When you're an entrepreneur looking for (new) office space, it's smart to first get a clear picture of your wishes and needs. Which locations do you prefer? Would you rather rent a furnished office space, or set up the office yourself? Which facilities need to be present in the building? And how big should your new office space be? That last point is crucial – you need enough room to work comfortably, but an oversized office brings unnecessary costs with it. We'll help you figure out how much office space you minimally need.

Are there guidelines for the size of an office space?

Yes, there are. In NEN1824, the Dutch Standardisation Institute (NEN) has laid down the minimum requirements a workplace must meet. Workplace standards are determined based on the number of people, the tasks to be carried out, and the equipment required. For office work, this is relatively easy to calculate. NEN1824 specifies that at least 4 m2 of space is required for each workstation that is generally used for more than 2 hours a day. Note, though, that this excludes furniture. So if you also want to fit a desk with a surface area of 2 m2 and a filing cabinet of 1 m2, you should count on 7 m2 of office space for that person.

How do I calculate the required office space?

Say you're looking for an office space for yourself, your business partner, and 8 employees. That's 10 people in total. You've already decided that everyone gets their own desk and cabinet; that means you should count on at least 7 m2 per person.
10 workstations * 7 square metres = 70 square metres of workspace
Keep in mind that those 70 m2 count purely as workspace. Any common areas, canteen spaces, and reception areas still need to be added on top of that. The same goes for any extra work tables and cabinets. NEN counts 1 m2 for each freestanding or mobile (drawer) cabinet. For each work table with a flat screen and a reading and writing surface, 2 m2 is counted.

What if I also need meeting room space?

For a meeting room, NEN recommends a minimum surface area of 2 m2 per person. Based on the example above, that gives you the following calculation:
10 workstations * 7 m2 = 70 m2 workspace 10 employees * 2 m2 = 20 m2 meeting space 70 m2 office space + 20 m2 meeting space = 90 m2 office space
If you want to create a safe, healthy work environment for 10 people, you should therefore count on at least 90 m2 of office space. If you'd also like an extra work table and extra cabinet, plus your own coffee corner or kitchenette, you'll quickly reach a minimum surface area of over 100 m2.

What else should I take into account when it comes to office surface area?

If you expect your business to stay roughly the same size over the next 2 years, then the minimum surface area you've just calculated is a solid guideline. But if, for example, you're planning to expand quickly and intend to hire another 5 employees over the next 2 years, it might be wise to rent an office space with room to grow. A good alternative is to opt for a flexible lease, giving you the option to move to a larger space within the same office building once you're ready for it.