How many square meters of office space does an employee need to feel comfortable at work?

The minimum is 5 meters per person.

The minimum and recommended office space is defined by the technical standard ČSN 73 5305 - Office buildings and premises. It claims that one workplace (meeting space and storage areas such as lockers not included) requires at least 5 m2. Workplace including meeting space and including storage space must be at least 12 m2.

In the standard, you will also find recommended values that are already more employees friendly. The recommended figures for workplace without space for meetings or storage is 8 m2 and with space for meetings and storage 16 m2.

The same technical standard also describes the minimum height of office space. The lowest permissible height of offices up to 100 m2 is 2.7 meters. Large offices over 100 m2 must be at least 3 meters high.

Compliance with the standard is monitored by a hygienic station

As an employer, you should not violate the ČSN standard. There are two reasons.

The first is the comfort of an employee. If his workplace has less than 5 m2, it is usually unpleasant for the employees and it will be difficult for them to be satisfied in the company for a long time.

The second reason is the hygienic station, which monitors compliance with standards. Its staff approves project documentation and operating rules and sometimes even inspects offices that are already in operation. It is therefore important to take into account all regulations at the planning stage of the office space as additional adjustment of offices before final inspection or during operation can be expensive.

What does the architect advise? Rather follow the recommended values.

According to the architect Dipl.-Ing. Mirek Lev, interiors of commercial premises specialist, the minimum area of a workplace according to the ČSN standard is really a minimum and companies should try to exceed it. "Working in an uncomfortable environment is like running in small shoes. It will last for a while, but in the long run it will have a negative effect on the work performance and mental health," he says.

What is the architect’s advice? Follow the recommended values. According to the architect Dipl.-Ing. Mirko Lev, interiors of commercial premises specialist, the minimum area of a workplace according to the ČSN standard is really a minimum and companies should try to exceed it. "Working in an uncomfortable environment is like running in small shoes. It will last for a while, but in the long run it will have a negative effect on the work performance and mental health, "he says.

"My advice is to follow the recommended values according to the technical standard which guarantee really comfortable work. Of course, it is important that the workplace is also supplemented with sufficiently dimensioned common areas for breaks and rest," concludes Dipl.-Ing. Mirko Lev.