flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Ability to focus, not perks, is top concern for office employees

Office Buildings

Ability to focus, not perks, is top concern for office employees

Open-plan offices found to worsen distraction problem.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | June 16, 2016
Ability to focus, not perks, is top concern for office employees

Open concept meeting space in an office in Redmond, Wash. Photo: Wonderlane/Creative Commons.

Employees’ top priority in an office environment is to be able to focus without interruptions, according to research by Oxford Economics.

A global survey of more than 1,200 senior executives and non-management employees found that employees want office designs to foster the ability to concentrate, more than any other factor.  Amenities like free food, for instance, are far less important, the research shows.

Managers and employees have much different views on this issue. Nearly two-thirds of executives say employees are equipped with the tools they need to deal with distractions at work; but less than half of employees agree with that notion.

The research suggests that the growing popularity of open-plan offices comes with a cost: Difficulty for many employees to get their work done without distractions. In addition, most managers do not have the technology or strategies in place to deal with these problems.

Related Stories

Mixed-Use | May 2, 2019

A series of green bridges will connect these two towers in Shenzhen, China

Steven Holl Architects designed the project.

Office Buildings | May 2, 2019

HOK’s latest study takes a new look at tech workplaces

The report provides insight into the relative importance of such things as amenities and occupant health for recruiting and retaining workers.

Office Buildings | Apr 25, 2019

Study: Half of corporate and government offices offer wellness programs

Nearly 30% of worksites offer programs for physical activity and fitness, according to the CDC.

Office Buildings | Apr 8, 2019

It’s time for office amenities to get to work

Amenities with the greatest impact on effectiveness and experience are those that directly support the work needs of individual employees and their teams. 

Office Buildings | Apr 8, 2019

Denver office building features 13,000 sf green roof

Dynia Architects designed the building.

Office Buildings | Apr 5, 2019

2019 trends in the workplace

From retention and career advancement to the ethics of inclusion and diversity, these five trends will play a major role this year in design, strategic planning and workplace development.

Industrial Facilities | Mar 10, 2019

The burgeoning Port San Antonio lays out growth plans

Expansions would accommodate cybersecurity, aerospace, and defense tenants, and help commercialize technologies.

Office Buildings | Mar 6, 2019

How to leverage design and culture’s two-way relationship for better workplaces

The relationship between workplace design and company culture isn’t all that different from a tango.

Office Buildings | Feb 15, 2019

A healthier perspective: Office developers bet on wellness amenities to attract top-notch tenants

Owners and developers are driving demand for wellness features and practices—active stairways, biophilia, enhanced air quality, etc.—as one more way draw tenants. 

Office Buildings | Feb 15, 2019

Vancouver’s new office building will be a stack of reflective boxes

OSO and Merrick Architecture designed the building.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Curtain Wall

7 steps to investigating curtain wall leaks

It is common for significant curtain wall leakage to involve multiple variables. Therefore, a comprehensive multi-faceted investigation is required to determine the origin of leakage, according to building enclosure consultants Richard Aeck and John A. Rudisill with Rimkus. 




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021