How Much Office Space Do I Need? Office Size Guide by Team Size

Calculating how much office space your business needs is no longer simply a case of multiplying the number of employees by a fixed amount of square footage. The right amount of space depends on how many desks you need, the type of office you choose, internal meeting rooms, private offices, breakout space, the business’s growth plans, hybrid working and how your team actually uses the workplace.

As a practical starting point, a 20 person managed office might require around 1,500 to 2,000 sq ft, while a 20 person serviced office could be around 1,200 to 1,500 sq ft. These are guides rather than fixed rules. Serviced office layouts can vary significantly between operators.

Office space requirements at a glance

About these office size estimates

These figures are based on Office Freedom's experience of qualifying and transacting serviced and managed office requirements. Since 1993, we have helped businesses of different sizes find flexible workspace, giving our team practical insight into how requirements change according to team size, office type, layout and facilities.

The figures should be used as a starting point rather than a fixed space standard. The right office size will depend on the individual brief, including the number of workstations required, meeting rooms, private offices, breakout space, growth plans and the facilities available within the building.

Why serviced and managed offices need different calculations

A simple square feet per person formula can be misleading because serviced and managed offices work differently. Our guide to serviced, managed and traditional office space explains the wider differences between these workspace models.

A managed office is usually configured around the occupier's requirements. The private space may need to contain the workstations, meeting rooms, kitchen, informal breakout space, phone booths and any executive offices the business needs.

In a serviced office, many of those facilities may sit outside the private office. Kitchens, lounges, breakout areas and larger meeting rooms are often shared with other occupiers. This can reduce the amount of private square footage a company needs.

As serviced office requirements become larger, however, businesses are more likely to want dedicated facilities within their own suite. From around 20 people, Office Freedom would normally establish whether the client wants its own meeting room or rooms, and larger requirements may need several dedicated meeting rooms as well as executive offices.

How much managed office space do you need?

For managed offices, Office Freedom starts with the number of workstations required and then builds the rest of the brief around how the company wants to use the space.

10 people

For a fairly standard 10 person managed office, around 1,000 sq ft is a useful initial guide. This can provide room for the workstations together with a sensible meeting, kitchen and breakout provision.

20 people

For 20 people, around 1,500 to 2,000 sq ft is a typical starting range. At approximately 2,000 sq ft, a brief could include 20 workstations, a kitchen and informal breakout area, two phone booths and two internal meeting rooms, perhaps one for four people and another for eight.

If the same company also wanted two private executive offices with enough space to work comfortably and potentially accommodate informal meetings or seating, the requirement could increase towards 2,500 sq ft.

30 people

For 30 people, around 2,500 to 3,000 sq ft is a reasonable initial guide for a managed office. The same general space logic applies, but meeting room requirements tend to increase as teams get larger.

50 people

For 50 people, around 4,000 to 5,000 sq ft is a sensible starting point. A typical larger brief might include a 16 to 18 person boardroom, a 10 to 12 person meeting room and a number of smaller four and six person meeting rooms, alongside the workstations and other internal facilities.

What changes a managed office space requirement?

Meeting rooms: The number and size of internal meeting rooms can materially change the total space required.

Executive offices: Private executive offices require additional space, particularly where they need room for visitors or informal meetings.

Kitchen and breakout: For managed offices, Office Freedom would normally expect the private space to include a kitchen or tea point and informal breakout area.

Phone booths: For a 20 person requirement, two phone booths would be a reasonable typical provision.

Growth: Growth space should be driven by the client's plans rather than automatically added. Where appropriate, an allowance of around 10% may be considered.

Hybrid working: The calculation should be based on the number of workstations the client actually wants, not automatically on total employee headcount or assumed attendance.

Reception: A dedicated reception or waiting area depends on the client and the facilities already available within the building.

Storage and specialist rooms: Storage, filing, server and communications rooms should be added where specifically required rather than included as a standard assumption.

How much serviced office space do you need?

Serviced office space is harder to calculate from square footage alone because office density varies considerably between operators. Around 40 sq ft per workstation can be a useful broad reference point, but some operators provide considerably less space per person and others provide more.

For that reason, Office Freedom would not normally search for a serviced office using square footage alone. The search starts with the client's actual brief: the number of workstations, preferred location, total monthly budget, move-in date and the facilities required.

20 people

For a 20 person serviced office, around 1,200 to 1,500 sq ft can be a useful initial guide. Breakout and kitchen facilities will often be communal, so they do not necessarily need to be contained within the private office.

Meeting room requirements are client led. It is increasingly common for a 20 person occupier to want a dedicated four person meeting room within their own office, while using larger shared meeting rooms elsewhere in the building.

50 people

For a 50 person serviced office, around 2,500 to 3,000 sq ft is a useful initial guide. At this size, Office Freedom would normally expect the private suite to contain multiple dedicated meeting rooms rather than relying mainly on communal meeting facilities.

Headcount is only the starting point

Two businesses with 20 employees can have very different office requirements. One might want a highly efficient serviced office with shared amenities. Another may want a more spacious private suite with its own meeting room. A third may require a managed office with several meeting rooms, executive offices and room to grow.

This is why Office Freedom qualifies the requirement before recommending space. Important questions include how many workstations are actually needed, whether the company wants a more efficient or spacious layout, which facilities need to be private and what plans the business has for future growth.

How hybrid working affects office size

Hybrid working does not automatically mean that office space should be calculated from a reduced percentage of total headcount. A company with 30 employees may want 20 workstations, 30 workstations or something in between.

The right approach is to establish the client's brief: how many desks the business actually wants and how the office will be used on its busiest days. The space can then be planned around that requirement.

How much space should you allow for growth?

Growth allowance should also be based on the company's plans. Some businesses want an office that meets today's requirement closely, while others expect to recruit quickly and want additional capacity from the outset.

Where future growth is expected, around 10% additional capacity can be a useful discussion point, but it should not be applied automatically to every requirement.

How do you find the right office once you know your space requirement?

Knowing approximately how much space you need is only the first stage of an office search. For serviced offices in particular, current availability, operator, location, budget and specification can matter as much as the theoretical square footage.

If a business needs an office for 20 people in London, Office Freedom would normally establish the number of workstations required, preferred area, total monthly budget, target move in date, required quality and style, meeting room requirements and any important amenities such as a gym or pet friendly policy.

Office Freedom can then compare suitable options across multiple workspace operators. Operator selection is important because quality, value, service, flexibility and reliability vary between providers, and many clients will not be familiar with all of the operators that could suit their requirement.

Once suitable options have been identified, Office Freedom can create a shortlist, arrange and coordinate viewings and negotiate the commercial package on the client's behalf. Negotiation can cover the monthly price as well as incentives, deposits, meeting room credits, fit out or layout changes, furniture, flexibility and other commercial terms. Our guide to the hidden costs of serviced offices explains what should be checked when comparing quotes.

For larger requirements in particular, options can be compared side by side so the client can assess overall cost, commercial terms and the differences between operators rather than simply receiving a list of available offices.

What information should you have before starting an office search?

For a serviced or managed office search, the most useful starting information is:

• Number of workstations required

• Preferred location or areas

• Total monthly budget

• Target move-in date

• Office type, if known

• Meeting room and private office requirements

• Quality and style preferences

• Must have amenities, such as a gym, outdoor space or pet friendly building

• Expected growth

Contract length, the expiry date of an existing office agreement, the reason for moving and details of the current office can also help refine the search.

Frequently asked questions

How many square feet of office space do I need per person?

There is no single figure that works for every office. Serviced office density varies considerably by operator, while managed offices need to account for internal meeting rooms, kitchen and breakout space, phone booths and other facilities. The number of workstations and the way the space will be used are more useful starting points than a fixed square feet per person rule.

How much office space do 10 people need?

For a 10 person managed office, around 1,000 sq ft is a useful initial guide. Serviced offices vary significantly between operators, so Office Freedom would normally qualify the desk requirement and facilities rather than rely on a fixed square footage.

How much office space do 20 people need?

A 20 person managed office might require around 1,500 to 2,000 sq ft. A 20 person serviced office could be around 1,200 to 1,500 sq ft, although the actual requirement depends on layout, meeting rooms and the facilities provided elsewhere in the building.

How much office space do 50 people need?

A 50 person managed office might start at around 4,000 to 5,000 sq ft, depending particularly on meeting room provision. A 50 person serviced suite could be around 2,500 to 3,000 sq ft, with multiple dedicated meeting rooms increasingly likely at this size.

Do meeting rooms count towards office square footage?

Yes, if the meeting rooms sit inside your private office. In serviced offices, businesses often also have access to communal meeting rooms elsewhere in the building, which can reduce the amount of private space required.

How much extra office space should I allow for growth?

It depends on your recruitment and business plans. Where growth is expected, around 10% additional capacity can be a useful starting discussion, but Office Freedom would not automatically add this to every requirement.

Does hybrid working mean I need less office space?

Not necessarily. The key question is how many workstations you want and how many people need to use the office at peak times. The requirement should follow the client's working pattern rather than an assumed hybrid working formula.

Do serviced offices need less private space than managed offices?

They often can because serviced office buildings typically provide shared kitchens, lounges, breakout areas and meeting facilities. Larger serviced occupiers may still want substantial dedicated facilities within their private suite.

Can a serviced office include private meeting rooms and breakout space?

Yes. Serviced offices are not limited to simple rooms containing desks. Larger suites can include dedicated meeting rooms and other private facilities, while the occupier also benefits from shared building amenities.

How do I find an office for my team?

Start by defining the number of workstations, preferred location, total monthly budget, move in date and facilities you need. Office Freedom can then compare suitable serviced and managed office options across multiple operators, arrange viewings and negotiate the commercial package on your behalf.

Need help finding the right office?

Office Freedom helps businesses compare flexible office spaces across multiple workspace operators. Our search and advisory service is free to occupiers, and we can help define your requirement, shortlist suitable serviced and managed offices, arrange viewings and negotiate the commercial terms.

Tell us how many people you need space for, where you would like to be, your monthly budget and when you need to move, and we can help identify suitable options.