60% of business leaders want employees back
in-office five days a week
37% of organizations plan to expand their real
estate footprint in 2024
57% of respondents report sustainability is a
higher priority than last year
RALEIGH,
N.C., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FM:Systems,
the provider of the most scalable and intuitive all-in-one
workplace management platform, today released the results of its
2023 Inside the Workplace survey. The study, which surveyed
549 U.S. business leaders in facilities, real estate, finance, and
HR, reveals six new workplace trends and priorities for 2024 and
beyond – from an increase in business leaders wanting employees in
the office full time to real estate and workplace experience
optimization strategies.
Employers were forced to embrace a remote work environment in
response to the pandemic. As lockdowns eased, many companies
transitioned to hybrid work arrangements. Now, the Inside the
Workplace survey finds that 60% of business leaders want employees
in the office full time within the next three years. The survey
also indicated that half of respondents said workers are spending
more time in the office now than they were a year ago, with 54%
attributing the rise of office attendance to mandates from
management and 44% crediting initiatives to incentivize employees
to spend more time in the office. Strengthening company culture
emerged as the top reason behind the push for employees to return
to the physical office full time, with 46% admitting they believe
workers perform better in the office.
"Our Inside the Workplace survey confirms what we're seeing in
news headlines about business leaders growing impatient with
alternative work arrangements: not all, but many business leaders
are eager to have employees back onsite five days a week, and
likely were never ready to embrace alternative work arrangements in
the first place," said Kurt von
Koch, CEO, FM:Systems. "While a full-time office work
environment may work well for some organizations, office mandates
are unlikely to motivate employees back full time. Instead,
building a high-performing workplace and a great culture requires
understanding how people work best in the context of their
organization's unique set of workplace needs. Only quality
workplace data can guide organizations if and how they can
strategically bring people into the office."
The shift back to full-time onsite office work may help explain
why 37% of respondents to the survey plan to expand their real
estate footprint. The survey also identified that organizations are
prioritizing workplace attributes that reflect the reasons many
employees prefer remote and hybrid working. More than half of
respondents said that having an office that is centrally-located to
most employees – to reduce commute times – is important. Forty-five
percent of organizations prioritize a workplace that's close to
amenities, a nod to helping workers maintain the work-life balance
and sense of autonomy they enjoy working from home. Other workplace
priorities, like quiet rooms, nap pods, and easy access to outdoor
spaces, also point to organizations having learned lessons from the
remote and hybrid work era that they're now ushering out.
"Business leaders need insight into which initiatives will be
most impactful, whether that's improving indoor air quality,
installing quiet rooms, or something else," said Brian Haines, Chief Strategy Officer,
FM:Systems. "You need to understand how your employees interact
with the workspace before you can optimize it for
return-to-office."
Additional key findings from the 2023 Inside the
Workplace report include:
Sustainability is a higher priority for organizations now
than it was this time last year. Taking steps to address
climate change has long been a matter of brand preservation and,
more recently, talent retention and recruitment. The proliferation
of regulations like NYC Local Law 97 to address greenhouse gas in
NYC, as well as forthcoming new Securities and Exchange Commission
reporting requirements, are compelling companies to ramp up and
formalize their sustainability initiatives.
- 57% of respondents reported that sustainability is more of a
priority this year than at the same time in 2022.
- Among organizations that have established a net-zero goal,
expanding their real estate footprint is their top priority (44%).
Only 25% of these respondents indicated that they are considering
downsizing their portfolios.
Adoption and use of workplace management solutions continues
to expand. With the increased influence of sustainability on
businesses of all kinds, as well as the continued fluidity of work
arrangements, more and more organizations are deploying workplace
management solutions to help them navigate the changes.
- Nearly 7 out of 10 organizations currently use a workplace
management solution.
- Business leaders deploy workplace management solutions
primarily to improve efficiency (40%), reduce costs (20%), and
bolster security (15%).
- Among organizations planning to implement workplace management
solutions in the next year, most are focused on space management
and planning (40%), workplace analytics (36%), and workplace
sensors (33%).
Adoption of advanced technologies is especially high among
organizations that plan to expand their real estate footprint.
Expanding their real estate footprint over the next few years is a
top priority for 35% of organizations, but many of these businesses
are also looking to reduce expenses. Deploying advanced smart
building tech may help them do both.
Among companies that are planning to expand their real estate
portfolio:
- 4 out of 5 currently use a workplace management solution.
- 64% plan to deploy generative artificial intelligence to assist
with operations and maintenance within the next year.
- Half intend to deploy digital twin technology within the next
year.
Full Inside the Workplace report results can be viewed here.
Methodology: This research was conducted by PureSpectrum
on behalf of FM:Systems from Nov. 15 to Dec.
12, 2023, and comprises responses from 549 U.S. business
leaders in facilities, real estate, finance, and HR.
About FM:Systems
FM:Systems' all-in-one workplace
management platform helps more than 1,200 of the world's largest
organizations access, manage, and measure every aspect of their
real estate portfolio. With the most complete range of intuitive
and scalable space management, hybrid work, workplace analytics,
and smart sensor solutions, FM:Systems helps customers gain the
data-backed clarity and vision necessary to make strategic real
estate decisions and deliver high-performance workplaces today and
long into the future. For more information about FM:Systems, please
visit www.fmsystems.com. FM:Systems is now part of Johnson Controls
(NYSE: JCI), the global leader for smart, healthy, and sustainable
buildings.
Media Contact:
Andrea Oliveira
(458) 206-6478
371771@email4pr.com
View original
content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fmsystems-study-finds-most-business-leaders-want-to-end-alternative-work-arrangements-return-to-full-time-office-attendance-302041650.html
SOURCE FM:Systems