Office workers want perks that improve their work-life satisfaction

Do “fun” office perks like ping-pong really work? We commissioned a survey to learn what people want in order to come back to the office.

Companies are eager to get people to return to the office. But the pool tables, beanbags, and ball pit meeting rooms they left behind aren’t going to bring them back. In fact, 57% of workers agree that access to privacy is the best office perk.

In the post-lockdown world, companies are trying to lure employees back to the office by offering everything from free lunch to private concerts. But a new survey reveals that employees want yoga studios, office gyms, and designated quiet spaces where they can work in peace – rather than “fun” perks like ping pong tables and gaming consoles.

Through the survey over 4000 white-collar respondents shared exactly what they want in order to return to the office. 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% 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
  • Nearly 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

“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 Framery’s Founder & CEO, Samu Hällfors.

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,” says 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.”

Methodology

The survey data was collected through the world’s largest panel, Cint, in May 2022. In total, 4,044 white-collar respondents from all U.S. states between 18-75 years old answered. For the survey, white-collar occupations meant expert, managerial, or administrative positions. 

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