What employees want in today's office space

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 agreed on is the value of dedicated seats and private offices, signaling a preference for productivity, efficiency and a sense of belonging, the report found. Even Gen Z respondents, who 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, EVP 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 placed a high value on shorter commutes. Approximately three-quarters of respondents say 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% saying commute time as their most important location feature and only 4% considering a commute longer than an hour and fifteen minutes roundtrip.

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“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 preferred 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 skewed toward a preference for remote work and Gen Z favoring a hybrid arrangement.