Business owners face various challenges when finding a suitable office space. For optimum productivity, they have to create a conducive working environment. Part of this includes allocating each employee adequate space per square footage. When looking for commercial office space in Dubai, startup owners also have to factor in future expansion. For example, a company can begin with five employees but have ten by the end of the year.
This post explores why space-per-employee matters and what factors a company should consider when leasing a commercial office space.
Why Space-Per-Employee Matters
There are many angles to approaching office space-per-employee. Nonetheless, most companies consider their financial position instead of the square footage per person. Looking at the space from a staff member's point of view undoubtedly delivers a better quality work environment.
Overlooking the usable square footage may affect the productivity of employees. That is why facility managers should strive to find a proper commercial office space. When each staff member has enough working area, transitioning from one task to another becomes effortless. Besides, employees can work comfortably for long hours.
The space for each employee depends on the type of work they do. The Gensler workplace standards benchmarking recommends the following space-per-employee requirements:
Call center: 50 to 175 USF
Engineering: 150 to 185 USF
Legal: 245 to 525 USF
Biotech and science: 125 to 410 USF
Social services: 175 to 235 USF
Technology: 115 to 155 USF
Finance: 110 to 245 USF
Before finding a suitable office space, companies have to choose an office layout. The most common office plans include:
1. High Density
High-density office space layouts revolve around bench seating, small desks, and open seating. Therefore, 80-150 square feet per employee should be enough for this plan.
2. Average Density
The average density office is the most popular type of office layout. It entails a mixture of private offices and open cubes. 150-250 square feet per employee works well for this setup.
3. Low Density
The low-density office layout consists of spacious office spaces that offer anything between 250-500 square feet per employee. Most law firms adopt this kind of office plan.
Although companies have to consider common areas when looking for the appropriate office, this post focuses on space requirements per employee.
How to Determine Adequate Office Space for Each Employee
While entrepreneurs may easily decide the amount of office space each employee deserves in an average and low-density setup, the high density is more challenging. Modern office setups are doing away with office desks. Instead, chairs and sofas are becoming the new norm. Consequently, establishing how many square feet every staff member requires to work comfortably is not straightforward.
However, there are many ways to approach such a scenario. Companies can count the number of employees they intend to have at total capacity and multiply it by 150 square feet. The answer will estimate how much space they will need altogether.
Employers also have to be aware of current world affairs. More office space per employee provides a healthier working space. If a company can afford a larger office, they will be offering an excellent working environment for their staff members. Firms want to get the best out of their workforce. While many factors influence employees' productivity, space per staff member is a sensitive issue. Overlooking it could lead to a dull and undesirable working environment.
Companies seeking to relocate or lease office space for their new branches in Dubai shouldn't wonder where to start. With the directives in this article, business owners know the requirements potential office spaces should fulfill. Sentinel Business Centers provides high-quality commercial office spaces for all types of businesses. Contact us today to learn more about what we offer.