10 May 2022

67% of workers want to only work for companies making a positive impact - survey

11:50 am on 10 May 2022

Employees have high expectations for their return to work - and a good cup of coffee is one of the essentials.

Open plan office.

Having clean and hygienic spaces, quiet areas and a good cup of coffee were also essential. Photo: 123RF

A survey of a thousand office workers by the workplace solutions provider OfficeMax has found two thirds (67%) of the workforce say they will only work for a company that makes a positive impact.

When on the job hunt, 80 percent of applicants said the company's stated purpose or mission was important.

While salary still topped the priority list for employees, purpose, culture, leadership, and business integrity were also critically important to employees.

Having clean and hygienic spaces, quiet areas and a good cup of coffee were also essential.

"Over the last few months, as businesses have been preparing to return to the workplace, we've seen a huge focus on areas like soundproofing, introducing quiet booths, and significant investments in technology and cafeteria enhancements," OfficeMax managing director Kevin Obern said.

Top-notch technology set ups (11%), ergonomic workstations (8%) and improved cleanliness (8%) were deemed a priority, alongside quiet spaces for focus (7%).

"Businesses seem to understand that after spending the better part of a year working from home, employees now expect some of those comforts - like high-quality coffee, the ability to concentrate outside of an open-plan environment and ultra-clean workspaces - in the office."

The survey also indicated many workers missed being at work, including the clear separation between work and home-life (47%), as well as being around people to spark ideas and be more creative (45%).

Employees aged over 55 placed higher importance on having clean spaces (58%) and lunchrooms (51%), while the younger age group (under 34) placed importance on a modern office (22%) and break-out areas away from desks (14%).