Office Floor Plan Examples

While this article is for anyone planning an office floor plan, it focuses on medium to large office spaces with a size greater than 2000 sq ft (about 200 m2). You can also check out Small Office Floor Plans, specific to businesses with ten employees or less, and Home Office Floor Plans for those who work out of their homes.

How to Determine a Floor Plan Size Range

“How much office space do I need” is often one of the first questions before reviewing or creating floor plans. To estimate total office space, you can allocate a certain amount of space per person. The result indicates your potential floor plan size. In the US, 150-175 sq ft (14-17 m2) per person is a relatively standard number to use. So, for example, if you have forty people who will work in an office space, a good starting point would be floor plans in the 6000 - 7000 sq ft (560 - 650 m2) range.

Calculate Current Usage

As you think through the number of actual workspaces, offices, and conference rooms you need, it’s a good idea to review the usage in your current space. For example, if members of your staff work a flexible schedule, some workstations or offices may be empty part of or all of certain days. This could allow some work areas to be shared.

Similarly, look at current conference room usage to determine the times each room is booked vs open. This can help you know whether certain types of rooms are more popular and if you need more or fewer of certain size conference rooms for the future.

A Note About Accessibility

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires companies that employ 15 or more employees to create work environments that are inclusive to all employees. Even if you aren’t located in an area where ADA compliance is required, by following ADA guidelines, you can help every employee reach their full potential, which benefits everyone. By planning ahead, it’s not necessarily hard or cost-prohibitive to make sure that the floor plan has an accessible entrance that doesn’t require stairs and to ensure doorways and hallways are at least 36” (.9 m) wide. Other examples include short pile carpet that is easy to roll over, and desks that are at least 27” (.7m) high to allow wheelchair access (height adjustable desks are a great idea).

Key Rooms and Areas

Office floor plans tend to have some fairly common rooms and areas, but their type, style, and how many depend on your particular business. Consider:

• The Entrance. What will your company entrance convey? If customers regularly visit your office, you’ll want this area to stand out. It should include reception and comfortable seating, plus an interior design that represents your unique company style. Even if the company entrance is mainly for employees, you still have the opportunity to provide a welcoming and motivational start to the day.
• Work Areas. Should you include open or closed work areas or a combination of both? To answer this question, consider how your various employees work. For some roles, is much of their day spent collaborating in teams? If so, open and flexible workspaces or cubicles may be a good option and require less space. For other roles, is sustained focus and quiet time important to the job? If so, are closed offices important? Also, depending on the office usage you calculated above, can some workspaces or offices be shared?
• Conference Rooms. A common estimate is to provide one conference room for every 10-20 employees. If you have been able to calculate the usage of your current conference rooms, you may have a specific number in mind. Many designers recommend a variety of room types, from one-to-one meeting rooms of 50 sq ft (ca. 5 m2) to huddle rooms (casual, partially enclosed areas with a whiteboard), to small conference rooms of 150-200 sq ft (14-20 m2) that seat 5-6 people, to larger conference rooms (300-500 sq ft) that seat up to 20. And what about a larger area for all-hands meetings? Depending on the weather in your area, this could be an outdoor courtyard. For indoor space, a cafeteria is a common option.
• Kitchen or Break Rooms. Do you need one or more break rooms, kitchens, or even a cafeteria? A pleasant place to eat lunch or grab a cup of coffee can be a big boost to employee satisfaction.
• Restrooms. How many restrooms should you provide? In the US, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) specifies the number of toilets and sinks per employee. For example, 4 toilets for 56-80 employees. It’s a good idea to know the regulations in your area. In addition, well-designed restrooms, with privacy, dry counter space on which to place purses and phones, and full-length mirrors are a way to show your staff that you care.
• Infrastructure Areas. Remember to plan for infrastructure in the layout. For example, do you need a printer room, mail or shipping area, or IT server space? What are the tech requirements in your industry? How much space do you need to allocate for storage? If you assemble or create a product on-site, what sort of area is required to produce it?

Finally, as you think about your future company floor plan, think about the unique features you can build into the design to represent your company and attract great talent. This could be a game room with a ping pong or pool table, an exercise area with equipment and space for yoga, or a coffee shop-inspired casual meeting area, just to name a few. With some upfront planning, you can create an office layout that your employees will love.