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Poorly built offices cost the economy £4bn a year in lost economic output, according to Mace.
Research by the firm found that one in five UK workers have around two unproductive hours every week caused by poor or inadequate office and work environments.
Across the whole of the UK, the average amount of time lost to unproductive workplaces is 2.4 hours a week. Using Office of National Statistics value of time data this translates to a cost of £4bn in lost output every year to the UK economy, Mace said.
18-24 year olds are the age group most affected by poorly designed workplaces with 25% of those questioned saying they are unproductive for as many as eight hours a month
Among the factors identified by Mace and its facilities management arm Mace Macro that contribute to poor quality offices were a lack of natural light, noise, and a lack of coffee and tea facilities.
The new analysis, conducted by a former Bank of England economist, urges businesses of all sizes to review their office spaces to ensure the design and facilities benefit the mental health and wellbeing of their staff.
Mace claimed that doing so could “radically” boost productivity, with previous research showing that happy workers increase productivity by 12%, whereas unhappy workers decrease productivity by 10%.
The paper also points to the development of ‘smart buildings’ as a way of boosting workplace productivity and improving business bottom lines. Mace advocated the use of sensors throughout an office to help employers better understand how to control temperature, security and the stationing of facilities such as water coolers to respond to employee needs.
Ross Abbate, global managing director of Mace Macro, said: “Property is one of the single largest outlays for any business. However, most businesses tend not to think about the purpose of their offices until their lease is up for review.
“A well-designed workspace with the right facilities and most up to date technology could have a dramatic impact on the productivity levels of the company as a whole. A few minor improvements could significantly improve a business’ ability to attract and retain talented staff and help boost its growth potential. But that can only be achieved if procurement focusses on the desired outcomes and not just the cheapest service.”
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I would think that excessive reporting, over fragmented teams, cumbersome IT, lengthy team meetings and lots of other factors play important roles as well.
On a more mundane level, I used to work for a major UK construction company (go on, guess which one!) who in the space of four years had to refurbish their own head office toilets three times because they kept failing to match provision with demand. This lead to a steady flow of people up and down stairs all day every day hunting for a cubicle. Sometimes even the basics catch people out!