New report: Empty spaces and fully booked meeting rooms – today’s offices do not support the way we work
In today’s offices, many people experience a work environment that does not meet their needs. According to the Next Office® Insight report, based on data from more than 7,000 office workers across the Nordic countries, 45 per cent find it difficult to concentrate in the office and as many as 70 per cent struggle to find an available meeting room when they need one.
“Working life has changed faster than workplaces. Many offices are still designed for a different time and a different way of working. Others have changed since the pandemic, but often based on assumptions about how we would work rather than the actual needs of the organisation. The result is offices that do not provide the right conditions for the entire working day, whether for focused work, collaboration, innovation or social interaction,” says Henrik Axell, Head of Workplace Strategy at Kinnarps.
Several findings indicate that today’s workplaces are not adapted to how people actually work:
- 51% believe that the office space is not optimised for the organisation’s needs
- 45% find it difficult to concentrate in the office.
- The office environment scores 8.2 out of 10 for its importance to wellbeing, while actual wellbeing in the work environment scores only 5.9 out of 10.
The office needs to support the entire working day
The report shows that the need to move easily between individual focused work, meetings in smaller groups, digital calls and social interaction is reflected in the types of environments most in demand today. Employees also report that they need to be in the office at least three days a week to maintain a sense of community and performance over time.
About the report
The report is based on data from more than 7,000 office workers across the Nordic countries, collected between 2023 and 2026 through Kinnarps’ Next Office® workplace analysis, which combines quantitative data with qualitative insights from surveys, interviews and workshops.
About Kinnarps
Kinnarps is one of Europe’s leading supplier of total interior solutions and workplace design for offices, schools and care facilities. The furniture is characterised by high quality, innovative design, low environmental impact and long lifecycles. The company has been family-owned since the start in 1942, with manufacturing in Sweden and operations in over 40 countries.
For more information, please contact:
Johanna Walden
Head of Brand, Kinnarps
johanna.walden@kinnarps.se
0706380153
