Research reveals opportunity for employers to increase creativity and productivity in the workplace
Bringing the benefits of homeworking into the workplace could be key to aiding employee productivity and creativity.
A study by global workplace creation experts, Unispace, has found that the majority of workplaces are not set up to enable staff to work to their best ability. The results, as surveyed by 3,000 office workers and 2,750 employers across Europe, found that despite 78% of businesses stating that their office has been set up to enable staff to be creative and productive, over half (52%) of employers noted that creativity and innovation among their employees increased while work from home guidance was in place. Full findings can be found in Promoting workplace creativity and productivity.
This data suggests that there is a mismatch between what employers believe is a productive environment and what staff really want. For example, according to the study, 22% of staff who were reluctant to head back into the office felt that they were more effective in a quiet environment at home and 20% believed they were more productive away from their current office space due to the set-up.
Over three quarters of office workers (77%) said it was easier to bond with and get to know colleagues in the office. This suggests that workers need separate spaces for individual work and in-person collaboration to be truly productive, with 74% of office workers indicating they are keen to see this separation.
Matthew Zych, Regional Director, Central Europe at Unispace comments:
“Following the pandemic, with new habits and preferences having been formed, employers now have the opportunity to re-assess how their staff most effectively utilize workspaces and how people can best be equipped to be productive when working both in and out of the office. What we have found in this research is that the majority of employers have not yet recognized that staff felt more productive when working from home, because they had access to an environment they found more suitable for completing different types of work throughout the day.
“The modern workplace needs to strike a balance between enabling collaboration and individual work. That includes having separate breakout areas for group socialization and spaces for focus work, private conversations and meetings.”
About Unispace
A strategy, design, and construction leader creating people-centric spaces for a rapidly changing world. Unispace is a global firm that offers a unified team solution for creating spaces that spark brilliance, deepen connections, foster a sense of belonging and propel success. With 5,500 projects completed, a presence across 26 countries, and 800+ employees worldwide, Unispace creates spaces powered by collaborative client partnerships, delivered seamlessly across borders, and enabled by real-world insights.
Unispace was founded in 2010. After ten years as a privately owned business that experienced unparalleled growth internationally, Unispace was acquired by leading private equity firm PAG in 2021. PAG is one of the world’s largest Asia-focused private investment firms, with a network of 200 seasoned investment professionals in nine key offices around the world.
