Frequently Asked Questions

As a rough estimate, you should allow approximately 250 square foot per person. However no two offices are the same. Office space can be more or less efficient based on the shape and design. There are legal implications, which are stated in the workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, in regards to the amount of office space that should be allowed per person. The associated Approved Code of Practise and Guidance states that, workrooms should have enough free space to allow people to get to and from workstations and to move within the room with ease. The total volume of the room when empty, divided by the number of people normally working in it should be at least 11 cubic metres. When deciding how much office space you need, you should speak to one of our workplace consultants who will be able to give you expert advice based on your organisational requirements.

Based on an average office you should allow between 150 – 350 square foot per person. However, this is largely dependant on head count and your industry type. Smarter ways of working can also affect the amount of office space that you might need. By implementing an agile working strategy, you could massively reduce the square foot per person, and achieve greater cost savings.

The average size of an office largely depends on the headcount and industry type. It is also heavily dependant on any workplace strategies that have been implemented. Rather than looking at the average office size, it is better to consider how efficient and productive you can make each square foot of office space. As a rough estimate, you should allow 250 square foot per person. This means that if you employ 50 people, you can estimate that you need 12,500 square foot of office space today. However, there are many variables to consider. How large are the workstations? Do you want a large breakout area, or a small tea point? Do you need a large reception area? How many meeting rooms are required? We would highly recommend that you speak to one of our workplace consultants who would be able to advise you on your office space requirements.

Estimating the amount of office space that you need per employee can be tricky. First you need to assess your current situation, and then decide what your expectations are for the growth of your business over the next few years. You should be asking questions such as, does each employee need an individual desk or is sharing possible? What kind of staff do I have, executive, administrative, or sales? On average, with open plan workstations you should allow 60 – 110 square foot per person. For medium individual offices, 150 – 250 square foot should be allowed. Conference and meeting rooms should be a minimum of 50 square foot plus 25 square foot per person seated. You should also take in to account other rooms such as a kitchen, comms room, file room, and halls and corridors. Trying to calculate how much office space you need per employee, can be a daunting task, which is why we would highly recommend that you speak to one of our workplace experts.

When you are planning how much office space you need, there are several areas which need careful consideration.

• How many employees do you currently have?
• How much equipment do you have to accommodate?
• Do you plan to take on more staff in the next few years?
• Do employees need an individual desk or should agile working be considered?
• What style of office would work best for your organisation?
• What kind of staff do I have, executive, administrative, or sales?