Spatial variety is the spice of office life

Today’s workforce desires an experience that is intentional, aligned, and purpose-driven—and one that continuously adapts to workers’ evolving expectations. To remain agile in a volatile market, organizations must rethink the return on investment they expect from their workplaces.

Those are some of the conclusions that Gensler draws in its just-released Global Workplace Survey 2025, based on an online survey of 16,809 full-time office workers across 15 countries and 10 industries. The polling was conducted from August 24 through December 3, 2024.

Since 2008, Gensler has measured workplace effectiveness based on five work modes: working alone, working with others virtually, working with others in-person, learning, and socializing.  The firm’s Workplace Performance Index gathers data from all employees and benchmarks results against Gensler’s global research. Aggregately over time, this diagnostic tool has encompassed 101 million data points from 766,663 respondents in more than 78 countries.

Looking beyond the corporate workspace

The No. 1 reason why employees come to their offices is to “focus on my work,” followed by “scheduled in-person meetings,” “socializing with colleagues,” and access to technology. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, time spent working with others has increased. Notably, 80% of the survey’s respondents have made meaningful connections at work with people of different ages, and 78% with coworkers at varying role levels. Additionally, 82% reported a high level of belonging and community with their colleagues, reflecting strong workplace cohesion.

How satisfied workers are with their workspaces, however, can vary widely. Gensler cites three key findings from its survey:

1 — Physical space is improving, but incremental change isn’t enough. Most people are in the office 55% of the time, but say they need to be there 65% to be at their best. This disparity has presented design opportunities.

Newer office designs have improved access to spaces for critical work activities. And newly remodeled post-pandemic workspaces are outperforming older spaces in several key areas. In the overall office environment, the percentage of employees who feel they have a choice in where they work has risen from 64% in pre-pandemic offices to 76% in recently remodeled workplaces. Additionally, newer offices score higher on ratings of key environmental factors, such as lighting, air quality, temperature control, and cleanliness.

In newer office spaces, the proportion of employees who find it easy to find space to engage in face-to-face interactions has risen to 80%, from 70% pre-pandemic. “By intentionally aligning their work activities with the right spaces, employees could unlock significant improvements in both work experience and performance,” the survey’s authors state.

The survey also found, though, that distractions, such as loud conversations among employees, still taint the office experience. Technology helps, but larger meeting rooms aren’t always available, leak noise, and are sometimes equipped with furniture and lighting that aren’t conducive to collaboration.

2 — Employees are looking to move past the corporate workplace experience. Workers want workplaces that integrate lifestyle, convenience, and well-being. But globally, only 38% of employees strongly agree that their workplace provides a great experience. More to the point, only about one-fifth (21%) of the survey’s respondents working in updated spaces felt meaningfully included in the decision-making process of their remodel, redesign, or update, while 29% felt little to no involvement.

There also remain gaps in employees’ current workplace versus workers’ ideals. For example, more than twice as many employees currently work in a corporate-style setting than want to. Thirteen percent of respondents would prefer a “creative lab” environment versus 8% who actually work in one. The same pattern is evident about collaborative hubs and workplaces with a “nature retreat” vibe. Employees express a preference for outdoor workspaces, emphasizing the growing desire for access to fresh air, natural light, and a connection to nature while working.

Employees, in fact, value a diverse range of workplace settings and amenities beyond individual workstations and conference rooms. The most sought-after include food hall spaces (including cafes and markets) and work cafes/coworking areas. This highlights the importance of social spaces where employees can take breaks, collaborate informally, or grab a quick refreshment. Lounges and rest/nap spaces further suggest that employees seek informal areas to relax and recharge throughout the day.

Virtually all the survey’s respondents who strongly agree their workplaces provide a great experience are also satisfied with the office’s neighborhood 

3 — Great workplaces effectively enable working together in person. Gensler’s survey categorizes seven ways of working with others in offices, led by scheduled group meetings (42% of those polled), scheduled meetings with two or three people, and informal one-on-one conversations.

The survey found that the traditional conference room is no longer the ideal location for all ways of working with others. Instead, the most effective spaces vary by the type of activity, with flexible co-creation spaces ranking among the top three preferences for nearly all in-person teamwork activities.

Analyzing the data by industry, flexible co-creation spaces emerge as the preferred choice for in-person work activities—except in the government and nonprofit sectors, where traditional conference rooms with chairs are ranked as the top choice for supporting their in-person work needs. This shift underscores the growing demand for comfortable, adaptable environments in the workplace.

Gensler contends that great workplace experiences influence employees’ behavior, engagement, and relationship with the company.  For instance, 70% of employees in higher-rated workplaces report experimenting with new ways of working, compared to just 14% in lower-rated workplaces. Similarly, those with great workplace experiences are 3.7 times more likely to take time to reflect and 2.6 times more likely to engage in impromptu meetings with colleagues.

At a time when many companies struggle to find and hold onto talent, employees in great workplaces are 1.5 times more likely to stay with the company for the next year, and 3.6 times more likely to feel the workplace helps attract and retain talent.

Space should be dynamic

Gensler concludes by stating that the workplace is a “dynamic tool for productivity, culture, and well-being.” To maintain this dynamism, companies need to “fix the non-negotiables” like noise reduction and tech integration; design their workspaces for diverse usage; design in ways that craft shared experiences that empower the cocreation of solutions; and embrace continuous change.

“By addressing persistent challenges, prioritizing employee needs, and embracing flexibility, companies can create workplaces that do more than function; they inspire, Gensler states.