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The health crisis has profoundly changed the relationship we have with the places where we work. Many employees are reluctant to return to the office full-time, after having tasted teleworking. But according to a new report from the Gensler Research Institute, this trend is changing.
One in five people plan to work full-time in the office
The research firm surveyed more than 2,000 US employees from ten different industries about their use of company workspaces. After having tasted the distance, many are reluctant to return to sit, every day, in the open space to carry out their missions. They would rather try their hand at flex office, digital nomadism or “workcations”, these new methods of collaboration that emphasize flexibility.
But that does not mean that they refuse to return to their business premises from time to time. Investigation from the Gensler Research Institute reveals that 48% of employees believe that the office is the ideal place to be efficient and productive. However, studies have shown that it is also the place of permanent interruption, between the many meetings, the noise and the various requests from his colleagues.
In comparison, 36% of employees are motivated to return to the office, by a desire for socialization. This figure is all the more surprising as the health crisis has prompted many leaders to present the company’s premises not as a place of productivity, but of exchanges and conviviality.
A versatile space
Wellness areas, sports halls, concierge service or even local catering. It’s time for “lifestyle” in workspaces. However, this trend responds more to the expectations of employees belonging to generations Y and Z, than to those of their elders.
“While younger generations have a clear preference for hospitality-focused experiences, older employees prefer a mix of corporate and hospitality-focused experiences”can we read in the report from the Gensler Research Institute.
Despite this generational gap, the majority of employees surveyed want their office to adapt to their needs, and not the other way around. They thus wish to have at their disposal silent workspaces to concentrate on difficult tasks, but also rooms where they can meet with their colleagues, an exterior, and, why not, a nap corner (or siesteria, in slang Office).
If the premises of their company meet these diverse and varied needs, employees are perfectly willing to work there more often. Thus, 42% of respondents would be ready to come one extra day per week to the office, if the latter offers them a plurality of experiences. One in five of them would even consider returning full time.
For Janet Pogue McLaurin, Global Director Workplace Research at Gensler, it is essential that managers become aware of the great versatility that their premises must offer if they want their employees to come back with pleasure.
“Employees are looking for offices that are both effective in supporting their ability to focus on their work and that provide a more desirable mix of experiences”said Janet Pogue McLaurin in a communicated. “Understanding how employees spend their time and what experiences and work environments they need to perform better is critical to business success and employee engagement,” she added.