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Whether you’re planning an important meeting with a client or an informal catch up, one necessary factor to consider is the size of the meeting room.

Booking the right size room with the right meeting room layout will ensure that you don’t waste money paying for space you don’t need. However, it can be difficult to judge how much space you should book.

So with that in mind, how big should a meeting room be?

People

Firstly, you need to consider how many people will be attending your meeting. More people naturally equals a bigger room. However, you don’t want your room to be too big, because you’ll lose money on the wasted space. On the other hand, if the room is too small, then your meeting will feel cramped.

Here is a handy guide for the recommended square feet per person in a meeting room:

2-4 people: 100 sq ft

4-8 people: 150 sq ft

15-20 people: 220 sq ft

20-30 people: 300 sq ft

Although this is a good rule of thumb, it isn’t absolute — you may need to choose a different size to account for your meeting’s purpose, the meeting room layout, and social distancing.

Purpose

Basing your meeting room size on the amount of people attending is useful, but it’s also important to take into account the purpose of the meeting. A brainstorming session could benefit from more space to let your team get creative, for example.

Will your meeting include a presentation? If that’s the case, then you’ll require sufficient space for a whiteboard and for a person to stand up and present.

Whether you need a room for brainstorming, teambuilding, a conference, client meetings, training, or more, our sophisticated meeting venues in Birmingham can suit a variety of purposes.

Layout

The meeting room layout is also an important factor to consider when choosing the size of your meeting room, and will depend on your purpose. If you want people to mingle, then open spaces or banquet seating will help facilitate interaction.

There are many different layouts to choose from, and something like banquet seating might require more space than traditional conference-style seating.

Choosing the right layout is key to using space efficiently. It might be tempting to choose a bigger room just to make sure, but an efficient layout can save you money. Every part of the room should suit your purpose, because space that isn’t being used is money being wasted.

Social distancing

At the time of writing, the Covid-19 pandemic still remains a concern for many people and you might need to follow social distancing guidelines. As such, you may need to allocate more space per person than you would usually — about double to account for the required distance. As a result, you may want to consider a larger meeting room.

There are many benefits to meeting in person instead of over Zoom, so despite the added cost for more space, hiring a meeting room is still a practical and effective option for your business.

Looking for a meeting room to hire in Birmingham?

Whether you’re organising a training session or a meeting with a client, Nettl Business Stores is the place for meeting spaces in Birmingham. Our meeting rooms come equipped with WiFi, complimentary hot drinks, breakout areas, and more.

Or if you’re looking for a change of scenery to get some work done, why not come on into our Saloon and grab a coffee? With all the hot drinks and cakes you need to fuel your day, as well as free WiFi, the Saloon is a creative environment where you can catch up on some emails or hold an informal meeting — all with no booking required.

Interested? Pop into our Saloon in Queensway or get in touch to book your meeting space in Birmingham today.