Study: What kind of office would employees like to return to after pandemic?
A new era has begun in office life, in which a person's well-being and productivity, as well as flexibility and green environment have become the key trends throughout. It is already clear that the vast majority or 90% of employees want to return to their offices after a long lockdown and teleworking, as confirmed by a study carried out by VERDE business complex. However, how have people's demands on the work environment changed and at what age are employees most demanding?
What seems to be self-evident is expected from modern work environment, but it is not available everywhere
When asked to describe a modern office, employees have identified seemingly self-evident criteria as the most important - a good ventilation system (81%), good lighting (79%) and ergonomically designed workplaces (69%). On the other hand, 62% of the respondents emphasize the importance of accessibility – the office has to be within reach of their homes and there has to be a place to park their cars in the vicinity of the office.
Employees under the age of 30 are the most demanding
Employees' expectations for the office and the work environment vary depending on their age – young employees under the age of 30 who have just joined the workforce are the most demanding audience. They are more likely to state that a modern office should have a coffee area – this is important for 65% of young employees, while for employees over 30 this is not as important. Employees under the age of 30 are also becoming increasingly interested in having many houseplants and succulents around (46%), and a large and green terrace for relaxing and working outdoors is important for almost a third of young employees (29%).
Younger respondents have also indicated that they would like to have convenient outdoor workplaces (27%), bicycle sheds (46%) and the option of charging electric vehicles (21%). Young employees are also more likely to say that a modern office should be located in a new building with sustainable and environmentally friendly architecture. On the other hand, employees aged 30-39 more often emphasize the need for a parking lot (71%) and modern interior of the office (54%).
What is in it for employers?
One of the priorities of employers is to provide their employees with appropriate and modern work environment and ensure their well-being in order to improve employee cooperation, enable them to organize their work time more efficiently and make them better at working in a team. Functional and activity-based work environment focuses on the results of individual employees and the entire team, providing flexible working conditions suited to everyone.
Companies' action plan for 2022
“Office market development in the Baltic countries is gaining momentum. “Several companies have adapted their strategies to their future mode of operation, which envisages changes to the functionality of the premises so that employees could work in the office as well as remotely. We have observed that tenants are becoming increasingly more demanding in terms of the quality, sustainability and internal climate of office space.
It has been scientifically proven that relaxing terraces and plants, state-of-the-art ventilation systems, smart lighting, well-thought-out room layouts and a variety of additional Class A services improve employee well-being and productivity. “Unprecedented greenery on 600 m2 terraces in each of the buildings, planted with trees and plants, will be the hallmark of VERDE business complex, as well as a lush green yard with outdoor workplaces,”
*VERDE business complex carried out the study in cooperation with OMG Snapshots in December 2021, interviewing 509 office employees in Latvia aged 18 and over.