How Much Office Space Do You Need in Singapore? Office Size Guide by Team Size

Choosing the right office size involves much more than multiplying your headcount by a standard figure. The amount of space your business needs will also depend on your working style, office layout, meeting room requirements, private offices, storage, shared facilities and future growth plans.
For example, two companies with the same number of employees may require very different office sizes. A business with an open-plan layout and few enclosed rooms may need significantly less space than one with executive offices, meeting rooms, collaboration areas, a pantry and dedicated storage.
Before calculating your space requirements, it is also worth considering whether a conventional office or a serviced office is the better fit for your business. Conventional offices provide greater freedom to customise the layout and company branding, while serviced offices offer fully furnished, move-in-ready workspaces with shared facilities and more flexible lease terms.
This guide explains how to estimate your office space requirements in Singapore, provides typical size ranges for different team sizes and office facilities, and helps you consider whether a serviced office or conventional office is more suitable for your business.

Office Space Requirements at a Glance

As a rough guide, businesses planning a conventional office in Singapore can allow approximately 100 to 150 net sq ft per person.

However, there is no single office size that works for every business. The actual requirement depends on factors such as:

• Number of employees
• Open-plan or enclosed office layout
• Number and size of meeting rooms
• Executive and manager offices
• Collaboration and breakout areas
• Pantry requirements
• Storage and filing requirements
• IT and server facilities
• Working style
• Future headcount growth

It is also advisable to avoid searching for only the minimum amount of space required today.

Building in a buffer of around 10% can give your business additional flexibility for future growth.

Conventional Office or Serviced Office: Which Should You Consider?

Before calculating how many square feet you need, consider whether your business actually requires its own conventional office.

A conventional office gives your business greater control over the layout, branding and use of the space.

You can design your own meeting rooms, executive offices, pantry, collaboration areas and other facilities according to your requirements.

However, these facilities all take up floor space and generally need to be planned, fitted out and maintained by the tenant.

A serviced office, on the other hand, provides a furnished private office within a professionally managed workspace.

Facilities such as meeting rooms, reception areas, pantry facilities, lounges and phone booths are often shared with other tenants.

As a result, a 10-person company renting a serviced office does not necessarily need to lease enough private space for its own reception, meeting rooms and pantry.

Serviced offices may therefore be worth considering for businesses that:

• Want to move in quickly
• Prefer to avoid office fit-out works
• Have a smaller team
• Require flexible lease terms
• Expect their headcount to change
• Are establishing a new Singapore office
• Do not require a highly customised office layout

Conventional offices may be more suitable for businesses that require greater control over their layout, branding, privacy, specialised facilities or long-term workplace strategy.

Working Out Your Conventional Office Space Requirements

Office space needs are about more than headcount. Layout and facilities matter just as much.

A company with several meeting rooms, executive offices and collaborative zones will need more room than one built around an open-plan setup.

As a rough guide, allow approximately 100 to 150 net sq ft per person for a conventional office.

The right number depends on headcount, working style, whether the office is primarily open-plan or enclosed, and how much space is set aside for facilities such as breakout areas, a pantry, a library or storage.

Floor plates also vary in how efficiently they can be used, so avoid searching for the bare minimum.

Building in a buffer of around 10% gives the business room to grow and can help avoid outgrowing the office within a year or two.

Typical Conventional Office Space Requirements by Company Size

The following examples show typical space requirements for conventional offices, from a lean startup office to a regional headquarters.

Unlike serviced offices, conventional office tenants generally need to allocate space within their own premises for meeting rooms, reception areas, pantry facilities, storage and other requirements.

Treat these figures as a starting point rather than a fixed requirement, as the actual office size will vary depending on office design, furniture choices, working style, day-to-day operations and future growth plans.

Example 1: Startup – 10 Employees

Estimated conventional office size: 900–1,100 sq ft

typical layout may include:

• 1 manager office
• 9 open workstations
• 1 small meeting room for 4–6 people
• Small reception area
• Pantry

For a team of this size, a serviced office may also be worth considering, particularly if the business wants to avoid fit-out costs or prefers a shorter and more flexible lease commitment.

Example 2: Growing SME – 25 Employees

Estimated conventional office size: 2,100–2,600 sq ft

A typical layout may include:

• 2 executive offices
• 3 manager rooms
• 20 open workstations
• 1 medium meeting room for 8–12 people
• Reception area
• Pantry
• Storage

At this team size, both serviced and conventional offices may be worth comparing. The right option will depend on factors such as lease duration, meeting room usage, privacy requirements, growth plans and the level of control required over the office layout.

Example 3: Regional Headquarters – 60 Employees

Estimated conventional office size: 5,500–6,800 sq ft

A typical layout may include:

• 1 CEO office
• 4 director offices
• 50 open workstations
• 2 large meeting rooms
• 2 small meeting rooms
• Reception area
• Collaboration area
• Pantry
• Storage
• Server room

Businesses requiring additional collaboration areas, training rooms, executive offices or specialised facilities should budget for additional floor space beyond these examples.

Elements That Typically Make Up a Conventional Office Space Plan

When planning a conventional office, the total floor area will usually be divided between workspaces, meeting facilities and support areas.

Typical components include:

• Private offices in executive, large, standard or efficient formats
• Open-plan workstations
• Meeting and training rooms
• Reception and waiting areas
• Copy and mail areas
• Breakout and collaboration spaces
• Pantry facilities
• Storage and filing areas
• Server and IT rooms
• Circulation space for corridors and walkways

The proportion allocated to each area will depend on how your business operates.

For example, a professional services company that regularly hosts clients may require more meeting rooms and reception space, while a technology company may prioritise open workstations and collaboration areas.

Recommended Sizes for Common Office Areas

Once you know the approximate overall footprint, it helps to break the conventional office down room by room.

The following are typical allowances for common office facilities in Singapore.

Actual requirements will vary depending on furniture layout, circulation space and overall office design.

Private Offices

Managing Director / CEO Office
180–300 sq ft for 1 person

Director Office
150–220 sq ft for 1 person

Manager Office
100–150 sq ft for 1 person

Executive Office
80–120 sq ft for 1 person

Workstations and Collaboration Areas

Open Workstation
45–70 sq ft for 1 person

Collaboration Area
150–350 sq ft, depending on intended capacity and use

Discussion Booth
40–60 sq ft for 2 people

Phone Booth
15–25 sq ft for 1 person

Meeting Rooms

Small Meeting Room
80–120 sq ft for 4–6 people

Medium Meeting Room
150–220 sq ft for 8–12 people

Large Meeting Room
250–400 sq ft for 14–20 people

Boardroom
300–500 sq ft for 16–24 people

Reception and Support Areas

Reception Area
120–250 sq ft for approximately 2–8 visitors

Waiting Lounge
80–200 sq ft for approximately 4–10 visitors

Pantry / Breakout Area
120–300 sq ft for approximately 10–30 users

Server / IT Room
40–120 sq ft

Store Room
50–150 sq ft

Filing Room
60–120 sq ft

Print / Copy Area
30–60 sq ft

Utility / Cleaning Room
20–40 sq ft

Quick Conventional Office Space Estimation Formula

A simple way to estimate your conventional office requirement is to calculate each component separately and then add an allowance for circulation and common areas.

Workstations
Number of employees × 45–70 sq ft

Private Offices
Number of offices × recommended office size

Meeting Rooms
Number of rooms × recommended meeting room size

Pantry
Approximately 120–300 sq ft

Reception
Approximately 120–250 sq ft

Storage / Server Room
Add according to the requirements of your business

Circulation & Common Areas
Add approximately 20%–30% of the total usable area

This method provides a more realistic estimate than calculating office size based on employee headcount alone.

Worked Example: Office Space for a 25-Person Company

Here’s how the formula could work for a 25-person conventional office.

In this example, the team consists of 20 employees at open workstations, two managers and one director, with additional office space allocated to meeting rooms and support facilities.

Open Workstations
20 × 55 sq ft = 1,100 sq ft

Manager Offices
2 × 120 sq ft = 240 sq ft

Director Office
1 × 180 sq ft = 180 sq ft

Medium Meeting Room
1 × 180 sq ft = 180 sq ft

Small Meeting Room
1 × 100 sq ft = 100 sq ft

Reception
1 × 150 sq ft = 150 sq ft

Pantry
1 × 180 sq ft = 180 sq ft

Store Room
1 × 80 sq ft = 80 sq ft

Subtotal: 2,210 sq ft

Circulation & Common Area (25%): approximately 553 sq ft

Recommended Office Size: approximately 2,760 sq ft

This works out to approximately 110 sq ft per employee, providing a practical starting point for a conventional office with private rooms, meeting facilities, reception, pantry and storage.

The calculation should still be adjusted according to the actual floor plate, furniture layout and operational requirements of the business.

How Much Space Should You Allow for Future Growth?

Avoid choosing an office that only accommodates your current headcount.

If you expect to hire additional employees during the lease term, building in a buffer of approximately 10% can provide greater flexibility.

For example, a business currently requiring around 5,000 sq ft may consider looking at offices closer to 5,500 sq ft if moderate growth is expected.

Businesses with aggressive hiring plans may need to allow for a larger buffer.

You should also consider whether the building can support future expansion.

If another unit becomes available on the same floor or within the same building, expanding without relocating the entire office may be possible.

When Does a Serviced Office Make More Sense?

Not every business needs to build its own meeting rooms, pantry, reception and collaboration areas.

With a serviced office, many of these facilities are shared with other tenants. This can make the amount of private office space required considerably smaller than the conventional office examples above.

A serviced office may be particularly suitable if your business:

• Has a relatively small team
• Is entering the Singapore market
• Needs an office quickly
• Wants to minimise upfront costs
• Does not want to manage a fit-out
• Requires a shorter or more flexible lease
• Expects its headcount to change
• Does not require extensive customisation or branding

For example, a 10-person company considering a 900–1,100 sq ft conventional office may also compare 10-person private offices within serviced office centres, where meeting rooms, reception, pantry and lounge areas are already provided as shared facilities.

For example, a 10-person company considering a 900–1,100 sq ft conventional office may also compare 10-person private offices within serviced office centres, where meeting rooms, reception, pantry and lounge areas are already provided as shared facilities.

For larger teams, some serviced office operators also provide enterprise suites or customised private office solutions.

Rather than deciding based on headcount alone, businesses should compare the total cost, space efficiency, flexibility and facilities of both options.

Common Mistakes When Calculating Office Space Requirements

Calculating Space Based Only on Headcount

Multiplying the number of employees by a standard figure is a useful starting point, but it does not account for meeting rooms, private offices, pantry facilities, storage or circulation.

Forgetting About Future Growth

Choosing an office that only fits today’s team can result in another relocation if the business grows during the lease.

Underestimating Meeting Room Requirements

Businesses that frequently hold internal meetings, client meetings or video calls may require more meeting rooms and phone booths than expected.

Ignoring the Efficiency of the Floor Plate

Two offices with the same square footage may accommodate very different layouts depending on the shape of the floor plate, columns, lift cores and other building features.

Choosing the Smallest Possible Office

A layout that technically accommodates every employee may still feel cramped once furniture, circulation and day-to-day operations are considered.

Not Comparing Conventional and Serviced Offices

For smaller or rapidly changing teams, a serviced office may provide a more space-efficient alternative because meeting rooms, reception, pantry and other facilities can be shared rather than included within the company’s private premises.

Need Help Planning Your Office Space in Singapore?

Determining the right office size involves more than calculating square footage per employee.

Office Navi Singapore can help you assess your space requirements, compare serviced and conventional office options, review suitable layouts and identify offices based on your team size, budget, preferred location and future growth plans.

Our team can assist with:

• Office space requirement planning
• Serviced and conventional office comparisons
• Suitable office recommendations
• Building and floor plate comparisons
• Office viewing arrangements
• Rental and market insights
• Lease negotiation and contract support
• English, Japanese and Chinese assistance

Whether you’re setting up your first Singapore office, relocating an existing team or planning for future expansion, we can help you compare the available options and identify a workspace that supports your business today and as it grows.

Get in touch with Office Navi Singapore for a complimentary consultation and customised office proposal.

📞Call Us:+65 6462 6338
📧Email Us:info@office-navi.com.sg
💬WhatsApp Us: +65 8518 2245

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Disclaimer

The office size figures in this guide are intended as general planning estimates only.
Actual space requirements will vary depending on the floor plate, office layout, furniture, building specifications, operational requirements and future growth plans.