What Employees Want in Today’s Office Space
20% of workers preferred fully remote work, while more than half would like to work in the office four to five days a week.
In the shifting post-pandemic work landscape, companies have focused on creating office environments with shared spaces and high-end amenities from catered lunches to modern outdoor spaces, all with a goal of enticing employees back to office buildings.
However, while a majority of workers are interested in working at least a few days a week in the office, it isn’t necessarily these types of amenities that are bringing them back, according to Lincoln Property Company’s latest office report. In fact, what employees say they want in an office space often varies by generation, and no one-size-fits-all solution is likely to be successful.
One thing employees of all generations agree on is the value of dedicated seats and private offices, signaling a preference for productivity, efficiency, and a sense of belonging, according to the report. Even Gen Z respondents, whom the report identifies as the most likely cohort to value work/play amenities, said dedicated work space is a high-value feature. Beyond office amenities, the traditional motivators to return to the office continue to include increased compensation, workplace functionality, colleague relationships, and career development.
“Employees’ strong preference for dedicated workspace underscores the importance of corporate executives listening to their workforce and prioritizing functional and supportive work environments to boost employee engagement and retention,” said Terence Kirk, executive vice president within Lincoln’s CAS team. “Our survey suggests that continuing to invest in a plethora of upscale amenities that don’t meet these core needs could be a costly mistake for corporate occupiers.”
Commute time is also a key factor in employee attitudes about working from an office. All cohorts included in the study place a high value on shorter commutes. Approximately three-quarters of respondents said they would not consider going into the office if their commute was longer than 45 minutes roundtrip. Baby Boomers are the most averse to longer commutes, with more than 60 percent saying commute time is their most important location feature and only 4 percent considering a commute longer than an hour and 15 minutes roundtrip.
“Location will become increasingly important for occupiers as they evaluate office spaces, especially as employees weigh the productivity of working at home against the time spent commuting to the office,” Kirk advised.
Overall, 20 percent of workers prefer fully remote work, while more than half said they’d like to work in the office four to five days a week, according to the report. Millennials and Gen X respondents showed the strongest preference for in-office work, while Baby Boomers skew toward a preference for remote work and Gen Z workers favor a hybrid arrangement.
From: BenefitsPRO