How to Determine the Right Amount of Office Space per Employee

Having the right amount of office space for each employee is essential for optimizing space utilization, maximizing efficiency, and managing related costs.

However, this number can vary depending on the type of business or industry, the size of your workforce, and specific employee needs, so these aspects are important to consider when calculating employee office space. To ensure you designate the right amount of office space per employee, take a look at the specific factors below.

Employee Needs

Before starting your calculation, it's important to consider any special needs certain of your employees may have. For example, disabled employees protected by law under the American Disability Act may require a larger workspace to accommodate their specific needs.

Similarly, some of your employees may need more space because of the size of the equipment they use to do their jobs. For example, graphic designers may need more office space to store large printing equipment. Accommodating these specific needs helps increase employee satisfaction, leading to better results overall.

Safety Impact on Occupancy

You also need to consider safety laws when determining the right amount of office space per employee. For example, OSHA laws require you to provide a certain number of fire exits per square foot and per number of employees to ensure everyone's safety.

This can impact the layout of your office and the amount of space each employee has access to. Taking safety requirements into account when designing an office plan will not only ensure a safe and comfortable workplace but also help you measure more accurately how much space each employee needs.

Individual Impact on Occupancy

Finally, you can also benefit from considering how communal spaces like break rooms, meeting areas, or storage closets impact the amount of office space per employee.

When deciding on which communal spaces your office should have, look at factors such as space popularity, specific utilization rates, and other metrics that help ensure these spaces are used efficiently rather than taking up potential individual employee space.

■ Want better office space utilization? Achieve it by measuring density

Easily Determine Employee Space With the Right Software

To properly determine the right amount of office space per employee, you should consider factors like individual needs, safety requirements, and communal spaces. And to ensure you're allocating space in the best possible way, an automated option for space management will come in handy.

POC System's space management software can provide real-time data on occupancy and trends to help you make informed decisions. With this tool at your disposal, you can easily determine the right amount of space per employee for maximum productivity.

■ Need help determining employee office space? Book a demo with POC