Workforce Trends & Occupancy Study Captures Insights to Help Advance Greater Des Moines & Downtown DSM

The Greater Des Moines Partnership, Bâton Global and Reworc have released the results of the DSM Workforce Trends and Occupancy study as it relates to the regional workforce, including Downtown Des Moines (DSM).

The study included nearly 5,200 participants from 18 organizations to identify trends specific to the Greater Des Moines (DSM) region and Downtown DSM. This is the first-of-its-kind community-level study of knowledge workers in the world. Insights will be used to drive action steps in the Downtown DSM: Future Forward vision plan and action plan to be finalized in coming months.

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The study helped organizers uncover 10 key insights so far, five regarding the future of work and five regarding the future of Downtown DSM.

Insights related to the future of work in Greater Des Moines include:

• Deep Work: Knowledge workers are placing highest value upon activities that are more complex, collaborative and judgement-based. Things like analyzing, programming, coaching and designing are what lead to success, according to participants.
• Just Do It: The study found a key opportunity for employers is to allow for more time to do deep work and less time in meetings.
• The Total Package: Salary, work-life balance and employee benefits constitute the base of the employee value proposition. These were the top three most important organizational attributes for participants, with the strongest interest and expectations regarding salary.
• A Needed Shift: Today’s organizational culture in DSM puts emphasis on performance, stability and control. However, participants feel more teamwork and innovation will be necessary for organizations to achieve their highest aspirations in the future.
• The Future of Hybrid: Pre-pandemic, time spent working from the office vs. at home was 85%/15%. Now it is 40% in office vs. 60% at home, and study participants signaled a desire for this 40%/60% split to continue in the future. Executives who took the survey preferred a split of 60% in office and 40% at home. The data shows that employers can create meaningful in-person experiences at the office that are connected to socialization and make onsite the new offsite.

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Insights related to the future of Downtown DSM include:

• Memorable Experiences: Cultural events, socializing and outdoor recreation drive high Downtown DSM utilization, satisfaction and were a priority for respondents.
• Generational Approach: Age is a lead driver in the variation of preferences and utilization of Downtown. For example, people in their 20s use Downtown DSM more than anyone else and parking is more important to people 50 years and older
• Build It and They Will Come: A total of 86% of study participants said they would utilize Downtown more with continued improvements.
• Step by Step: A total of 50% of study participants desire greater walkability vs. drivability, with concentrated parking, and another 32% feel today’s ratio between walking and driving is ideal.
• Building for the Future: Work is changing, and how people are using Downtown DSM is changing. These trends are evolving in parallel. Downtown DSM and its office environments must satisfy people’s need for connection rather than just being a space for their work duties.

“We have a history of coming together as one region to advance our region, and this is an exciting time for our community and for Downtown DSM as we get to create the future together,” said Tiffany Tauscheck, Chief Operations Officer at the Greater Des Moines Partnership and President of Downtown DSM, Inc. “We have a rare opportunity to reimagine and redesign Downtown DSM and make it a model for other communities to emulate.”

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