A survey by real estate adviser Savills and the British Council for Offices (BCO) has revealed what workers in Berkshire really want from their offices.
The What Workers Want poll of 1,132 office workers across the UK investigates the factors that are important to employees in the workplace, and how much they believe their current environment satisfies those requirements.
In Berkshire workers prioritise the length of their commute, having good wifi connections and a clean office environment, and put more emphasis on the availability of car parking than office workers across the rest of the UK.
| Berkshire ranking (UK-wide position) | Factor | Respondents who ranked it as important |
| 1 (1) | Length of commute to work | 85% |
| 2 (4) | Good quality wireless technology | 78% |
| 3 (2) | Overall cleanliness of the office | 77% |
| 4 (5) | A quiet space for focused work | 76% |
| 5 (3) | Having access to a number of toilets | 75% |
| 6 (6) | Good public transport connections | 66% |
| 7 (11) | Car parking | 64% |
| 8 (7) | Having food facilities (e.g. canteen/ café/ bar, food vending machine, kitchen) | 63% |
| 9 (9) | Availability of meeting rooms | 59% |
| 10 (10) | Personal storage space | 57% |
Top 10 factors most important to Berkshire office workers:
According to the survey there is a significant mismatch between what Berkshire office workers deem important and current levels of satisfaction. By comparing the importance workers assign to these categories with their current satisfaction levels, it is possible to identify the size of the ‘frustration factor’ and what organisations need to address in order to attract and retain staff.
Top 10 factors Berkshire office workers are most dissatisfied with:
| Factor | Importance to workers | Currently satisfied | Frustration factor |
| A quiet space for focused work | 76% | 30% | -46% |
| Good quality wireless technology | 78% | 45% | -33% |
| Length of commute to work | 85% | 58% | -27% |
| Good environmental performance (i.e. Green rating) of the building | 42% | 20% | -22% |
| Overall cleanliness of the office | 77% | 59% | -18% |
| Car parking | 64% | 48% | -16% |
| Personal storage space | 57% | 41% | -16% |
| Having access to a number of toilets | 75% | 63% | -12% |
| Good public transport connections | 66% | 54% | -12% |
| Having food facilities (e.g. canteen/ café/ bar, food vending machine, kitchen) | 63% | 51% | -12% |
Jon Gardiner, head of office agency at Savills, commented: “Typically employees in the region drive to work so it comes as no surprise that car parking remains important to employers and staff. While a number of new office developments across the country have started to reduce the number of spaces available in favour of cycling facilities for example, it is crucial that offices and business parks continue to cater for workers' needs in order to continue to attract occupiers.”
“Berkshire office workers are some of the most dissatisfied in the country with the availability of quiet areas in their offices”, added Steve Lang, director of Savills research and author of the report.
“While undoubtedly some employees thrive in a buzzy, open office, others are apathetic or find it detrimental to their work. There is never going to be a perfect office, but organisations must create as much choice as possible to enable employees to vary noise levels to meet their needs depending on what they’re working on.”
Mark Alker Stone, BCO regional chair South West, South Wales & Thames Valley and director of AWW Architects, added: “Having the right style and arrangement of workplace and ensuring that it is supported with state-of-the-art IT clearly plays a key role in staff satisfaction and can impact significantly on productivity, recruitment and staff retention. Looking closely at business location, access to good public transport and investing in smart design ideas for the workplace to create the best environment for employees, must be a top priority for decision makers looking to get the best out of their workforce.”
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