Office Products News

Survey reveals top 'must have' workplace amenities

Coffee shop tops the list of ‘must haves’.
 
US architecture firm SGA has published a report revealing the most popular amenities in the changing workplace.
 
Given the evolving state of the working environment, many businesses have looked to amenities to transform the traditional workplace and attract people away from at-home offices. 
 
To this end, SGA’s interior design team conducted a multi-generational survey in the US across four categories: health and wellness, productivity and meeting space, daily convenience, and transportation.
 
The top five amenities considered a must-have or strongly desirable were:
  • Coffee shop (87%)
  • Air purification systems (86%)
  • Access to outdoor space (78%)
  • Grab-and-go pre-made breakfast/ lunch (75%)
  • Quiet lounge (72%)
 
SGA noted: “The survey results demonstrate a reflection of larger societal shifts: a greater focus on personal well-being and safety, interest in sustainable modes of transportation, convenient places to grab food and packages, and spaces that facilitate social interactions.”
 
Traditional amenities, such as staffed security desks and reservable meeting rooms, were also important, but new trends have emerged in response to post-COVID working habits and a diversifying workforce. 
 
IT bars (64 per cent), gender neutral restrooms (52 per cent) and bike parking (44 per cent) were among the “modern amenities” workers responded positively towards.
 
For more on this story and other global news from OPI, go to https://www.opi.net/news/region/001-north-america/survey-reveals-top-wor...
 
Aussie office workers hooked on coffee
 
When asked about the key provisions employees would want in their workplace, a free coffee machine was the number one choice of a quarter of Australian respondents in a Nestle Professional survey.
 
The only thing that ranked higher was an early finish on Fridays in summer, coming in at 36.9 per cent.
 
Even more interesting was how coffee machines shaped the perception of a workplace and its culture. Of those surveyed, 30.8 per cent felt that companies without coffee machines were ‘dinosaurs’, with 46.2 per cent believing that meetings were more productive if coffee was involved.
 
Date Published: 
29 August 2023