

Another benefit of having a physical office, which ties into company culture, is that it ensures everyone has equal working conditions. Workplaces need to maintain certain standards by law – from equipment and desk furniture to office temperature.
OFFICETIME PRO PROFESSIONAL
Office activities such as team building events, where people see each other in person and interact as a group, boost team spirit, create a social buzz and help turn professional relationships into personal ones. Whether it’s a work-related topic or a personal problem shared, this builds social cohesion, important connections between colleagues and helps to create a stronger company culture. The value of ‘water cooler’ conversations in offices is well documented, as these in-between spaces provide locations for colleagues to exchange stories and talk about their experiences face to face. Without a physical space, it’s harder to implement activities and practices that create a strong company culture. What employees experience day to day in the office has a huge influence on a company’s reputation, and how it attracts and retains talent. Offices influence company cultureĬulture impacts a person’s wellbeing at work, and ensures they are more engaged and passionate about their role. Being able to mentally switch off from work helps to reduces stress. While balancing home and work life can keep us on our toes at the best of times, the office provides a clear place of work, which employees can physically leave at the end of each day. This creates an energy and a positive working atmosphere which can’t be replicated remotely or through video calls, and is essential for the success of any team. It’s also easier for colleagues to communicate with each other, read moods and emotions, and bounce ideas off one another in a shared space. Ideas can be shared and developed more easily as a team. Offices play a vital role in collaboration, creating an environment for collective innovation, productivity and wellbeing, as well as spaces where employees can work and relax. Offices optimise innovation and collaboration According to a report by Centre for Cities, placing office spaces on local high streets where people are living as well as working helps to revitalise regions, as this places office workers amongst other businesses that rely on their trade.


Meanwhile, people don’t want to return to their traditional commutes, with 85% wanting to work more locally in the future ( TownSq). Offices boost local economiesĬommunities have been massively affected by the drop in footfall of office workers’ spending. Whereas a return to the daily office commute lacks appeal to those who have enjoyed the flexibility of home working, a balance between the two is the logical solution, with a mix of office and home working favoured by the vast majority of employees. 41% of employees have felt more anxious and isolated than ever due to lockdown, while 42% admitted they had struggled with their mental health more than usual in recent months ( Vision Direct). So, what benefits do offices provide to businesses and employees, and why is returning to the office to work, even for part of the time, advantageous for both? Offices improve employee wellbeingĪs offices start to reopen, companies need to consider the wellbeing of their workforce. This shows that businesses still see a huge value in people being together, particularly for team morale, so the physical office space is still arguably just as important for building collaboration and maintaining a positive workplace culture. Overall, this change has been positive with 47% of UK businesses in our recent Future of Work survey naming flexible and remote working as their top positive change and 75% of employees in the Adecco Group’s global survey wanting a mix of office-based and remote working.ĭespite this, 28% of businesses in our survey said their teams would be permanently office based while 50% said they wouldn’t hire permanent remote workers. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the role of the office, with many employees switching to home working and adapting well to the remote environment.
