Study Shows Employees Want Better Workplaces

When you are a part of a workplace, you may want your office to be kept to a certain standard.

According to a recent survey, you are not the only one with that expectation.

The Staples Business Advantage Workplace Employee Survey took into account 507 full-time Canadian workers who spend at least 10 per cent of their time working in an office setting. Topics they were asked involved current trends in the workplace, workplace distractions, remote working, health and wellness, seasonal and vacation habits, and office and facility management.

The study showed that workplace factors have a massive impact when hiring new employees. Out of those surveyed, 48 per cent consider the look and feel of a workplace to be a major factor in selecting an employer. What’s more is 22 per cent of those surveyed would even consider quitting a job if the workplace became too out of date.

On top of that, 40 percent of workers think the option of working remotely should be a must have benefit, yet only 35 per cwnt said their companies allow this. The 57 per cwnt of surveyed workers who do work outside of the office say that they do so because it removes distractions that occur at the office.

“Today’s office environments have to accommodate a wide range of employee needs and expectations,” says Michael Zahra, president of Staples Business Advantage Canada.

“As our customers call on us to take a greater role in setting up and maintaining their office environments, we’re working closely with them to find creative ways to stay on top of these workplace trends.”

The survey found that 81 per cent of surveyed employees believe that their employers have an obligation to keep them mentally and physically healthy. Workplaces are often stressful environments, yet only 36 per cent of employees have taken a mental health day.

Employers can improve an office experience for workers by adding better seating arrangements, mental and physical wellness rooms, well furnished break areas, and up-to-date technology to the workplace.

This will not only help employees enjoy their time at the office, it also keeps them mentally and physically healthy, which will lead to better productivity.

The Staples Annual Workplace Survey was conducted by KRC Research on behalf of Staples from February 16 to March 2, 2018. 507 full-time employees were surveyed in Canada.

For more information on the survey:

www.staplesbusinessadvantage.ca/workplace-employee-survey