Determining the optimal office space per employee is no easy task, but it is still crucial for the well-being and productivity of your team. The question is: How much space does an employee really need to be able to work efficiently, and what legal requirements must be observed?

In this article, we'll look at what factors you should consider to create a comfortable and legally compliant work environment. In doing so, we take a look at the minimum legal requirements and best practices for office planning.

What is office space?

Office space is generally understood to mean the space that is used for working in an office. However, this includes not only the classic workplaces with desks and chairs, but also a variety of other spaces that make daily work in your company possible.

Think of meeting rooms, break rooms, reception areas, and even the hallways that connect these different areas. Each of these spaces helps to create a productive and pleasant working environment and is therefore considered an office space. Office space therefore comprises much more than just an employee's direct workplace.

How much office space is required per employee?

Plenty of office space ensures wellbeing, creativity and productivity. But that's easier said than done — because generous office space means higher rental and operating costs and possibly greater expenditure on furnishing. Especially for small and medium-sized companies, this financial burden is difficult to handle and it is important to to reduce costs.

Although spacious areas offer more freedom of movement, valuable space can quickly be used inefficiently without well-thought-out room planning. Empty spaces and unused corners are a waste of resources that should not be underestimated and must be avoided.

After all, the well-being of your employees also plays a role. Of course, your teams need enough space to thrive. But an oversized office can quickly appear impersonal and cold. It is therefore a matter of finding the right balance: enough space for creativity and comfort, but not so much that it seems empty and dreary.

The motto is therefore: Maintain moderation. Well-thought-out office planning that meets both the needs of your employees and the financial and logistical requirements of your company is the key to success. However, you should not ignore the following minimum requirements:

Office space per employee: government regulations

The minimum size of office space in Germany is regulated by the Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV). This regulation ensures that your workplaces are safe and beneficial to the health of your employees. The details can be found in the technical rules for workplaces ASR A1.2 “Room dimensions and movement areas”.

This rule provides specific guidelines for office space per employee:

• Individual offices: Here, you should plan at least 8 to 10 square meters per workplace.
• open-plan offices and Open Space Offices (400 square meters or more): Here, the guideline is 12 to 15 square meters per workplace. Don't forget to plan additional space for meeting rooms and retreats.

The fact that the space required per employee in open-space offices is so much greater than in individual or cell offices is due to the fact that open-plan offices require more traffic space. The increased disruptive factors should also be offset by larger office space per employee.

Regardless of what activity your teams perform and how many employees work in an office — according to the regulation, only rooms whose floor space offers at least 8 square meters for a workplace and at least 6 square meters for each additional space may be used as workspaces.

By the way, these values not only take into account the space for a desk and chair, but also the movement areas and distances that are necessary for a pleasant working environment. The amount of office space is also taken into account by the Workplace Ordinance:

• up to 50 m²: at least 2.50 m
• more than 50 m²: at least 2.75 m
• more than 100 square meters: at least 3.00 m
• more than 2000 sqm: at least 3.25 m

The bigger the office, the higher the rooms should be.

But remember: A good work environment is more than just enough space. It's about ergonomics, freedom of movement and creating an environment in which your employees feel comfortable and can work efficiently.

How to calculate the average office space per employee

To calculate how much office space you need to rent for your team, follow these steps:

1. First, determine the number of employees who will work in the office. Also consider future growth or seasonal fluctuations that could require additional space. Auch hybrid working models should be considered here.
2. Determine how much space is required per employee in accordance with the Workplace Ordinance. Also consider your office concept (Flex Office etc.). A typical office space ranges from 10 to 20 square meters per employee.
3. Consider additional space for meeting rooms, kitchens, storage areas, and other shared or specialized spaces. These areas should be added to the total area.
4. Multiply the number of employees by the average area per employee and add the additional areas.

Sample calculation

• Let's say you have 50 employees.
• The average area per employee is 15 square meters.
• The additional areas (meeting rooms, kitchens, etc.) amount to a total of 200 square meters.

Calculation:

• Required office space = (50 employees × 15 sqm) + 200 sqm
• Required office space = 750 sqm +200 sqm = 950 sqm

You should therefore rent 950 square meters of office space to meet the needs of your company and employees.

How desk sharing can make office space more efficient

Desk sharing enables you to make your office space significantly more efficient. Since workstations are not permanently assigned but are used flexibly by different employees, it is possible to optimally utilize the existing office space. This prevents expensive workplaces from going unused when employees in Home Office, on a business trip or in vacations are.

Desk sharing also promotes team collaboration and communication — because when your employees regularly work in different places, you come into contact with different colleagues and departments. This often leads to more creativity and innovation, as your teams exchange ideas and get new perspectives.

In order to effectively implement desk sharing, a reliable software solution is essential. Here comes Flexopus into the game. Flexopus is an intuitive desk sharing software that helps you to optimally organize your office space.

With Flexopus, your employees can book seats conveniently and easily, whether in the office, in meeting rooms or even in parking lots. The platform impresses with a clear overview of available places and allows your employees to easily book via app or web browser — so you always know exactly where your team members are working from and when.

Another advantage of Flexopus is the ability to utilize office space by Smart Analytics to analyze precisely. With this data, you can make well-founded decisions and, if necessary, make adjustments to further increase efficiency and save costs. In this way, you always have an overview and can ensure that your office space is used optimally.

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