We spend a lot of time at work so making sure an office environment is as comfortable and pleasant as possible for employees is of utmost importance. The right-sized office space not only boosts productivity and offers a space to thrive but also by law, each and every employee is entitled to a minimum amount of floorspace to work in.
How much office space do you need per person?
Regulation 10 of the Workplace, (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 states the following regarding the requirements on how much office space is needed per person:
‘Every room where persons work shall have sufficient floor area, height and unoccupied space for purposes of health, safety and welfare.’
According to the Approved Code of Practice and Guidance, offices should have enough space to allow people to get to and from their desks and to move within the room. The number of people who are working in a room at any one time will depend not only on the size of the room, but on the space taken up by furniture, fittings, equipment, and on the layout.
Health and Safety regulations on legal office space per person, also state that the total volume of the room, divided by the number of workers, should be a minimum of 11 cubic metres which may be insufficient if, for example, much of the room is taken up by furniture. In making this calculation a room or part of a room which is more than 3.0m high should be counted as 3.0m high.
Therefore, bearing in mind these legal requirements and the importance of your teams’ wellbeing, as your business and team grow, it might mean making the big decision to upgrade and invest in a larger office with better meeting, working and storage areas.
So, are you wondering whether you need a larger office? Read on to ensure you know how to spot the signs for when the time has come to make a move for the better.
Signs indicating more office space is needed
Complaining staff
Keeping employees happy, productive, and engaged is important so disgruntled staff complaining about the lack of space is your number one wake up call, telling you that their office space is not a comfortable place to work. You may also have recently suffered from high staff turnover rates which again could be a telltale sign that their office space isn’t working for them. Perhaps run an anonymous survey to determine the major gripes about the office space – there may be a quick and easy fix but if not, then a new office hunt may be on the cards.
Productivity is declining
The type of office space provided to your employees gives them an idea of how much you value them. So, if your office is cramped, uncomfortable and soulless then it could be making your employees feel as though you’re not investing in them and their wellbeing.
It’s important to ensure that the office environment is conducive to increasing productivity, happiness and wellbeing - before your bottom line is affected.
Storage space is full
If your filing cabinets and drawers won’t shut because of piling up papers, documents and records then this is a clear sign that more space is needed. It could also be that other areas are being used as an overflow from the already crammed allocated storage spaces. As well as being a health and safety hazard, using other places such as hallways or scattered about the building creates a cluttered look, taking away the professional appearance of an office. If paper documents are taking up valuable space, perhaps it’s time to instigate a digitisation project.
Not enough desks for staff
An overcrowded workspace is simply unsuitable for productive work and employee satisfaction. So, if there are simply not enough desks for the number of staff members then this is a clear sign that more space is needed to accommodate more desks. Another option is to look at a shared desk system, whereby people use the available office space in a different way combined with a work from home policy.
New business is being turned down
You may be finding that you’re in the frustrating position of not being able to recruit more employees due to the lack of office space. This lack of resource in turn may eventually mean that you could be forced to turn down new business opportunities. This is a position no company wants to face so before it’s too late, review whether your new business pipeline is calling out for a bigger team and as such, a bigger office.
You are hiring new staff
Soon enough you may find yourself in the enviable position of hiring new staff to meet new business demand. So, if clients are pouring in and you’ve already begun hiring new team members, you may want to consider finding new office space. Attracting and retaining top talent is much easier when you invite people to a modern, energising, and organised space. Also, with more employees comes more equipment and the predicament of outgrowing your current office space so, it’s important as part of an exciting recruitment drive to ensure office space and the number of desks are thought about to adequately meet your new and existing employees needs. Of course, part of a modern working environment that employees are increasingly looking for is a flexible work policy where there is an element of working from home. Using employees own home working space is a great way to ease congestion in your own offices.
Meeting room congestion
In theory, the concept of an open office is great for collaborative working and a sense of community. However, practically they can make it tricky to concentrate on work so a balance between community and privacy is required to ensure productivity. If your team is running out of quiet places to take themselves away to host meetings, take phone calls, or even work privately for a few hours, chances are that it’s time to relocate. Meeting spaces should comfortably hold everyone in attendance and be plentiful enough that double bookings are rare. Employees should also have access to private office space where they can take client calls without distractions.
Nowhere to meet with clients
This lack of or demand on meeting space could also impact your clients' perception of your business and as your business grows, you need to anticipate more supplier and client meetings and plan appropriately. So, make those all-important first impressions count by inviting your new (and existing) clients into a space you are proud to call your office.
Upgrade your office space
If you can relate to one or more of these telltale signs, then it could be time to consider moving to a new office space. At Ethical Property we provide shared and collaborative office space for charity/non-profit organisations. To make your move, get in touch with us at sales@ethicalproperty.co.uk, call us on 0330 016 3440, or check out our range of offices: www.ethicalproperty.co.uk/find-a-space/locations.