How Much Office Space Do I Need?

Determining the right amount of office space for your business’ needs is an important first step before deciding what type of office space is right for you. You want to be sure that you have enough space to allow room to grow but not too much extra that you end up losing money with wasted space. To determine the correct amount of office space it’s a good idea to first make a checklist of employees, other office area requirements, and future growth.

Offices, Cubicles, and Open Area Requirements

Different employees will have different needs when it comes to space. The employees that require offices include the president (approx. 400 sq. ft.), the vice president (approx. 200 sq. ft.), and managers (approx 150 sq. ft). Most other employees including secretaries, customer service reps, accountants, programmers, and engineers will most likely require cubicle space anywhere from 125-175 sq. ft.

It’s also important to consider open area space for employees such as clerks, data entry, and temporary employees. They’ll require anywhere from 100-125 sq. ft. Once you’ve calculated the correct amount for all of your employees it’s a good idea to consider the other types of space you may need.

Other Office Space Needs

Make a list of all the types of space that your particular business might need. These might include a reception area, conference room, mailroom, workroom, library, break room, and any other special needs your business may have. Each of these spaces has different needs when it comes to square footage. The sizes can range anywhere from 75-200 sq. ft. depending on how many employees you have or how many people are frequently using the waiting room.

These types of add-ons can make your square footage needs really go up. Fortunately there are other options if you need a lot of square footage but don’t want to sink your business with an expensive lease. Executive Office Space and virtual offices are two great options that can offer all of the space you need for a fraction of the cost.

Future Growth

Once you’ve calculated the amount of square footage that you’ll need, to the best of your abilities, it’s a smart idea to add at least 10-20% to the to total amount to account for future growth. This will save you time and money down the road if you end up outgrowing your estimated square footage needs before your lease is up. Virtual Offices and Executive Office Space are great options in this aspect as well since you won’t be tied to a lease and can grow or minimize your office space depending on your business’ needs at any time.

Determining the correct amount of office space doesn’t have to be an exact science but it’s a good idea to make an accurate prediction before signing on the dotted line. If you’re not comfortable with having an inflexible amount of office space for a long-term lease why not consider a Virtual Office or Executive Office Space? You can get all of your business’ needs met for a fraction of the cost and with the flexibility that your business needs. You’ll be glad you did.