Workers in private offices most productive
Nearly eight of 10 (77 per cent) of American office workers are happy with their current working environment, according to a survey.
Most employees working in private offices (90 per cent), open floor with private offices (79 per cent), open floor with assigned space (74 per cent), open floor with no assigned space (73 per cent) and cubicles (67 per cent) expressed positive feelings about their current work environment, according to the Olivet Nazarene University’s The Truth About Modern Offices study based on a survey of 2,009 respondents.
Of those respondents, 34 per cent work in offices with a mix of open floor and private offices, 28 per cent work in cubicles, 21 per cent in private offices, 13 per cent in open floor and assigned space and four per cent in open floor with no assigned space.
Nearly seven in 10 (67 per cent) of workers also said they are as productive as they can be in their office environment: 83 per cent of those in private offices, 66 per cent in open floor with private offices, 62 per cent in open floor with assigned space, 61 per cent in open floor with no assigned space and 60 per cent in cubicles.
Noise not appreciated
Asked what they need to be productive at work, the top response was a quiet location (35 per cent) followed by a dedicated office space (24 per cent) and a comfortable chair or desk (22 per cent). Employees also listed natural light, free drinks, comfortable meeting spaces and free snacks among the things that make them happiest in the office.
More than half (53 per cent) of employees also regularly wear headphones in the office.
