The ideal number of days spent in the office is three or four.
InfinitSpace, a flexible workspaces provider, found that employees who attend the office only one or two times per week are least likely to rate their health as “great” and “good”. Half (50%) of them report a good physical well-being while the same percentage also mentions a good mental wellbeing.
In an independent survey of 1,210 UK employees, both hybrid and office-based, it was found that people who spent three to four days a week at work on average had the highest level of wellbeing. Three out of five people (60%) report great or excellent physical health, and a similar percentage (61%) reports the same for mental wellbeing.
Nearly three-quarters (59%) of those who attend the office every day describe their physical well-being as “good”, and 57% say the same for their mental health.
The study found that employees who work in flexible office environments reported higher levels of well-being, with 60% reporting good physical wellbeing and the same percentage reporting good mental wellbeing. This compares to those working in traditional offices where 56% and 55% were reported respectively.
Wybo Wijnbergen is the CEO of infinitSpace. He said, “While attendance policies need to be flexible in order to meet diverse employee and business needs, we shouldn’t ignore the connection between going to work and wellbeing. Research shows that social interaction, community and access to thoughtfully-designed spaces can have a profound impact on our wellbeing.
The workplaces are more than just a place to work or collaborate. They can help boost the health and happiness levels of employees. If smart leaders are looking to build productive, engaged teams, then fostering well-being and creating a workplace that their employees want to visit should remain a priority.
A second study, commissioned by London Heritage Quarter, revealed that 40% office workers in London expect to return to work full-time this year.
The key concerns of employees with regards to the move were expenses related to travel, food and drinks. These were cited by 40 and 30 percent respectively. Cost of activities is a major concern for 25%, while 22% are concerned about industrial action and strikes.
The study comes at a time when organisations are increasing pressure on employees to return into the workplace citing productivity concerns. Lord Stuart Rose claimed earlier this week that working from home creates a generation of people who “do not do proper work”.
London Heritage Quarter, a collective of four Business Improvement Districts that includes Victoria, Westminster Whitehall and Northbank has found that employers are facing a difficult task in encouraging employees to attend the office because they have become accustomed to the flexibility and convenience provided by home-based working.
The CEO of Its, Ruth Duston, said: “Our research shows that London workers expect to return to work, but wider challenges such as the cost and travel are proving the biggest obstacles.
“While hybrid work is the norm today, we shouldn’t forget about the benefits of working in an office, such as increased productivity, a feeling of belonging, or being able to take advantage of this wonderful city and everything it has to provide.”
