People who enjoy working from the office are significantly more engaged with their company culture and more productive in their workplace. This is not just our opinion, but the conclusion of an international survey conducted across eleven countries by the multinational company Steelcase.
People who prefer working from the office are 33% more engaged, 9% more productive, and 20% less likely to leave their jobs. On the flip side, and for context, the study also shows that in most cases, employees actually prefer working from home over the office. In Spain, for example, 42% prefer working from home, compared to 32% who favor the office.
The creation of shared spaces
What conclusion can we draw from these two seemingly contradictory yet complementary realities? We won’t speculate—the study itself offers the key insight: what respondents truly value about the office is its ability to support hybrid collaboration. The ability to provide both shared and individual spaces that allow for hybrid and private connections is essential. In fact, 70% of respondents in Spain highlighted hybrid collaboration spaces as a major asset.
When digging deeper into the most important and competitive features of an office—those that offer a comparative and added-value advantage over working from home—top mentions include the support for ergonomic workspaces and the smart layout of elements to boost comfort. Also highly valued is the ease of collaboration and social interaction with colleagues, as well as the presence of common areas that help build a sense of team belonging.
Clearly, these insights show that the adoption of a hybrid work model opens up new opportunities in the day-to-day life of companies. According to industry trends and expert forecasts for 2022, the demand for flexible offices is expected to rebound, as most users are looking for new services tied to comfort and convenience as they return to physical workplaces. This means creating flexible, tech-resilient spaces capable of reinforcing company culture.
