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We spend a lot of time talking about what employees and occupiers want from their office spaces; sustainability credentials, connectivity, strong tech capabilities and access to public transport links to name a few. But what don’t they want? 

Whatever your take on the return to office debate itself, there can be no denying that occupier and employee demands have kicked up a notch in an era when hybrid working models are increasingly the norm. Research by JLL has shown that 79% of UK-based businesses are “hybrid promoters” while just 21% are considered “office believers” - those pushing for a return to the pre-pandemic working pattern and a full move away from remote work. 

And it's the same story in the US in terms of the flight to quality trend. Speaking about the New York market specifically, Co-CEO of Rudin Management Michael Rudin says asset performance is more closely linked than ever before to two things; age and location. 

“Performance in the New York’s office market really is a mixed bag depending on the age and location of the asset,” he says. “When you last did upgrades or renovations really determines your leasing success. New products built within the last five years that are highly efficient with lots of amenities and in good locations are doing really, really well.” 

Whether businesses are hybrid promoters or office believers - or, as is proving to be the norm, a mix of the two – what they all have in common is a desire, and a need, to bring people happily back to office spaces at a time when many employees need more of an incentive than ever before. 

Equally interesting and valuable information can be gleaned from what these same employees don’t want. 

A survey released last month by office design and workplace strategy company Peldon Rose asked 1,000 employees who spend at least one day a week in the office what they could do without. 

The least popular office feature was hot-desking with just 8% of people surveyed citing it as something they want from their place of work. Not a great surprise that people – many of whom are creatures of habit - prefer to have their own, dedicated space within the office. But as office landlords in major cities across the globe endeavour to make their commercial assets more efficient - both in terms of costs and carbon emissions - how can the growth of hybrid working models work alongside employee demands to have their own desks? 

From a real estate and asset utilisation perspective, it makes less sense for each individual employee to have a fixed desk the fewer days a week they spend in the office. And where we are now increasingly seeing a working week where not every employee is at their desk every day, this does create a much-needed opportunity to make office buildings work harder and smarter. So, a desire for flexibility and hybrid work combined with a preference to avoid hot desking? That’s a big ask and one that employees might have to approach with a more realistic mindset. 

Next on the list of office perks that employees could do without is a bar. Just 10% of those surveyed see it as a bonus. Interestingly, just 6% of 18–24-year-olds want this perk compared to 15% of 25–34-year-olds according to Peldon Rose. Evidence perhaps that Gen Z workers are more motivated than their predecessors might give them credit for. The widespread cooling off on a desire for an in-office bar may also be related to an increased desire for and pursuit of work-life balance and holding firmer boundaries between work and socialising. 

Bike storage is next on the list with just 11% of those surveyed citing it as an office must-have followed by sleep pods (a left-field inclusion in the list at all unless I have missed all of the offices where these have been a staple addition to the amenity package). And, finally, the once beloved pool table has also now fallen out of favour with just 12% of office workers considering it a perk to have one in the office.

So, there you have it. Bars and pool tables are out, individual desks are in – although arguably unreasonably so - and no-one really wants, or needs, a sleep pod. 

And as for the top office perk? The one that 37% of people said they wanted to see in their office? Free food. Always has been - and most likely always will be – the top of everyone’s list. Just don’t serve it from a bar. 

- Emily

Emily Wright

Head of Content

CREtech

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