Almost a quarter (23%) of respondents admitted that they have turned down a job because they didn’t like the office

Almost a quarter (23%) of respondents admitted that they have turned down a job because they didn’t like the office and the figure this rose to almost a third (32%) for 18 – 24-year-olds indicating the need for a high-quality office environment for the younger generation. Geographically, workers in the capital are most likely to pass on a job based on the office surroundings, with a third (32%) of London based workers admitting to declining a role for this reason.

The research, commissioned by real estate investment firm Castleforge, highlights the importance of a high-quality office for workers, and the investment opportunities for amenity-rich, fully serviced workplaces in convenient locations. The date also focused on the importance of amenities – both near the office and within it. A majority (51%) of respondents say that they value socialising at the restaurants, bars and gyms near to their office, whilst almost half (46%) say offices with their own amenities such as gyms, cafés, and showers improve their experience of coming into work.

These creature comforts don’t impede respondents’ ability to get work done, however. Two in five (41%) believe they are more productive in the office, and one third (33%) say they spend significant amounts of time procrastinating when they work from home.

This is especially true for young people aged 18-24; over half of whom (55%) say they get more done if they commute in.

Remote workers also reported that their social life has been affected by the modern-day hybrid work pattern, with almost one third (30%) claiming that working from home regularly negatively affects them, rising to more than 2 in 5 (44%) of 18–24-year-olds.

Alongside the quality of the office itself, employees are increasingly taking sustainability into account when choosing their place of work. According to the polling, almost one third (31%) of Brits would turn down a job offer if the company had a bad record on the environment.

This figure increased for 18–24-year-olds, of which almost half (49%) said they would decline a job offer if an employer was not sustainable, indicating the importance of green factors for Gen Z.

Castleforge Founding Partner Michael Kovacs said: “In the last few years, the role of the office has constantly evolved, transforming from a five-day-a-week destination, to being empty spaces during the height of the pandemic. Now as most businesses settle into a hybrid workplace offering, our research shows the importance that high quality spaces have taken on for employees – both current and prospective.’

“In an increasingly competitive market for the best talent, companies with best-in-class office environments in desirable locations will stand out from the crowd. Those planning new real estate in the office market must be mindful of this, looking for ways their developments can stand out to potential occupiers and the talent those firms will seek to attract.”

While working from home life has been an everyday occurrence since the pandemic, it appears the novelty may be wearing off, with one third (31%) of respondents claiming they work from the office even on days where it is not mandated by their employers. 80% also stated that office attendance is important for learning about the job, indicating that workers see the office as a vital environment for career development.