Despite changes in working patterns, as many as 84% of employees still come to the office at least once a week, with 61% working solely in the office, reveals OFFICE UX IN POLAND. User-Friendly Offices. Factors Impacting the Usefulness and Perception of a Work Environment, the latest report from global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield. What do workers want from the office today? More than half of respondents expect free parking and easy commutes under 15 minutes. Despite the implementation of desk sharing in many companies, 62% of workers still have assigned desks. It is noteworthy that more than half of workers have a positive view of the design and functionality of an office building. Of additional amenities provided by office buildings and valued by users, F&B facilities were important to almost a third of survey respondents.
The lockdown experience of 2020 has not brought about a lasting revolution – a vast majority of employees still use the office, with employers committed to ensuring that it strengthens their organisational culture and fosters integration and collaboration. The pandemic has, however, provided an impetus to rethink workspaces, with a growing number of companies consciously wanting to develop workplace strategies. This is why analysis of office user experience (UX) is so important,
explains Mariola Bitner, Head of Workplace Strategy, Cushman & Wakefield.
Location still top of mind
Those living in the largest cities in particular value their time highly and do not want to waste it commuting to and from the office. This is why there is such strong demand for best-connected office buildings in central locations providing access to a wide range of F&B facilities and services. Our MarketBeat report summarising the first quarter of 2024 on the Warsaw office market shows that tenants are still firmly focused on office optimisation, with a year-on-year increase of 4% in the number of leases signed but a lower total take-up volume. At the same time, the vacancy rate in central Warsaw fell by 3.4 pp over the year to 9.6% as development activity remained subdued,
says Ewa Derlatka-Chilewicz, Head of Research, Cushman & Wakefield.
Users give positive reviews to offices
The report’s findings on office user experience have confirmed our observations that, unfortunately, there is still a lot to be done in terms of adapting office buildings to the needs of people with disabilities. Only 37% of respondents have rated them well and as many as 30% strongly believe that the design and internal layout of their office building are clearly inadequate for people with disabilities,
adds Mariola Bitner.
Office users have very diverse needs, with more than half (54%) admitting that they access only the space leased by their companies and that the communal areas of an office building are less important to them. In addition, 48% say that upon entering a building they usually want to get to their office and start work as soon as possible without being distracted by anything. On the other hand, 45% of respondents go to a restaurant or a café in their office building at least once a month and 36% access shops and other amenities. Around a third also access break-out spaces and gyms,
says Joanna Blumert, Head of Occupier Services, Cushman & Wakefield.
The integrative role of the office
As many as 82% of employees are happy to meet their team in person rather than virtually, with 44% feeling so often or always. This is an important incentive for employees working hybrid to come to the office. Half of respondents also sometimes feel sad to see few people in the office. The presence of others is important because according to 71% of those surveyed it sometimes motivates them further to deliver better performance. More than half of respondents appreciate attractions organised in their office building and the office. This is important guidance for employers and office building managers to be aware of,
says Mariola Bitner.