Returning Office Workers to Bosses: “Ditch the Ping Pong Tables and Bring on Office Gyms and Private Workspaces”

Survey finds employees returning to the office want less mandatory fun and more perks that improve their work-life satisfaction.

As companies try to lure employees back to the office by offering everything from free lunch to private concerts, a new survey reveals that employees want yoga studios, office gyms, and designated quiet spaces where they can work in peace rather than perks like ping pong tables and gaming consoles.

The survey findings show that employees are less interested in fun and games during the work day and more hungry for perks that enhance their work-life satisfaction. Key highlights include:

• Almost half of all office workers identified fitness perks, such as yoga studios and office gyms (46%), and access to a designated quiet space (44%) as the office perks they want most
• Many employees expressed concerns about returning to open-plan offices, with 41 percent reporting that their ability to concentrate in an open-floor plan office has significantly worsened after the pandemic.
• More than one-third (35%) of office workers say that communal games like ping pong and gaming consoles are the least wanted office perk
• Almost half of the office workers are dreading the commute the most as they return to work (44%), followed by office dress codes and communal bathrooms

HR Technology News: Simpay Announces Gary Breeds as Vice President of Marketing

“The findings should put a final nail in the coffin of the ping pong tables, beer kegs, scooters, and other artifacts of ‘mandatory fun’ office culture,” said Samu Hällfors, CEO of Framery, which commissioned the survey.

Rather, Hällfors said, the survey findings highlight that after two years of bringing the office into our homes, employees are eager to replicate the best work-from-home perks in the workplace.

“Working from home made it possible for people to exercise more regularly and to do more quality work without the constant interruptions of the open office,” said Hällfors. “These are tangible benefits that made employees happier and more productive, and it’s clear that they don’t want to give them up as they return to the office.”

He added: “Employers are navigating complex challenges to lure their employees back into the office, but have little research or the strategy of what will work. We hope these survey results will shed some light on what employees want most when they return.”

HR Technology News: Four Employee Health and Wellness Trends to Watch in 2022

Feelback Group conducted the survey on behalf of Framery, a manufacturer of soundproof phone booths and pods used by nearly 40 percent of Forbes 100 companies, including Microsoft, Puma, and Tesla.

Framery unveiled the survey findings in conjunction with the launch of a contest to help companies offer employees more designated quiet spaces. Dubbed “Perks for Pods,” the campaign is inviting companies and employees to exchange their most unused office perk for a free Framery One soundproof pod. To win a pod, entrants can submit a photo of any unloved perk – from the foosball table nobody uses to the uncomfortable bean bag chairs. After the winners trade in their perk for a pod, Framery will donate it to a school, children’s hospital, or community center in the winner’s city. The deadline for entries is August 31, 2022.

HR Technology News: EngageSmart Appoints Alan Canzano as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategy

[To share your insights with us, please write to sghosh@martechseries.com]