Employees give workplaces a “C” grade when it comes to health and wellness
Employees will leave companies that don’t value choice, wellness and work-life integration
FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Workers continue to resist the one-size-fits-all mentality when it comes
to the workplace, according to the 2019
Staples Workplace Survey. In particular, backlash to the open
workspace trend persists, with over half of employees (52 percent)
saying an open office layout creates distractions, and 40 percent
reporting that their office space is too
open.
But the solution to the open workplace isn’t closing it up; rather,
employees crave choice when it comes to where they work and the
environments that inspire them to be most productive.
Employees see major upside to more choice—an overwhelming majority (90
percent) believe more flexible work arrangements and schedules will
increase morale. Even more compelling for employers, flexibility and
employee retention go hand in hand: Two-thirds of employees (67 percent)
would consider leaving their job if their
work arrangements became less flexible.
A dedicated work-from-home policy may be one of the most effective ways
to introduce flexibility: 64 percent of workers say they work remotely
at least some of the time—yet only one in three employers (34 percent)
have either a formal or informal policy in place.
“Employees no longer embrace the traditional 9-to-5, and instead seek an
environment that accommodates the fact that their needs may change
day-to-day,” said Chris DeMeo, Vice President, Staples Brand Group. “The
smartest employers are acknowledging this reality and offering their
workers more autonomy when it comes to where, when and how they work. It
may be a leap of faith for offices used to the old ways of doing things,
but it’s one that could yield dividends in terms of recruitment,
retention and productivity.”
“Office policies alone are not enough to satisfy employees’ desire for
flexibility,” added Susan Kill, Vice President of Furniture, Staples.
“Workplace design has a huge impact on employee happiness and morale.
You could chase the latest trends—like open versus closed offices—but if
workers aren’t provided the flexibility to choose the setting that
inspires them most, you’re unlikely to maximize their productivity and
perhaps even their longevity with the company.”
Employers also do not have the technology in place to support employees
working remotely, with a minority offering collaboration tools that
allow workers to stay connected, such as cloud-based file management
(offered by just 36 percent) and instant messaging (34 percent).
Employees prioritize wellness, but employers aren’t making the grade
Flexibility is not the only thing workers want their employers to offer
when it comes to work-life integration. Employees also want a healthy
place to work. In fact, they’d be willing to sacrifice cash for it: Two
in five employees (forty-one percent) would take a 10 percent pay cut
for a job that cares more about their health and wellness. More than
three-quarters (78 percent) believe their employers have a
responsibility to help them stay mentally and physically well.
But employers have work to do when it comes to meeting these needs.
Survey respondents only give their employers a “C” grade when asked to
assess their focus on health and wellness. Less than half (42 percent)
of employers offer some sort of wellness program, and just 22 percent of
workers say their offices have a dedicated wellness room that can be
used for things like breastfeeding and employees who need to take
medication.
“We’re learning more and more every day about the connections between
work and our overall wellbeing. We know that stress, extended periods of
sitting, and the prevalence of unhealthy snacks in the office can all
have serious physical consequences, and the mental impact of long, busy
work days can’t be overstated,” added DeMeo. “But employers don’t have
to accept this as ‘the way things are.’ They have so many options for
improving their employees’ health and wellness and bolstering
productivity, ranging from gym reimbursement programs and fresh fruit in
the breakroom, to ergonomic furniture and standing desks, to even
dedicated ‘mental health days’ for employees feeling worn down.”
Additional trends identified in the 2019 Staples Workplace Survey
include:
-
Mental health days—both official and unofficial—are
common, with 41 percent of employees having taken them. Among
those who explicitly told their supervisor they were taking a mental
health day, 92 percent say their employer was supportive.
-
Nearly one-third of Millennials are unlikely to be at the same job
five years from now, citing increased earning potential as their
main motivator.
-
Across the board, employees with disabilities are less likely to
find that their offices accommodate their needs. For example,
two-thirds say their office space meets their physical needs, versus
82 percent of workers with no disability, and while more than three
quarters (77 percent) of employees without disabilities say their
office spaces enable productivity, only 64 percent of employees with
disabilities agree.
About
the 2019 Staples Workplace Survey
These findings are from a poll KRC Research conducted on behalf of
Staples in October 2018. A sample of 1,001 office workers in the U.S.
and Canada was interviewed online. To qualify, respondents had to be
adults who spent at least 10 percent of their time working in an office
setting.
About Staples, Inc.
Staples helps the world work better with work solutions that deliver
industry-leading products, services and expertise across office
supplies, facilities, breakroom, furniture, technology, promotional
products, and print and marketing services. The company supports
businesses of all sizes, with fast delivery capabilities, across
multiple channels, including direct sales, e-commerce and mobile.
Headquartered near Boston, Mass., Staples operates in North America.
More information about Staples is available at www.staples.com.