot of different roles, requirements, preferences and working models.
Managers might need their own private office, for instance, which requires more space than a single workstation. Or perhaps you need more flexibility in the workspaces available – such as meeting rooms, open-plan spaces and private working areas. This is why our office space calculator takes a very different approach.
The m² per person model often falls short when choosing an office, as it oversimplifies a complex decision-making process. When you’re trying to work out how much office space you need, it can create a false sense of security – giving you an inaccurate estimate that results in an unsuitable office space.
On top of that, calculating the space needed for each person reduces the office to a purely functional space. It limits it to the purely necessary – the bare minimum. In doing so, it ignores the role of the office in keeping staff morale high, attracting and retaining employees and improving your company image.
With m² per person, the question isn’t “how big should your office be to thrive?”
Instead, it becomes “how small can your office be to merely survive?”
If you want to get a better idea of how big your office should be, here are some factors that you should take into consideration:
Different workspaces
There are lots of different workspaces which take up varying amounts of space. The most familiar is the open working space, where people have their desks within a room. However, you might also need private offices, as mentioned earlier, as well as collaborative spaces where individual workstations are swapped for shared tables to create a more free-flowing environment.
Another option is having private booths. These small, enclosed spaces allow individual team members to take phone calls or video calls away from the busy office environment.
When weighing up your space allocation requirements, take into account the number of people requiring each different kind of workspace and how this may change. It may be useful to involve employees in this process to get a better understanding of how they prefer to work.
And meeting spaces
Meeting spaces are another must-have feature for many offices, and they’re certainly not universal in terms of size.
Most businesses need standard meeting rooms for department meetings or staff one-to-ones. You might also want a boardroom with premium furniture and heightened privacy, such as soundproofing.
For ad-hoc meetings like daily debriefs, an informal meeting space may be a better fit. Your reception also fits into this broad category, as it’s used to welcome visitors as part of the meeting process.
Consider how many people will be using these different spaces at any given time. With informal meeting spaces and receptions in particular, flexibility is key. You may find yourself using them for a variety of different events. With that in mind, they’ll need to be designed for the largest requirements. However, you can also use movable partitions or folding walls to make spaces more adaptable.
Space for breakout areas
If you’re designing breakout spaces solely for eating lunch, measuring in metres might suffice. However, modern breakout areas contribute to socialisation, wellness and collaboration to name just a few. They can be used for work events or even double up as a group workspace when required.
As well as large breakout areas, your office might include:
Don’t forget functional spaces
A final consideration is the functional spaces that keep an office ticking. We’re talking about printing and mail areas, comms rooms, storage rooms and locker areas. Without these, offices can soon become cramped and cluttered.
When you’re allocating space on a per-person basis, it’s easy to forget the need for printers, servers and storage (both personal and professional) – not to mention circulation space, which allows everyone to get around the office with ease.
The size of these spaces depends heavily on the nature of your business, so it’s not just about numbers. As an example, IT firms will need much more space for servers, while healthcare businesses will typically require more storage space such as lockers for PPE.
This is true for the other areas we’ve covered too. The workspaces, meeting spaces and breakout areas you choose will depend on your business culture, the work you do day-to-day and how your team operates at its best.
As you can see, the per-person model for office space has its limitations. Thankfully, there’s a better way. Oktra has a handy office space calculator, which helps you cover all bases when it comes to your ideal office space.
Enter the number of people for each type of workspace your business needs, customise your selection and receive an accurate calculation tailored to your ideal office setup. Try the office space calculator >
How much office space is needed per person?
A realistic estimate is around 10m² (approx. 100 sq ft) per person to accommodate a functional and comfortable workspace, but this should only be used as guidance.
Why isn’t the m² per person model always effective?
The m² per person model oversimplifies office planning by focusing solely on headcount. It doesn’t account for different workspace needs, such as private offices, collaborative areas, or breakout spaces, which vary depending on your business and team preferences.
What factors should I consider when determining office size?
Consider the types of workspaces your business requires, including open desks, private offices, meeting rooms, breakout areas, and functional spaces like printing and storage rooms. Employee input can also help tailor the office to their needs.
How can involving employees improve office space planning?
Engaging employees in the planning process helps identify their workspace preferences and needs. This ensures the office design promotes productivity, inclusivity, and employee satisfaction while avoiding underutilised or unsuitable areas.
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