How Much Space Does My Company Need?

If you need to compute the square footage you'll need for your new office, the most common method is to allocate a certain number of square feet per employee based on industry standards for your business type. A real estate advisor, architect, or space planner can also help you establish these projections quickly and efficiently.

Real estate industry groups and associations like the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) are good resources for benchmarking studies on space utilization.

The overall trend in office design is toward a more open space with fewer enclosed offices and a higher density of employees per square foot. As I said, square footage per employee varies from industry to industry. For example, law firms typically have much more space per employee — 300 square feet or more per employee — than call centers, which have very dense, open floor plans — 150 to 175 square feet per employee.

A good broker or property manager can help you find outside janitorial services if you need them, but don't rely on your broker to set it up automatically.