87% of EMEA Workers say the Office is Still Necessary - Construction Network Ireland - Construction Network Ireland

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Published in Commercial Property on 04/08/2021

87% of EMEA Workers say the Office is Still Necessary

#savills

CNI Editor reports

Results from a representative Savills Office FiT 2021 survey of over 100,000 landlord and occupier clients and office workers across the UK and EMEA conducted in April 2021 show that:

  • 87% of EMEA workers say the office is still necessary, with respondents from Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, France and Czech Republic most supportive
  • Alternative work locations have gained greater attention, with 19% of respondents willing to work from a client office (10% in June 2020’s UK Office FiT survey) and 12% willing to work from flexible offices (up from 3%)
  • The three most desired office design changes are a managed flow of people so that the office occupancy peaks and troughs are balanced (71%); health and wellbeing initiatives (49%) and a building application to understand quality of air, book desks, etc. (38%)
  • The three most desired upgrades to current offices are improved personal safety (79%), less noise (74%) and a reduction in bad odours/smell (71%)

Commenting on the survey, Andrew Cunningham, Director of Offices at Savills Ireland commented: “Current leasing activity in the Dublin market confirms that the future of the office is bright – but it will also be different, as these results reveal. 18 months away from the office has given employees time to re-evaluate what they want from it, so employers will need to adapt. The office environment needed to change – the pandemic is speeding up this change which, I believe, will ensure it continues to play a key role in working-life.”

Mike Barnes, Associate Savills European Research, adds: “Since our previous UK survey results published in June last year, the preference to work in a town/city centre has risen from 40% to 52%, as lockdown measures have eased and workers seek a return to working in city centres. Similarly, the need for flexibility is on the rise and will become more and more important, as illustrated by the growth in preference for working in client and flexible offices.

“We will see a flight to quality workplaces among occupiers, as companies will use their real estate as a differentiator to secure, and keep, the best talent.”