Mediocre offices won’t encourage people to spend more time in them

Dry, uninspiring offices and long, costly commutes are principal causes for a lack of office-based working, according to a new poll. The survey, commissioned by design and fit-out firm Peldon Rose claims that 1 in 3 (34 percent) office-based workers in London have a ‘nightmare journey’ into work each day, which ultimately deters almost half (46 percent) from travelling into the office. For those that do come into the office, more than a third (38 percent) believe their working environment is uninspiring and unfit for purpose.

According to the poll, the majority (55 percent) say that they’re more productive in an office. However, only a quarter (26 percent) of people believe their workplace provides them with the right tools to support their role, which suggests more of the London workforce would be in the office if it was up to scratch.

The top five key areas people look for in an office environment are:

1. A well-equipped and comfortable desk/workstation (53 percent)
2. Effective and user-friendly technology (42 percent)
3. Access to amenities (such as childcare, bike storage, gyms, supermarkets) (31 percent)
4. Dedicated areas for quiet focus work (31 percent)
5. Areas for in-person collaboration and teamwork (29 percent)

As part of this research, Peldon Rose surveyed 8,000 office-based workers in four markets: the UK (London), USA (New York), Australia (Sydney) and Hong Kong.

Out of the entire survey, it’s employee wellbeing where London falls down most noticeably, as workers in London don’t think they’re supported enough by their offices compared to their overseas counterparts. Almost half (43 percent) said that employee wellbeing isn’t a priority in their workplace, whereas workers in the USA (80 percent), Hong Kong (77 percent) and Australia (65 percent) all said that it’s a top priority in theirs.

In fact, London based employees are not only dissatisfied with wellbeing provisions in their offices, but with their pay packet too. Almost half (43 percent) of UK workers feel they’re underpaid, compared to 20 percent of Americans, 19 percent of Hong Kong workers and 38 percent of Australians.

Head of Strategy at Peldon Rose Leeson Medhurst continued: “It’s disappointing to see London track behind other key international cities in almost every aspect, but it also presents a huge opportunity for office-based businesses to act. Highlighting these results shows that currently not enough is being done to improve working lives in the UK, and it’s having a negative impact on our workforce.

“If a business is struggling to bring people back to the office, they must first ask themselves if the physical workplace is adding value to the everyday working experience for individuals and for wider teams. Employee wellbeing has become a buzzword in recent years, but we must remember what it actually means for individuals and ensure meaningful, authentic steps are taken to improve working lives.”