UK WORKERS LEAST SATISFIED WITH THEIR OFFICE ENVIRONMENT
- Almost half of UK workers are unhappy with the temperature at work
- A third are dissatisfied with the lighting
- Lack of control over work environment is impacting employee engagement
London, June 2nd 2016 – UK workers are the least satisfied with their office ambience, according to new research by Steelcase, the world’s leading workplace solutions provider. The study of over 12,000 workers across 17 countries, carried out by Ipsos, found that a third (33%) of workers say they don’t like their office environment, suffering from a lack of control over making it suit their needs.
45% of UK workers are dissatisfied with the room temperature at work, while 32% are unhappy with the light intensity. Only 39% of respondents say they can adjust the office temperature, while a mere 21% can alter the lighting.
This could be seriously affecting the concentration, productivity and engagement levels of workers, with the study showing that a lack of flexibility and control over the physical work environment correlates with a lack of engagement. In contrast, highly engaged employees are those that have the most flexibility over how and where they work.
The situation in the UK is likely to be influenced by the country’s dominance of open-plan design, with 49% of workers based in this kind of space due to its cost-saving benefits. However, this can limit employees’ individual control over their environment.
Christine Congdon, Director of Global Research Communication and editor of 360 Magazine at Steelcase, commented: “Our research has consistently shown that the most engaged workers are those who have autonomy over how and where they work, whether adjusting the temperature, lighting, or workspace to suit their needs. When people feel like they have choice and control over various aspects of their physical work environment, it leads to greater satisfaction overall.
“Everybody is different and personal preference will depend on an individual’s natural physiology, their mood on a particular day and the task they are working on. To cater to these constantly changing needs, employers should pay more attention to providing a range of working environments, including the ability to adjust workspace basics as required.”
About Steelcase Inc.
For over 100 years, Steelcase Inc. has helped create great experiences for the world’s leading organizations, across industries. We demonstrate this through our family of brands – including Steelcase®, Coalesse®, Details®, Designtex®, Nurture®, PolyVision® and Turnstone®. Together, they offer a comprehensive portfolio of architecture, furniture and technology products and services designed to unlock human promise and support social, economic and environmental sustainability. We are globally accessible through a network of channels, including over 800 dealer locations. Steelcase is a global, industry-leading and publicly traded company with fiscal 2015 revenue of $3.1 billion.
About This Study
Steelcase partnered with the global research firm Ipsos to understand if the workplace can positively influence employee engagement. This study was conducted in 17 countries on four continents with 12,480 office workers to learn the differences and similarities between countries and cultures. This unprecedented research effort measured relevant dimensions of employee engagement and workplace satisfaction. Steelcase synthesized the data in this study with its ongoing qualitative research to arrive at insights about the global workplace and people at work around the world. Download the full report.