Poorly designed offices cost UK economy over 71bn a year

Poorly designed and maintained workplaces in the UK result in an annual economic loss of £71 billion due to inefficiencies that waste employee time. A survey reveals that workers lose an average of 68 minutes weekly on minor frustrations, totaling an estimated loss of £485.2 million in productivity weekly. A strong connection exists between workplace quality and employee satisfaction, with over half citing poor maintenance as a dissatisfaction driver. Conversely, a safe environment boosts satisfaction, with nearly 90% of satisfied employees also expressing positive views about their employer.

According to research from Mitie, poorly designed and inadequately maintained workplaces are draining the UK economy of over £71 billion a year. Workers lose, on average, 68 minutes weekly to inefficiencies. This results in an estimated £485.2 million in lost salary productivity every week, accumulating to £71.4 billion annually. A significant percentage of employees indicate that a poorly maintained workplace leads to job dissatisfaction. Conversely, nearly 90% of workers satisfied with their physical workplace also feel positive about their employer.

More than half of respondents cited a poorly maintained workplace as one of the leading causes of job dissatisfaction. 88% stated that a safe environment contributed to job satisfaction. There’s a strong correlation between employee contentment and their perception of their employer: nearly 90% of those satisfied with their physical environment were also satisfied with their employer, while only 23% who were dissatisfied felt positive about their organization.

Mark Caskey of Mitie noted that UK office environments are filled with friction points that undermine satisfaction and productivity. Importantly, many of these issues, such as ensuring tech works seamlessly and maintaining spaces for collaboration, are within the employer's control.

The report challenges the belief that recreational perks like office gyms are major drivers of employee wellbeing. Only 29% of surveyed employees indicated that these perks significantly influenced their job satisfaction.

Read at Business Matters