Study: Employees Desire Natural Light and Views Over Any Other Office Perk
NEW YORK and MILPITAS, Calif. – July 31st, 2018 – Future Workplace, an HR advisory and research firm preparing leaders for disruptions in recruiting, development and employee engagement, and View®, the leader in dynamic glass, today announced the results of a new study entitled “The Employee Experience”. Over half of the 1,614 North American employees surveyed said natural light and views of the outdoors were their most important office perks, ranking higher than onsite cafeterias, fitness centers, medical care and childcare.
“While treadmill desks and nap pods sometimes get a lot of hype, the study clearly found that essential things such as optimized natural light and views are the most impactful and valued office perks,” said Jeanne Meister, Founding Partner of Future Workplace. “Employees say workplaces infused with daylight and views of the outside promote their well-being, engagement and productivity.”
Key findings of The Employee Experience study include:
- Access to natural light and views is a positive factor on the employee experience. Employees say that access to natural light and views improves their overall happiness and well-being (78%), work satisfaction (73%), work performance (70%) and organizational commitment (54%).
- Absence of natural light and views hurts the employee experience. Over a third of employees feel that they don’t get enough natural light in their workspace. 47% of employees admit they feel tired or very tired from the absence of natural light or a window at their office, and 43% report feeling gloomy by the lack of light.
- Prolonged technology use makes employees want a view/natural light more. Over half of employees say that prolonged screen use leads to eyestrain or headaches at work. 73% agree that the longer they use their technology devices, the more they desire a visual break such as taking a walk or glancing at the view outside.
“This research shows that natural light and views are at the top of employees’ lists when they think of a desirable place to work,” said Dr. Brandon Tinianov, Vice President of Industry Strategy at View. “As companies increasingly strive to make their employees work better and be healthier, placing them in office spaces with the optimal amount of natural light should be their first priority.”
Methodology
Research findings are based on a survey conducted by VIGA, fielded across the US and Canada between June 8th–11th, 2018. For this survey, 1,614 employees were asked about their views regarding workplace environment and experience with their current employer. The study targeted full-time employees who work across different sectors and in organizations of different sizes. Respondents were recruited through a number of different mechanisms, via different sources to join the panels and participate in market research surveys. All panelists had passed a double opt-in process and complete on average 300 profiling data points prior to taking part in surveys.
About Future Workplace
Future Workplace is a HR Advisory and Research firm preparing leaders for what’s next in the future workforce and workplace. Future Workplace works with heads of talent acquisition, talent management, human resources, corporate learning, and diversity to prepare them for the disruptions impacting recruitment, employee development, and engagement. Future Workplace is host of the Future Workplace Network, an Executive Council that includes heads of Human Resources, Corporate Learning, and Talent Management, who come together to discuss, debate and share “next” practices impacting the workplace and workforce of the future. For more information, please visit: http://www.futureworkplace.com.
About View
View manufactures View Dynamic Glass, a new generation of smart windows that let in natural light and views, and enhance mental and physical wellbeing by significantly reducing headaches, eyestrain and drowsiness. In addition, View’s windows reduce glare and heat, improving the energy efficiency of buildings by 20 percent. View’s windows are digital, connected, and can be controlled from anywhere, including your phone – no blinds or shades required. For more information, visit: www.viewglass.com.
Press Contacts
Dan Schawbel
Research Director at Future Workplace
[email protected]
Cameron Craig
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
View, Inc
[email protected]
408-514-6494
