Everyone wants to know what amenities would bring people back to the office. As employees first started returning, many companies focused on spaces to bring people together, such as social spaces that spur casual interactions and create community. Food amenities ranging from break rooms to cafeterias are now table stakes, and are no longer differentiators. Fifty-eight percent of U.S. companies now provide a work café — and when they are equipped to work — work cafés are highly effective workspaces that contribute to a great experience. Amenities are no longer optional. The new role of the office is not only a place to get work done, but to provide a mix of work experiences for employees. Spaces for individual work, spaces for creative group work, and places to reflect and restore have the greatest impact on workplace effectiveness and experience.
We wanted to understand what spaces matter most to creating not only an effective workplace, but one that also provides a great work experience for employees. In our latest U.S. Workplace Survey 2022 research, we analyzed the data from over 2,000 full-time office workers who are working in the office at least part of the time.