CBRE, the global and national leader in real estate consultancy, conducted the first study on the importance of working environment in the workforce, their needs, and the quality of office space, identifying the relevant criteria in shaping perceptions.
The research was conducted for a period of nine months and included 500 employees working in offices in Bucharest.
The participants were divided into four age categories: generation Z (18-24 years), generation Y (25-34 years), generation X (35-49 years) and seniors or baby-boomers (50-64).
From the point of view of the share, 9% of the answers belong to the fresh employees (generation Z), 35% to the Y generation, 49% to the X generation and 7% to the seniors.
The results show that most of the study participants (55%) spend between 30 and 60 minutes to get home from the office, and those who spend less than 30 minutes are much more satisfied with the work.
The highest degree of satisfaction with the location of the office (76%) is given by easy access to public transport.
The most important aspects of interior design are ergonomic furniture (82%), appropriate dining space (78%) and individual office (72%).
"Working conditions have a major impact on the employee's well-being and, implicitly, on his productivity. Improving wellness standards is a global trend that in recent years has become increasingly strong on the local market as well. We have been concerned about the quality of the work environment for a long time and fortunately we have noticed that most developers and big companies in Romania have understood the importance of delivering projects that best meet the expectations and needs of the employee. But in order to offer the best product, you need to know exactly what the user wants, so you have to know him. Here is the most important goal of this study that CBRE has been working for about a year and which has been dedicated to our research team with our most experienced consultants, "said Mihai Paduroiu, Head of Advisory & Transaction Services / Investor Leasing of CBRE Romania.
The 500 participants in the study work in offices located in different areas of Bucharest, as follows: 26% in the western area, 22% in the northern area, 22% in the central area, 14% in Pipera, 11% Piata Victoriei area, Charles de Gaulle Square), 5% in the eastern area and 3% in the south of the capital
In terms of field of activity, 23% of study participants work in IT, 20% in outsourced companies, 11% in financial and insurance, 9% in retail, and the remaining 27% between the business sector, the public sector and the industrial and energy sectors.
It can be noticed that most of the participants (43%) work in IT and outsourced services, with Romania still potentially growing to attract new investments from players on these niche markets.
Personal life and, implicitly, a balance between time spent on work and leisure time activities are of different importance, depending on the generation to which the respondent belongs.
Thus, generation Z considers time for personal life a very important criterion in choosing a job - 68%, followed by Y generation 47%, X generation 51%, and baby-boomers 35%.
The important factors influencing the employee's leisure time depending on the working conditions and the location of the office are: distance from the house and the degree of accessibility by car or public transport, the inclusion of retail space in the office project, the possibility to go to a gymnasium or bicycle to work, the existence of showers, lockers and relaxation and meditation spaces, etc.
