How Much Office Space Does Your Business Need?

Determining how much square footage your business requires is an essential aspect of the office space search process. There are several different methods to calculate this; the simplest is to base your square footage requirement on the number of employees in your office.

Experts estimate that you need 200 to 250 square feet per employee. You may require even more room if you have significant storage needs or if your business requires large amounts of open space. Calculating your square footage needs at both 200 square feet per employee and 250 square feet per employee is an effective way to determine your square footage range.

For example, if your firm has 27 employees: 27 at 200 square feet per person equals 5,400 square feet. Next, multiply 27 by 250 square feet for an answer of 6,750. You now know that your ideal office space will be somewhere in the ranage of 5,400 square feet to 6,750 square feet. Keep in mind, this range gives enough room for the individual employees and adds a buffer for corridors, conference rooms and work areas.

If your business requires the use of additional equipment, or offices that are significantly larger than usual; you will want to increase the amount of square footage for your office space search. Conversely, if you run a call center with that utilizes small cubicles, you may be able to get by with less square footage than is considered typical. Extremely dense call centers can often get by with 150 square feet per employee or even less.

Your commercial real estate broker will be able to uncover available office space in your desired area that is in your size range. When identifying spaces that may be a good fit for you, your broker will also take into account your business culture, your typical work flow, and whether you require private offices or space that is an open work area. It is also important to factor in future growth. If you plan to expand your business in the near future, don’t forget to add the additional space you are planning for up front.