Office Conditions and Amenities Weigh on Worker Attitudes

Eighty percent of workers said the overall condition of their office buildings affects how they perceive their employers, according to a Blumberg press release. One in three workers surveyed said they have either accepted or left a job based on “the condition of the building and/or the amenities offered,” the release said.

The survey found the most-frequent office condition complaint aired by workers (47%) was extreme office temperatures due to poor heating, air-conditioning and ventilation systems. Other common complaints included unclean/under-stocked restrooms (31%), outdated furniture and decor (28%), unexplained odors or foul/unclean air (21%), rodents/insects (20%), theft/crime (21%), and leaky ceilings and windows (21%).

About a quarter of the respondents ranked the cleanliness of their buildings as either “marginal” or “appalling.” One in three workers said they were concerned about getting sick or injured from unhealthy or unsafe building conditions.

Nearly half of respondents described their office buildings and office environments as “bland” (36%), “dumpy” (7%), or “stodgy” (4%).

When asked to rank office building amenities, survey respondents cited “covered parking” as the most important feature, followed by “subsidized cafeteria or restaurant,” “fitness or workout center,” and “on-site day care.”

While 89% of respondents indicated their office buildings are safe in terms of their personal security, around 34% of respondents raised concerns about the safety of their personal belongings. Seventy-eight percent said they would like security cameras at the workplace; more than half cited “security guards on patrol,” and 28% said they want “metal detectors or other weapons-check measures.”

The survey findings are based on a national online survey of 500 adults who spend the majority of their workday in one office building. The poll was conducted from December 14-17, 2007, using a nationwide Internet panel.

Complete survey results can be found at www.blumbergcapitalpartners.com .