A new report from Futures at The Industrial Society has found that the average workspace environment fails to reflect important changes in working patterns, with almost a quarter of employees dissatisfied with their physical environment.

Technological, economic and social trends have had a radical influence on our working patterns, allowing people to work flexibly and remotely. Around 25 per cent of the workforce carry out some of their work at home, and the average desk is occupied for only 45 minutes. However, The Industrial Society found that the business world has been slow to respond and reflect these changes, and that the majority of offices are dull, functional and designed for a 9-5 existence.

According to the report’s author, Max Nathan, one reason for the stalled progress of workspace change is the traditional hierarchy that still exists in companies. “Although work patterns are changing – for example, employees can work from home and can arrange their working hours to incorporate their personal commitments – corporate hierarchy hasn’t changed much and that it reflected in our buildings: the company with the prestigious lobby hiding shabby offices for staff, or the first with cutting edge spaces and a subterranean post room.”

“In many cases, space management decisions are taken to minimise cost and maximise control, while maintaining senior staff privileges. Very little quiet or private space is provided for most workers, while managers carve out private spaces for themselves.”

Employees identify with the desire to display status in the office, but the research revealed that pet hates also included directors’ office which are rarely used by their owners but out-of-bounds to other employees, grand entrance halls which are designed to impress visitors but hardly ever used, and low-rent, hard-to-reach cafes which no-one wants to use.

At best innovative working space seems to help staff work and feel better, making the firm look good – but innovative measures don’t always deliver the expected benefits. Original Industrial Society data in the report shows that people value many different types of workspace. However, such approaches as hotdesking – the desk-hopping, space-saving trend favoured by some businesses – has not proved popular with employees, with office workers rating ‘having your own desk’ as twice as popular as ‘flexible space’. (CL)