A nationwide survey of more than 1,000 US employees has dispelled the myth that the office is dead in America, showing more than half would prefer to be in an office.
Lincoln Property Company’s Office Views: What Employees Value Most report, found more than 50% of US employees expressed interest in working in-office four to five days a week, with less than 20% expressing interest in working fully remote.
The report found appetite for dedicated meeting spaces, social activities and other shared amenities varied between generations and other demographic cohorts, while traditional motivators including increased compensation, workplace functionality, colleague relationships and career development ranked high among employees’ preferences when it came to motivations to work in the office.
Across generations, dedicated seats and private offices emerged as the most desired motivator, indicating a preference for productivity, efficiency and a sense of belonging – even among Gen Z respondents, who were most likely of all surveyed cohorts to value work/play amenities.
Baby Boomers most anti in-office work
The study also revealed Millennials and Gen X had a stronger preference for in-office work than other generations. Some 46% and 49% respectively, preferred to work in the office four days a week. More than half of Generation Z wanted in-office work but only one to three days a week.
Baby Boomers had the strongest preference for remote work, representing the highest percentage of fully remote workers (19%) and expressing the strongest desire for full time-remote work (23%).
“The report findings show that an employee’s career stage significantly influences their preference for in-office work,” said Adin Perera, director of insights and research for Lincoln.
“Mid-level professionals often seek the career development and collaboration opportunities that only in-person work can provide, while senior or established employees tend to value comfort and flexibility. Entry-level employees appreciate some flexibility, but also tend to want to be in the office at least some portion of the week to build their professional and social connections.”
Amid broader calls to return to office, commute time for employees is playing an increasingly crucial role, said Lincoln. According to its report, all cohorts placed a high value on shorter commutes. However, it found that employees tended to be more idealistic than realistic, with three-quarters of respondents say they would not consider going into the office if their commute was longer than a 45-minute roundtrip. Travel times this short are tough to find, with roundtrips averaging more than 50 minutes nationally in the US and more than 65 minutes across the 15 largest office markets.
Location, location, location
Generationally, Baby Boomers are the most averse to longer commutes. More than 60% of Baby Boomers reported commute time as their most important location feature, with only 4% considering a commute longer than an hour and fifteen minutes roundtrip.
The results highlight how important location will be for occupiers as they evaluation their office space, especially as employees weigh the productivity of working at home against the time spent commuting to the office.
Rob Kane, senior executive vice president within Lincoln’s corporate advisory & solutions group, said: “Employees across all demographics report that they want to work in an office environment, but the current office trends aren’t necessarily enticing them. These new insights give corporate occupiers an important opportunity to rethink their office investments and ensure the dollars they spend to create compelling workplaces align with what their employees truly value.”
He added: “The most important thing corporate leaders can do is listen to their employees and avoid making assumptions that can lead to ineffective, costly mistakes. We have worked with hundreds of occupier clients across the country and across a variety of industries and we know there is no one-size-fits-all approach.”
Image © Priscilla Du Preez/Unsplash
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