The question of choosing office space concerns every entrepreneur planning to open or expand a business. It would seem, what could be complicated? Count the number of employees, multiply by some number, and you're done. But in reality, everything is much more interesting and multifaceted. Incorrectly selected office space can cost a company not only extra money on rent, but also team productivity, employee comfort, and even brand reputation. Let's figure out how to choose an office by size so that everyone is satisfied and the budget doesn't suffer.
Why Office Size Matters
Before moving on to specific numbers and calculations, it's worth understanding why it's so important to correctly determine office space. Too small a space creates a feeling of constraint, increases stress levels among employees, complicates concentration, and reduces motivation. When people sit too close to each other, constant distractions arise, there's no opportunity to find privacy for complex tasks, and confidential conversations become problematic.
On the other hand, an office that's too large also has its drawbacks. First, these are direct overpayments for rent and utilities. Second, empty premises create a feeling of neglect and can negatively affect team spirit. When the team is scattered across a huge space, communication becomes difficult, people feel isolated, and corporate culture becomes diluted.
Optimally selected office space helps create a balance between privacy and teamwork, provides comfortable working conditions, and ensures rational use of the company's budget.
Office Space Standards: What the Standards Say
How many m² per person are needed in an office? This question doesn't have a straightforward answer, as much depends on work specifics, type of premises, and company corporate culture. However, there are certain guidelines that will help you avoid mistakes in your choice.
According to sanitary standards and international norms, the minimum office space standard per employee is about 6-9 square meters. This is the absolute minimum that provides only basic needs from the perspective of work hygiene and ventilation. However, working constantly in such conditions is uncomfortable and inefficient.
For a regular open-plan office, it's recommended to allocate from 8 to 12 square meters per employee. This figure includes not only the workspace with desk and chair, but also part of common areas, passages between workstations, and a proportional share of space for document storage and personal belongings.
If you're planning separate offices for managers or specialists who need concentration and confidentiality, the standard increases to 12-20 square meters per person. Senior executives are often allocated even more space, from 20 to 35 square meters, as their offices are used not only for work but also for conducting meetings.
How to Correctly Calculate Office Space
Choosing an office by size begins with a detailed analysis of your business needs. Simply multiplying the number of employees by the office space standard is not enough. You need to consider many additional factors. Start by determining the structure of the workspace. Count how many people will work in open space, how many will need separate offices, whether there will be middle managers. Write down specific numbers for each category of employees.
The next step is to add common areas to your calculation. Meeting rooms should comprise approximately 10-15% of the total office space. If you frequently have client meetings or internal conferences, this percentage can grow to 20%. The kitchen or rest area where employees have lunch and take breaks requires another 5-10% of space. Don't forget about technical premises. Server rooms, archives, stationery storage, restrooms, corridors, and entrance areas also consume useful space. Usually, this takes up another 15-20% of the total footage.
Let's consider a specific example. Suppose you have 20 people working. Of these, 15 will work in open space, 4 managers need separate offices, and there's one director. Let's calculate:
For 15 people in open space, we allocate 10 square meters each, that's 150 m². For 4 managers at 15 m² each, that's 60 m². For the director, 25 m². Plus two meeting rooms at 15 m² each, totaling 30 m². Kitchen with rest area at 15 m². Technical premises and corridors approximately 50 m². In total, we get 330 square meters. This is the optimal office space for such a team.
Factors Affecting Space Choice
How many m² per person are needed depends not only on the number of employees. The type of company activity plays a huge role. IT companies and creative agencies often prefer open spaces where employees can freely communicate and exchange ideas. In this case, you can manage with less space per person, but it's essential to provide quiet zones for concentration.
Law firms, financial institutions, and companies working with confidential information, on the contrary, need more separate offices. Here, the office space standard per employee increases, as offices take up more space than workstations in open space.
Work schedule also matters. If part of the team works remotely or on a flexible schedule, you can apply the hot desking concept, where different people work at one workstation at different times. This allows reducing the required space by 20-30%.
How to Avoid Overpaying for Office Space
Office rent is one of the biggest expense items for many companies, especially in central city districts. Therefore, it's important to optimize space usage and not overpay for extra square meters. The first way to save is careful space planning. Modern interior designers can create ergonomic solutions that allow placing more workstations without losing comfort. Transformable furniture, mobile partitions, and multifunctional zones help use every square meter as efficiently as possible.
Multifunctional premises also help reduce office space. For example, a large conference room can be used for training, presentations, and corporate events. The rest area can transform into a space for informal meetings.
Review the possibilities of a hybrid work model. If part of the team can work from home several days a week, you can reduce the number of permanent workstations and implement a desk booking system. This will allow reducing the required area without losing productivity.
Avoiding Overcrowding: Common Mistakes
Trying to save on rent, many companies make mistakes that lead to office overcrowding. The most common of these is focusing exclusively on minimum standards. Six square meters per person is indeed the minimum, but working comfortably in such conditions is impossible. Employees quickly become tired, conflicts increase, and productivity drops.
Another mistake is ignoring common use areas. Some managers calculate space only for workstations, forgetting about meeting rooms, rest areas, and space for printers and other equipment. As a result, the office turns out to be much smaller than needed.
Underestimating future growth also creates problems. If you rent an office that barely meets current needs, you may face a lack of space within a few months. Moving is always stressful for the team, a waste of time and money, so it's better to anticipate expansion in advance.
Practical Tips for Choosing an Office
When you start searching for an office, armed with knowledge about how many m² per person are needed, there are several practical tips that will help you avoid mistakes.
Always come to view the office with the entire key team. What seems spacious to one person may not be so for another. It's important to hear the opinion of everyone who will work in this space.
Visit the office several times at different times of day. Morning lighting differs from evening, and street noise levels can change throughout the day. This will help evaluate the space objectively.
Be sure to measure the premises yourself or request an accurate plan with dimensions. Sometimes the declared area includes technical premises, walls, or other elements that cannot be used as workspace.
Create a preliminary furniture layout. This can be done on paper or using special programs. This way you'll visually see whether all necessary workstations and zones fit. On the floor plan, place by office who will sit where (ideally by name for each employee) and present the premises to management based on the plan.
Legal and Technical Aspects
Choosing an office by size should consider not only comfort but also legal requirements. The Labor Code and sanitary standards establish minimum standards for work premises. Violation of these requirements can lead to fines during inspections. Besides office space standards, there are requirements for ventilation, lighting, temperature conditions, availability of restrooms and drinking water. All this needs to be considered when choosing premises. Fire safety standards also affect space planning. There must be evacuation exits, free passages of certain width, and access to firefighting equipment. This can limit the density of workstation placement.
Choosing office space is a complex task that requires considering numerous factors. An office space standard of 8 to 12 square meters per person for open space and 12 to 20 for separate offices is a good guideline, but not dogma. How many m² per person are needed in your specific case depends on business specifics, corporate culture, and future plans. The main thing is not to economize at the expense of employee comfort. Lack of office space costs much more than a few extra square meters of rent. At the same time, excessive space is an overpayment that could be directed toward business development.
Choosing an office by size should be based on careful analysis of current needs, company development forecasts, and objective assessment of budget capabilities. Don't hesitate to involve professional consultants, architects, and designers - their expertise can save you time and money. Remember that an office is not just a premise. It's an environment where your team spends a significant part of their life. Investment in a comfortable and spacious office is an investment in the productivity, creativity, and satisfaction of your employees. And happy workers mean successful business.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the minimum office space standard per employee?
The minimum standard according to sanitary norms is 6 square meters per person. However, this is the absolute minimum that doesn't provide comfortable conditions for full work. It's recommended to allocate from 8 to 12 m² for open spaces and from 12 to 20 m² for separate offices.
How many m² per person are needed in an open space office?
For comfortable work in open space, the optimal office space standard is 10-12 square meters per employee. This area includes the workspace, passages, a share of common areas, and storage space. Less than 8 m² will create a feeling of cramping and discomfort.
How to calculate office space for a team of 10 employees?
For calculation, multiply the number of employees by the space standard (10-12 m²), which gives 100-120 m². Add 15-20% for meeting rooms, 5-10% for the kitchen, and another 15-20% for technical premises, corridors, and restrooms. In total, for 10 people, you need about 150-180 m².
How to avoid overpayment when choosing an office?
To avoid overpayment, carefully plan space usage, use multifunctional zones, consider a hybrid work model with hot desking, accurately measure the premises before renting, and compare several options considering not only price but also location and infrastructure.
What to do if the office has become too small?
If the office has become too small, first conduct an audit of space usage - it may be possible to optimize it through reorganizing workstations, using vertical space, or implementing a flexible schedule. If this doesn't help, consider the possibility of moving or additional rental.