2013_us_workplace_survey_07_15_2013

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The design of the workplace impacts performance,employee engagement, and innovation. Our recentWorkplace Survey sheds light on the relationship

between design and business performance, uncoveringopportunities to supercharge any work environment.

Genslers 2013 U.S. Workplace Surveyepresents responses from 2,035 randomlyampled knowledge workers nationwide.

The study examines the design factors thatreate an effective workplace; how designan better support knowledge workerngagement, satisfaction, and performance;

nd the influence of the workplace onorganizational culture.Currently, onlyone in four U.S. workers are in optimalworkplace environments. The rest are

truggling to work effectively, resultingn lost productivity, innovation, and

worker engagement. Our research directlyompares todays workplace with the

workplace of 2008 and shows that workplaceffectiveness has fallen in aggregate. The013 survey identifies design strategies for

ow organizations can jump the trend and usebetter workplace design to drive innovationn the context of 2013 working realities.

DESIGNMATTERS!

CONTENTS

HISTORY OF GENSLER 2

WORKPLACERESEARCH

WHATS CHANGED IN 4THEWORLD, 20082013

WORKPLACE IN THE 5CONTEXT OF THE CITY

KEY FINDINGS 61 U.S. Workers Are Struggling 8

to Work Effectively2 Effective Workplaces Balance 10

Focus and Collaboration3 Choice Drives Performance 12

and Innovation

THE OPPORTUNITY 14

THE WORKPLACE 18PERFORMANCEINDEX

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE 19BUILTENVIRONMENT

METHODOLOGY 20

ENDNOTES 22

2013 U.S. Workplace Survey is produced by

Gensler 2013 and should not be reproducedin part or in whole without permission.


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Saban Brands, Los Angeles, CAcover: Gensler Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA


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GENSLERSWORKPLACE

RESEARCH

2006U.S. Workplace Survey2005U.K. Workplace Survey

HISTORY OF GENSLERWORKPLACERESEARCH

Employees see a clear linkbetween the physical workenvironment and personalproductivity. They also reportthe work environment as veryimportant to job satisfaction.

The link is confirmed betweenthe physical work environmentand productivity in the mindsof workers. Management-levelrespondents note workplacehas a positive effect on thebottom line and company

competitiveness.

KEY FINDINGS: KEY FINDINGS:

Genslers 2013 survey is the latest iteration of ongoing research

n the workplace, which began in 2005 withGenslers first

workplace survey. A subsequent survey in 2006 established the

onnections between workplace design, employee productivity,

nd business competitiveness. In 2008, our research established

framework for understanding knowledge work through the

ensofthe four work modes, focus, collaborate, learn, and

ocialize. We discovered that the effectiveness and support

f allfour work modes connect to employee engagement and

ompany performance.

Genslers 2013 U.S. Workplace Survey continues this thread

by taking the pulse of the American workplace as it relates to

employee effectiveness, business performance, and opportunities

to create a culture of innovation. Parallel questions allow for

direct comparison with data collected through Genslers 2008

survey. This puts our findings in the context of fundamental work

and life shifts over that time period and points to solutions to

realign todays workplace with todays world.

Gensler 2013 U.S. Workplace Survey / Key Findings


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2013U.S. Workplace Survey2012What weve learned aboutfocus in the workplace.

2008U.S. + U.K.Workplace Surveys

Four work modesfocus,collaborate, learn, and socializeemerge as the framework throughwhich to understand time at theoffice. Employees at top-performingcompanies value work modes morehighly and have spaces that more

eff

ectively support each one.

Analysis of Genslers WorkplacePerformance Index (WPI) databaseuncovers that the effectivenessof space for focus is a key driverof the effectiveness of other workmodes and workplace performanceas a whole.

Focus, balance, and choicein the workplace emerge askey drivers of satisfaction,performance, and innovation

KEY FINDINGS: KEY FINDINGS: KEY FINDINGS:

22squared, Atlanta, GA



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orces from technology to globalization to a new generation

f workers are leading fundamental changes to where, how,

nd when todays knowledge workers perform their jobs. The

onfluence of these forces is resulting in new performance

riversfor todays workplace and a series of new and exciting

uestions about what the workplace isand more importantly

what it should be.

Our last national survey was released in 2008, in the midst of

he worst economic downturn since the Great Depression with

U.S. unemployment rate of 5.8%. We stood at the cusp of a

echnological revolution of communication and information-

haring. Twitter was just over two years old and Facebook had

fewer than 100 million users. The iPhone hadnt celebrated

its first birthday and many Millennials who today are entering

offices across the U.S. were celebrating their Sweet Sixteens.

It goes without saying, the world in 2013 is a different place.

The proliferation of new social and mobile technologies has

revolutionized how we create, share and communicate. Todays

world is connected like never before, but new connections mean

new distractions and for many a compromised ability to focus.

Many of todays workers also continue to struggle economically

and are working longer hours or multiple jobs to make ends meet.

These effects show in our sample - the ability of U.S. workers to

effectively perform their job has declined since our last survey.

Percent of American Adults (18+) Who Own: U.S. Unemployment Rate

WHATS CHANGED INTHEWORLD, 20082013

2008 2009 2010 2011 20122008

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

5.8%

9.5%

9.0%

39%

65%

55%

3%

62%

47%

64%

56%

8%

57%61%

18%

34%

58%

8.2%

SOURCE: BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS,

LABOR FORCE STATISTICS FROM CURRENTPOPULATION SURVEY, AGES 16+2

SOURCE: PEW INTERNET SURVEYS 200620131



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Globalization and urbanization continue to shift the business

landscape. Currently, four-fifths of Americans live in cities

and over 50% of the worlds population, and that number is

projected to grow significantly. Urban areas are increasingly

understood as drivers of economic growth, culture, and

innovation, resulting in new demands and constraints on space.

Workplace performance exists not only in conjunction with

business success but with the character, form, and success of

our cities. Increasingly, the workplace is not the sole location

for work, but is a vital connection among myriad locations in

which work happens. Todays knowledge work happens not just

at the scale of people and offices, but at the scale of buildings,

cities, and ultimately the globe. It is in this context that we

continue to explore questions of focus, balance, and choice in

todays, and tomorrows, high-performance work environments.

Percent of PopulationLiving in Urban Location

WORKPLACE IN THECONTEXT OF THE CITY

2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040

..

22045

80.7%

49.1%

88

67

SOURCE: POPULATION DIVISION OF THEDEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL

AFFAIRS OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT3

Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, China



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EFFECTIVE WORKPLACESBALANCE FOCUS ANDCOLLABORATIONWORKPLACES DESIGNED TO ENABLE COLLABORATION WITHOUTSACRIFICINGEMPLOYEES ABILITY TO FOCUS ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL.

CHOICE DRIVES

PERFORMANCEANDINNOVATIONEMPLOYERS WHO PROVIDE A SPECTRUM OF CHOICES FOR WHEN

AND WHERE TO WORK ARE SEEN AS MORE INNOVATIVE AND HAVE

HIGHERPERFORMING EMPLOYEES.

U.S. WORKERS ARESTRUGGLING TOWORKEFFECTIVELYWHEN FOCUS IS COMPROMISED IN PURSUIT OF

COLLABORATION, NEITHER WORKS WELL.

1

2

3

KEY FINDINGS2013 U.S. WORKPLACE SURVEY



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Our research pointsto a number of designsolutions and strategicactions that can improveemployee experience,enhance performance,and drive innovation

and success.

THE OPPORTUNITY

4 Gensler 2013 U.S. Workplace Survey / Key Findings


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TEP 1

PROVIDE

EFFECTIVEFOCUSSPACE

STEP 2

COLLABORATE

WITHOUTSACRIFICINGFOCUS

DRIVERS OF BALANCEProximity +Availability of Alternative Spaces

&

-

DRIVERS OF FOCUSFunctionality +Quality of Primary Space

&

Autodesk, San Francisco, CAConfidential Consulting Firm

Fallon Worldwide, Minneapolis, MN Confidential Consulting Firm



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STEP 3

DRIVE

INNOVATIONTHROUGHCHOICE

DRIVERS OF CHOICEEnablers of Anywhere Working

Enabling employees to perform their jobs effectively

begins with supporting the individual, focused work

that represents the core of their days and a critical

aspect of employee and team performance. But it

doesnt end there. Layering in alternative spaces and

opportunities that support all work modes, from

collaboration to learning and socializing, enables the

connections that drive success in todays knowledge

economy. Across industries, we found that balanced

workplacesthose prioritizing both focus and

collaborationscore higher on measures of satisfactio

innovation, effectiveness, and performance.

Choice and autonomy also proved important to

todays worker. Respondents with choice in when

and where they work are higher performing, more

satisfied, and see their companies as more innovative.

Creating a balanced workplace presents opportunities

to enable workplace choice through access to tools

and technology that support anywhere working

both in and out of the office. Companies must then

pair the right tools and spaces with organizational

policies that empower workers to best match space,

tools, and tasks to achieve optimal productivity.

We see this framework of balance and choice as

a building block on which companies can design

solutions that represent their own work processes,

cultures, and needs. One thing our research makes

clear: In todays world, gathering and leveraging

diagnostic and contextual data on what drives

performance at the employee and organizational

level is no longer a luxury. Identifying and proactively

supporting the balance and choice that drive success

is an opportunity to gain competitive advantage

at a time when its more necessary than ever.

About.com, New York, NY

Kilroy Realty Corporation, San Francisco, CA



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Genslers Workplace Performance Index (WPI) is a proprietary,

web-enabled survey tool designed to measure the performance of

n individual workplace or client portfolio. The tool is used for both

re- and post-occupancy analysis to allow for comparisons and to

ocument improvements in workplace effectiveness. In the pre-

hase, employee input on workplace performance factors is gathered

t the beginning of a project in order to inform design decisions.

n the post-phase, following project completion, employee input is

athered to measure the success of the design solution. By using a

ore set of parallel questions, individual projects can then be directly

ompared to the results of national surveys to put project work into

context of broader knowledge and trends in workplace design.

WPI surveys are conducted as a part of direct client engagements.

he results of WPI surveys are collected in a separate databasefrom

Workplace Survey responsesthe WPI database now has over

00,000 survey responses from employees of Gensler clients.The WPI Report

After conducting a WPI, we

provide a detailed report o

findings based on a specific

workplace. These results are also

benchmarked against findings

from our national workplace

surveys to measure performancein relation to a national average

or industry segment

THE WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE INDEXA DIAGNOSTIC TOOL TO IDENTIFYWORKPLACE OPPORTUNITIES

he Growth of Genslers

WPI Respondent Database

8/200707/2013

20132007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

202

3,169

19,447

31,450

62,780

87,160

111,089



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RESEARCH IN CONTEXTIMPLICATIONS FOR THEBUILT ENVIRONMENT

The workplace continues to be the place that companies, and

employees, see as the primary location in which to support both

individual and collaborative work. Our research supports this

preference and shows that providing an optimal work environment is

an opportunity to improve business performance, engage employees,

and drive innovation and the productive spread of ideas. To effectively

drive performance, these environments must continue to evolve

along with changing work, life, and economic drivers to stay relevant

and tailored to the needs of todays knowledge worker. Many of

todays workplaces havent kept pace, and those that have perform

significantly better.

Importantly, the buildings and cities todays that workers increasingly

call home must also evolve to stay relevant and offer the right mix

of spaces, amenities, and support systems to keep pace with new

workplace strategies and needs. For new buildings, this may mean

expanding or evolving suite of amenities and performance strateg

to meet the expectations and requirements of tomorrows tenant

Existing buildings may pose even more interesting opportunities,

shifting demographics and aging building stock open opportunitie

actively evolve yesterdays buildings to stay relevant and offer hea

flexible, and high-performance workplace environments. The evol

or hacking of buildings to make this possible is a topic of continu

exploration at Gensler, and will become ever more important as

the country, and world, continue to migrate to cities, putting stres

on aging infrastructure and increasing demand on urban space.

Case Study: Gensler Los Angeles

Genslers Los Angeles office is an ideal case study

for the active evolution of the built environment.

The firm selected a building designed in 1971

for a bank branch at City National Plaza that

had sat vacant for nine years. The goal was to

test new ideas and approaches to workplace

strategy and design. Numerous sustainable and

design strategies, from a new naturally ventilated

and day-lit atrium to a suspended mezzanine

floor that added much needed square footage,

successfully turned an outdated structure into a

dynamic, high-performance work environment. The

result is not only great design but also improved

performance as measured by Genslers WPI. Gensler Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA



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OFFICE TIMEercentage of time spent in officeuring an average work week.

EDUCATION

his survey represents data collected via an online survey

onducted among a random sample of 2,035 respondents

epresenting a broad cross section of demographics, including

ducation, age, gender, and location. Respondents include

nowledge workers who work in an office some or all of the

me within 10 industry segments. Gensler retained The Futures

Company to conduct the survey; Precision Consulting conducted

tatistical analysis. Survey questions include those from Genslers

WPI alongside additional questions that ask respondents torank

heir workspaces and companies across a variety of factors

ncluding innovation, motivation, choice, and technology, as

well as individual patterns of behavior and preferences.

5074%14%

7599%36%

049%15%

100%35%

CollegeDegree

43%

SomeCollege

16%

GraduateDegree

37%

High Schoolor Less

4%

METHODOLOGY



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GENDER AGE

Survey data represents 2,035

respondentswith statisticallysignificant samples from 10industry sectors.

Banking/Financial/Insurance

Consumer Products/Retail/Manufacturing

Media/Entertainment/Creative Services

Consulting/Accounting/Business Services

Bio-tech/Pharmaceuticals

Not-for-Profit/Associations

Energy

Technology/Internet/Telecommunicat

Government

Legal

Female51.5%

Male48.5%

455427%

354424%

183426%

55+23%

6%

10.5% 10.5% 10.5% 10.5%10.4% 10.4% 10.4% 10.4% 10.4%



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. Pew Internet Surveys 20062013, Pew Internet & American LifeProject, http://www.pewinternet.org/Static-Pages/Trend-Data-%28Adults%29/Device-Ownership.aspx (May 2013).

. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force Statistics from CurrentPopulation Survey, Ages 16+, http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000 (Accessed June 27, 2013).

. Population Division of the Department of Economic and SocialAffairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World PopulationProspects: The 2011 Revision, http://esa.un.org/unpd/wup/CD-ROM/Urban-Rural-Population.htm (Accessed June 27, 2013).

4. CoreNet Global, Global Benchmark Survey, http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/office-space-per-worker-will-drop-to-100-square-feet-or-below-for-many-companies-within-five-years-according-to-new-research-from-corenet-global-140702483.html (February 2012).

5. Alex Sandy Pentland, The New Science of Building GreatTeams, (Harvard Business Review, April 2012).

6.Dan Pink, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us,(New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 2009), p. 89.

ENDNOTES



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PHOTOGRAPHY

ABOUT GENSLER LOCATIONS

As the leading design firm for business, Gensler has a

unique perspective on the ways that people really work.

Through projects with thousands of companies and our

national workplace surveys, we have seen firsthand the

revolution of knowledge work, and how individuals and

teams create organizational value and drive performance.

Assassi Productions: page 19

Christopher Barrett: page 16

(bottom left), back cover

Bruce Damonte:

pages 7, 17 (bottom)

Pierce Fisher/Gensler:

pages 8/9, 12/13

Nic Lehoux: page 15

Ryan Gobuty/Gensler:

cover, pages 1, 10/11

Chris Leonard/Gensler:

pages 16 (top left, bottom

right), 17 (top), 24/25

Michael Moran: page 3 (top)

Jasper Sanidad: page

16 (top right)

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