Productivity is the heart and soul of a business. If you want your employees to improve their productivity, it could come down to the structure and setting of your office. Not just the location, either, but the layout of office furniture and equipment, the flow between employee space, and the overall vibe of your office. Therefore, reasonable floor space is a must for a healthy and a happy office environment.
How much of space is legally required for a person?
In Sri Lanka, there is no legally required minimum of square footage per employee. Many European countries require a minimum of 40 square feet of work space. That’s enough to enter, work, and exit the space without difficulty. However, this figure does not take into account office common spaces or traffic routes that add to the overall square footage of your office.
What is the reasonable floor space requirement per person?
On average, companies should allow 125–225 usable square feet of office space per employee. This figure varies according to the size of your team, the nature of your business, your company culture, how much storage space you need, and any other requirements specific to your particular company.
How should the required floor space be calculated?
There are many office space calculators online designed to help you determine how much space you really need. We like this office space calculator from squarefoot.com. You can choose how spacious you would like your office per employee, plus add spaces for a group kitchen, conference room, and private offices.
Are you thinking about adding more interesting features to your office? Reception areas, waiting area, wellness room, training room etc, then try out this comprehensive office space calculator by planforcegroup.com
Don’t forget to account for growth! If you’re signing an office lease, you will likely be in your space for 2–5 years at a minimum. Take a look at your growth plan and build in extra space for additional employees you will need to take on down the line. It will be more economical (and less disruptive to your day-to-day business) to grow into a space rather than moving offices too often. Experts recommend you plan to reach your occupancy limit 2/3 to 3/4 of the way through your lease.
So… How much of Office Space do you need?
Unfortunately, calculating office space is not an exact science. You may choose to rent a smaller office if it’s in a more prestigious or accessible location. Or you could opt for more space if you need a lot of private rooms or if your company culture calls for more open areas for collaboration. Office space also varies widely by geography (think high rise spaces in prime Colombo commercial areas versus suburb areas outside Colombo).
On the plus side, it’s always a benefit to understand your company’s needs, even if it doesn’t translate to a firm square footage number. Your real estate agent will use your full list of needs to help you narrow down your options in your market. Understanding how much office space you need is just one piece of that equation. Floor plan, layout, and budget are also important and will affect your ultimate decision.
Where can you find the right size Office Space?
Now that you have a good idea of how much space you need for your office, where do you find it? At Colombo Realtors, we continually strive to be the best in the business and provide you with the expertise you need to find the perfect office space.
