Today, 76% of on-site employees say they would rather do something unpleasant than work in a poorly designed workspace, according to new research conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of National Business Furniture (NBF). That includes 24% of on-site employees who say they would rather do their taxes; 25% who would rather sit in the middle seat on an airplane for a 6-hour flight; and 28% who would rather stay on hold with customer service for an hour than work in a poorly designed workspace.

"Employees are telling us loud and clear: the quality of their office matters," said Yonca Heyse, President of NBF. "When people can't focus, feel physically uncomfortable, or lack space that supports the way they work, it affects everything, from their productivity to whether they feel valued."

The survey also reveals that nearly three-quarters (73%) of on-site employees feel frustrated with their current workspace. More than half of workers ages 55+ and nearly 80% of employees ages 18-54 reported frustrations.

These issues are taking a measurable toll on employee experience and could impact productivity and morale. More than half (57%) of on-site employees say they struggle to concentrate or focus on tasks at work at least sometimes. Over half (52%) experience frustration that meeting spaces don't meet their needs at least sometimes. 

If those issues were addressed, the employee experience could be improved:

• 83% of on-site employees who experience workspace frustrations say they'd feel more valued by their employer. Nearly two in five expressed this sentiment strongly (39%). 
• 77% of hybrid employees who experience workspace frustration would work on-site more.

"Frustration with the physical workspace crosses generations and has a tangible daily impact," said Heyse. "It's time employers across sectors and business sizes gave improvements strong consideration."

Download the full report, including data on the most frustrating workspace challenges and the improvements employees would like prioritized at NBF.com/fix-my-office.