The Perfect Office - Do You and Your Boss Agree?

 Office spaces have seen some progress in recent years. Becoming more eco-friendly and comfortable, we’ve slowly moved away from the boxy cubicle to be more open plan. Communal areas have been upgraded to be more social and technology is continuing to make things easier for us. And it’s for good reason, we spend a lot of time in the office, it’s important that everyone feels comfortable there. But do you and your boss agree on what makes the perfect office space? A recent study undertaken by MoneySuperMarket explored the differences. The study brings together the opinions of Employers and Employees from three different sectors; Business & HR, Media & Marketing and Creative and findings varied. Varying Opinions In Business & HR, for example, employees wanted sofas and communal areas in the office whereas employers tended to favour meeting rooms. Not a particularly surprising outcome, you might expect that business owners would want more spaces that streamline productivity and new business but what is surprising is that both employers and employees both seem to want flexible working. A consistent 54% said they would like flexible working hours. Which is interesting because currently less than half of all employees are offered the option of it. As a matter of fact, flexible working is highly favoured amongst employees in all sectors, with 71% of those in the marketing & media sector and 69% of creative employees. Interestingly creative business owners agreed least that flexible working hours made the perfect office (47%). The opportunity to sit back and take your mind off your workload with a video game is something that is not widely offered or recognised in the office yet. But as much as 46% of creative employees said that video games were at home in the workplace and surprisingly… their bosses agree. 45% of creative business owners would have video games in the office, so if you’re a gamer, consider a career in the creative industry. Style Style is subjective and tastes will always differ. But what is interesting is the trend that can be seen amongst particular sectors. When it comes to style, most agree that a colourful and airy office with plenty of natural light is best. However, those working in media & marketing tend to prefer a modern, metallic and hi-tech building. Wellbeing & Luxury What’s funny is that employees and employers throughout every sector all agreed that a coffee machine is essential to the perfect office - on average over 60% for both employees and employers. Seems regardless of position, we’re all a little bit caffeine-addicted. Business & HR showed the highest interest for free office soft drinks and meals whereas Creative had their sights set higher on sleeping pods and games tables. Location Across the board, there are differences in opinion between employers and employees about location. While most employees prefer good public transport options or offices close to home, it seems that most business owners prefer to drive to work, showing a higher desire for convenient parking. This is especially true across Media & Marketing and Creative where over 59% of business owners said parking was essential to the perfect office. Creating a comfortable office environment is all down to the culture of the business. What do you think makes the perfect office? Regardless of what kind of culture you want to work in, we can help you with a new role where your boss and you see eye to eye. Get in touch today to discuss the next steps of your career.