by Shane Henson — July 10, 2013—Only a quarter of workers feel they can work effectively in their workplace environments, a problem resulting in lost productivity, innovation and worker engagement in companies throughout America, according to the 2013 U.S. Workplace Survey (WPS) recently released by Gensler, a global design and architecture firm.
The survey analyzes responses from more than 2,000 knowledge workers across the United States, examining design factors that impact productivity across the four work modes: focus, collaboration, learning and socializing. Forces from technology to globalization to a new generation of workers appear to be leading fundamental changes to where, when and how today’s knowledge workers perform their jobs, resulting in new performance drivers for today’s workplace. Analysis of those in optimal environments shows that the ability to effectively balance focus and collaboration via strategic workplace design is the key to innovation and success, notes Gensler.
The company’s survey found that workplace effectiveness has declined since 2008, as measured by comparative data between Gensler’s 2013 and 2008 U.S. Workplace Surveys. The inability to focus for many is the key driver of workplace ineffectiveness.
Results show that a lack of effective focus space drags down the effectiveness of all other work modes: collaboration, learning and socializing, as well as the effectiveness of the workplace as a whole. Respondents who can focus report being more satisfied (31%) and higher performing (14%), and see their companies as more innovative (31%).
Interestingly, this pairs with a shift in how employees report spending their time. Despite many workplaces designed expressly to support collaboration, time spent collaborating has decreased (20%), while time spent focusing has increased (13%).
The survey further found that while individual focus and collaborative work are often thought to be opposites, they function best as complements: almost a quarter of survey respondents (24%) report that their workplaces communicate that their companies value individual and collaborative work—a “balanced workplace.” These employees are thriving. Their spaces are more effective for focus (21%) and more effective for collaboration (20%). They also see their companies as more innovative (29%), are more satisfied with their jobs (36%) and their workplace environments (34%), and rate their workplaces as more effective overall (23%).
Just as important to employers seeking to increase worker efficiency and satisfaction, the survey found that those who provide a spectrum of choices for when and where to work are seen as more innovative by their employees, have employees who are more satisfied with their jobs (12%) and report higher effectiveness scores across all four work modes.
Employees without choice report low effectiveness and diminished experience. Those without choice cite organizational policy as the most common reason and are also less likely to have tools that support mobility and “anywhere” working, either inside or outside the office. Interestingly, increasing choice doesn’t necessarily mean working from home. Respondents with choice still spend the majority (70%) of their time in office settings. These respondents cite coming to work for access to people and resources, says Gensler.
