Office workers feel a sustainable workplace is more important than an annual bonus

Design of the Workplace – a new report by Foster + Partners and Brookfield Properties – revealed that 90% of office employees believe that sustainable workspace design is good for both the planet and their wellbeing.

Released at Ecocity World Summit in London, the report surveyed over 3,400 office workers and revealed:

• Eight out of ten employees aged 18 to 29 feel it’s important that their company is run in a sustainable way.
• 34% believe having a sustainable workspace is deemed more important than an annual bonus.
• Almost a third of office workers would consider leaving their job if their company didn’t demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.
• 87% of office workers believe that workspaces need to be evaluated for robustness on the sustainability front and for their health and safety.

The report also examined what specifications make a good workplace experience – an invaluable blueprint at a time when 75% of office workers feel more productive and creative when in an office environment versus working from home.

The preferred specifications included: good quality air ventilation (48%) and natural ventilation (36%); natural lighting (46%) and clever lighting (44%); fast internet connection (43%); effective heating control (37%); recycling facilities (35%); and adaptable desks and chairs (34%).

90% of office employees believe that sustainable workspace design is good for both the planet and their wellbeing.

65% of office workers were unaware of their office’s carbon footprint but almost three-quarters wanted to know more about the sustainable credentials of their offices.

Post-pandemic, office design is an important factor in terms of employee satisfaction, productivity, retention and wellbeing. Importantly, a quarter of office workers stated that an environmentally unfriendly office impacted both their mental and physical health.

To coincide with Design of the Workplace report, Brookfield Properties and Foster + Partners showcased a workstation installation at Ecocity World Summit at London’s Barbican, which featured products designed by the architecture practice.

Dan Sibert, senior partner at Foster + Partners, said: “Research data shows that the fit-out of a typical building has far greater carbon emissions than its structure. Using technology, we can isolate components to see how those choices impact the carbon footprint of the project. We have developed the idea of a ‘timeless fitout’ that can change over time and adapt to the evolving nature of the workplace, using higher quality materials that last longer. The result is a sustainable, human-centric workplace, that is equipped to face the challenges of the future.”