For a home office, plan a desk about 72–75 cm (28–30 in) high and at least 60 cm (24 in) deep, a monitor 50–100 cm (20–40 in) from your eyes with the top at or below eye level, and the screen at right angles to the window. For a tech office, recent benchmarks use about 75–150 sq ft (7–14 m²) of usable space per employee, desks for 60–80% of headcount in hybrid teams, plus focus booths, meeting rooms and social space.
Key takeaways
- OSHA recommends a monitor 20–40 in (50–100 cm) from the eyes, with the top line of the screen at or below eye level.
- Place screens at right angles to windows to avoid glare.
- 2026 planning benchmarks: about 75–150 sq ft (7–14 m²) of usable space per employee, down from 150–250 sq ft before the pandemic.
- Hybrid teams typically provide seats for 60–80% of headcount, planned for 90–95% of the peak day.
- Mix desks with focus pods, small and medium meeting rooms and a social area instead of desks only.
Part 1: a home office that is good for your body
A home office does not need much space, about 2 × 2 m (6.5 × 6.5 ft) for a desk, a chair and a shelf, but it needs the right sizes. The OSHA computer workstation guide is a good reference for the screen.
- Desk height: about 72–75 cm (28–30 in), or a sit-stand desk. Depth at least 60 cm (24 in); 70–80 cm (28–32 in) with a large monitor.
- Monitor: 50–100 cm (20–40 in) from your eyes, the top line at or slightly below eye level, the centre about 15–20° below.
- Window: at the side of the screen, not behind it or behind you, to avoid glare and reflections.
- Chair space: about 90–100 cm (36–40 in) behind the desk to push back and stand up.
- Light: a ceiling light plus a desk lamp; workplace lighting standards aim for about 500 lux on the desk.
Part 2: how much space does a tech office need?
Office space per person has fallen with hybrid work. qbiq's 2026 planning guide puts the benchmark at about 75–150 sq ft of usable space per employee, compared with 150–250 sq ft before the pandemic, and tech companies at about 75–125 sq ft.
| Way of working | Per person (imperial) | Per person (metric) |
|---|---|---|
| Hot-desking | 50–70 sq ft | About 5–6.5 m² |
| Flexible / 2-day hybrid | 60–100 sq ft | About 5.5–9 m² |
| Tech teams | 75–125 sq ft | About 7–11.5 m² |
| Fully in office | 150–200 sq ft | About 14–18.5 m² |
The same guide suggests seats for 75–80% of headcount with three office days a week and 60–70% with two, planned for 90–95% of the busiest day rather than 100%. Add 15–25% when converting usable space to rentable space.
Part 3: zones, not just desks
| Zone | Typical size | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| Workstation | 140–160 × 70–80 cm (55–63 × 28–32 in) | Aisles of 90–120 cm (36–48 in) |
| Focus pod / phone booth | 25–40 sq ft (2.3–3.7 m²) | qbiq's 200-person example: 20–25 pods |
| Small meeting room (2–4) | 100–150 sq ft (9–14 m²) | Most meetings are small; plan more small rooms |
| Medium meeting room (6–8) | 200–300 sq ft (18–28 m²) | Screen on the short wall, camera at the screen |
| Collaboration / lounge | 20–30 sq ft (2–3 m²) per person served | Near the kitchen, away from focus desks |
- Keep quiet desks away from the entrance, kitchen and meeting rooms.
- Put phone booths close to the open desks so people actually use them.
- Add acoustic panels, rugs and plants in open areas; hard, empty offices echo.
- Leave room to grow: model the office with 10–20% more people before you sign a lease.
Test the layout in 3D
In ArchHomeAI, use the home office space for one workplace at home, or the tech office and meeting room spaces for a team. Enter the floor dimensions, place desk clusters, booths and meeting rooms at real size, compare layouts and share renders with the team.
Plan your office layout Enter the floor size, place desks, booths and meeting rooms and compare layouts in 3D. Planning is free. Open the office planner
Frequently asked questions
How much office space do I need per employee?
Recent benchmarks use about 75–150 sq ft (7–14 m²) of usable space per person; hybrid and hot-desking teams need less, fully in-office teams more. Add 15–25% for the difference between usable and rentable area.
What is the right desk size?
About 140–160 cm (55–63 in) wide and 70–80 cm (28–32 in) deep for an office workstation; at home, 120 × 60 cm (48 × 24 in) is a workable minimum.
How far should the monitor be?
OSHA recommends 20–40 in (50–100 cm) from your eyes, with the top line of the screen at or slightly below eye level.
How many meeting rooms and phone booths do we need?
There is no fixed ratio. In qbiq's 200-person example, 20–25 focus pods, 4–6 small and 2 medium meeting rooms were planned. Start there and adjust after watching how rooms are actually booked.
Sources
How we wrote this guide: every figure comes from the sources listed at the end and was checked in September 2026. Prices vary by city, specification and year.
- Computer Workstations eTool: Monitors — U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- How Much Office Space per Person? Planning Guide for 2026 — qbiq