How many square meters per person do you need in your office?
There are lots of opinions regarding how many square meters you need per person in your office, even more when we speak about flexible workspaces specifically. Because of its flexible nature and how important it is to maintain it, this once thought benefit (it is, don’t get us wrong) can develop into the best excuse to take space away from the employee’s workstation.
Even before social distancing and personal space were such a topic of conversation, the minimum space per employee was 14 sqm. Given that common areas such as phone booths or kitchen were included here, the ideal office space per workstation would move around 3,5 sqm. However, in Lexington (and with our fixation on always exceeding expectations) you won’t be finding anything below the top. You’ll understand, keep reading!
This space per person is larger than the measurements we will look for in the best meeting room, for instance. This is because the office space’s main goal is to make the employee comfortable, to become theirs, and to boost their productivity to its highest.
It’s inevitable that many flex operators or facility managers in companies such as call centres or business alike, under the argument of “optimising the workspace”, would assign less space per workstation than recommended. But, remember! Cheap things will cost you more eventually, and not enough big, comfortable or motivating workstations will burn your teams out and make the talent fly away!
How to choose the best office space dimensions for your company?
The perfect office space for your company has to answer to your specific needs, or your project’s, or your team’s. That’s why one does not fit all.
The space you will rent, for example, will be very different depending on the scenario: if your company goes for a conventional office, you’ll have to cover those 14 sqm per person we mentioned before with meeting rooms, common areas and versatile work hubs. The implementation cost, no doubt, will start to rise and, if your team’s wellbeing was not your top priority, a conventional office may not be able to guarantee it.
Nonetheless, if your company decides to jump in the flex wave, the flex operator will be the one covering this surface required per employee with common spots and meeting rooms to rent by the hour, kitchen and break areas… This way, companies of all sizes can start saving money and efforts, since all those needs will be taken care of! Besides, flexible offices gather together all your expenses in a single monthly invoice. Oh, and of course, forget about energy or water payments, maintenance, security, reception staff… it’s on us!
So, how much office space do I really need for a standard workspace? For you to draw a first draft, we would recommend to simply multiply the space per workstation you would like to give each to your employees by the number of people in your team. Keep in mind that 14 sqm and 3,5 sqm are only some minimums to base your calculations on, but variations are there!
Our real recommendations? Reach out to professionals on the matter (like us ;)) to rent your office space in Madrid or your office space in Barcelona. Don’t hesitate anymore! Our commercial team will find the perfect workspace for your company.
How to calculate the square meters per person in an office?
To calculate the square meters per person in an office, you start with the total available area and divide it by the number of employees who will occupy it. However, beyond a simple mathematical operation, you need to consider different types of spaces: individual workstations, meeting rooms, common areas, storage, reception, and circulation. Take a look at this guide we've created for you!
➡️ Note: The ideal number depends on the type of work, the need for collaboration, and whether the company adopts hybrid models for the team. That's why, at Lexington, we listen to each company's situation and needs and offer a completely personalized solution. ✨
Consequences of having little space in the office
Working in a cramped space can have negative effects on both team health and productivity. Some of the main consequences include:
- Decreased productivity due to constant distractions and lack of focus.
Increased stress and feelings of overwhelm from lack of privacy or excessive noise.
- Ergonomic problems due to inadequate furniture or insufficient space to move.
- Lower job satisfaction and a potential increase in employee turnover.
- A negative impression for clients or visitors, which could affect the company's professional image.
General regulations
In Spain, office design and setup must comply with Royal Decree 486/1997, which establishes the minimum safety and health requirements for workplaces. This decree regulates aspects such as the minimum surface area per worker, space height, ventilation, lighting, temperature, and ergonomic conditions to ensure safe and healthy work environments. You can consult the full text of the Royal Decree in the Official State Bulletin!
Our flexible workspaces dimension
Well, yes, 3,5 sqm is the minimum recommended per workstation. But, do you really think that is enough? Many companies’ old strategies were focused on economising and optimising, no matter the price. But nowadays, looking after employees during their working hours and beyond is more important than ever. The feeling of belonging and finding the perfect balance between family time and work time are already key aspects in any global strategy, and the workplace has become a decisive factor.
In Lexington, we think that a workplace based on the bare minimum will only encourage employees to work until reaching the bare minimum… right? Makes perfect sense. So, if the office space per person remains below the average line… what could we expect besides that?
This might sound repetitive, but what should we do if we wanted to inspire commitment and productivity above that average? Maybe, and only maybe, making our workspace level up on the first place!
To speak data, Lexington flexible workspaces will be able to provide enough space to create a comfortable atmosphere for the team and 100% theirs, always within a collaborative environment that encourage cooperation, networking and community. Our ratio swings over 4sqm per person, with an even higher space sometimes! We run away from functional, impersonal narrow offices, taking care of your workspace from minute one with common areas, phone booths, intimate work hubs and meeting rooms for you to use whenever you need to.
The perfect measurements for an office are connected to too many variables to give you a definitive response to the question, but tips are always welcome! What we can say for sure is that, the perfect office space is flexible, there is no doubt on that.
