How much office space do you need? Office size by number of people
How do you work out how many square metres of office your team needs? Area per person, gross and net area, meeting rooms and the share of common areas.
Taylan BorhanFounder · 2 min read
The first question when looking for an office is this: how many square metres do you need? An office that is too small squeezes the team, and an office that is too large makes you pay rent for nothing every month.
A rough calculation
For a team working in an open-plan layout, allow roughly 8 to 12 square metres per person, including meeting rooms and common areas. This is not a rule, it is a starting point.
- About 80 to 120 square metres for a team of 10
- About 200 to 300 square metres for a team of 25
- About 400 to 600 square metres for a team of 50
What increases the figure
- Closed executive rooms
- More than one meeting room
- A client reception area
- Archive, storage, server room
- Kitchen and break area
What reduces the figure
- Part of the team working from home
- A shared desk arrangement
- Most meetings being held online
Gross or net?
The figure in listings is usually the gross area. The net area you will use is smaller than that. When you compare two offices, ask for the net area of both.
Do not forget growth
If you plan to hire within a year or two, take this into account from the start. Moving every year costs more than the rent of a slightly larger office.
Write to us with your headcount and the kind of layout you want, and we will draw up a list of offices of the right size together.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between gross area and net area?
Net area is the enclosed space you actually use. Gross area also includes the walls and, in most cases, a share of the common areas. Listings usually state the gross area.
How many square metres per person should I allow?
In an open-plan layout, roughly 8 to 12 square metres per person, including meeting rooms and common areas, is a good starting figure. The figure grows as the number of closed rooms increases.
