It's a New Year, and we at Cresa are always looking for new ways to help tenants cut cost and improve efficiency.  This includes leveraging cutting-edge research to determine what people think about their work environments and what they might expect in the future.  Accordingly, Cresa recently co-sponsored the "World's Largest Workplace Study" through a partnership with HOK, a leading global architectural firm. The survey collected more than 3,600 responses from people in several countries and across multiple industries. It measured demographic data, how employees feel about and function within their workspaces, and included issues such as commute time, number of hours working at home, access to natural light, and illness on 

the job.

Getting Social

The survey featured a unique approach:  It used Facebook (with over one billion users) as well as LinkedIn to connect with a wide array of workplace employees other than corporate real estate professionals.

Spearheading Cresa's involvement in this initiative was Jeff Gagnon, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Strategies, Cresa San Francisco, who works with Cresa clients throughout the country to plan and implement innovative workplace solutions.

Survey Highlights

The findings of our survey include the following: 

• Workers are usually at their desks no more than half the time.
• Forty percent of office workers believe they can work at home at least three days a week, with the right technology and management support.
• One-quarter of respondents commute an hour or more to work.
• The biggest perceived office performance inhibitors are that the workplace is too loud and lacks privacy.
• Eighty-two percent report some kind of physical ailment at work, especially when they are seated; this begs the need for better ergonomic solutions to protect employees' hands, backs, shoulders, etc.
• Natural light promotes productivity at work.

Tenant Takeaway

As a tenant, you need to look toward the inevitable changes in the workplace of tomorrow.  You need to evaluate changing workforce dynamics, cultural realities, and how your next generation of workers can be most productive.  Cutting occupancy costs and improving productivity will enhance the bottom line.

To be sure, the virtual office is here to stay.  To what extent will it work for you? 

There will be challenges in adopting an alternative workplace program, which we will address in an upcoming email bulletin.  Meanwhile, our advisors and project managers would be pleased to help you evaluate your plans for workplaces today and tomorrow.

Hey, it's a New Year.  And there are many opportunities to plan workplace optimization solutions in the days ahead.