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Only one in five happy with their office

As Britain marks Improve Your Office Day (4 October) a survey has revealed just how unhappy the nation’s employees really are with their working environment.

Only one in five people questioned in a Censuswide survey commissioned by office refurb, refit and relocations experts Crown Workplace Relocations, said they were happy with how their office makes them feel.

That figure was even lower in London where little more than one in 10 felt happy – and lower again for those working in the legal profession, with only 4 per cent feeling good about their workplace.

In fact, the figures make worrying reading for business owners with only 15 per cent of employees saying they felt energised by their office, just 12 per cent saying it made them feel creative and only 5 per cent saying it made them feel healthy.

Shaun Baker, Head of Crown Workplace Relocations said: “These figures should make businesses think hard because there’s a lot of evidence that people are most productive when they are happy and healthy at work and feel good about their environment. It can lead to fewer sick days, too.

“Employers should be listening to what staff want from their workplace – and Improve Your Office Day is a good time to start.“

The survey also revealed the top five things that workers hate most about their office:

1. There’s no privacy, 24 per cent

2. It’s too noisy, 22 per cent (rising to 33 per cent in Nottingham)

3. It’s too cluttered (rising to 50 per cent in messy Plymouth)

4. There’s nowhere to eat lunch or take a timeout, 17 per cent

5. It’s too dark, 14 per cent

Baker added: “This shows that it doesn’t have to be expensive to make changes that really improve morale and wellbeing in the workplace.

“The top answers here are not high-tech, they are about creating a more comfortable environment and about making better use of space. With a bit of thought a lot can be achieved – and this may even result in improved productivity.“

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Harriet Robinson .