According to the International Facility Management Association, the average office space for middle managers shrank from 151 square feet in 1994 to 142 square feet in 1998. For many companies, Mann said, the alternative has been to either move to new facilities or whittle away at work space by using open areas and cubicles. Larry Dreier, vice president of sales at Business Interiors of Texas in Corpus Christi, said that has resulted in as much as a 25 percent increase in business during the past five years. There are too many people in the same amount of space. The importance of defining that space becomes twofold, Mann said.
Workers can feel ownership over the area and keep it organized.
Both ideas are important because they can help employees be more productive, she said. Using the space without losing the personality means having fixtures that are decorative while serving a purpose, she said. Opting for hanging folders and stackable trays instead of drawers and using personal items such as pictures and plants to outline areas can help, organizers said. The past several years has seen most office space become fairly equal among workers, professional organizers said. Still, McCorry said, space allotment can be indicative of status in some businesses.