Some companies have decided to adapt their offices to the new reality and to reconfigure office space so that it better meets the need for maintaining social distancing and holding many virtual meetings. 16% of the respondents said that they had decided to reduce desk density and to increase the number of small meeting rooms or pods.

“From my perspective, the three top answers are the most interesting as they suggest a more comfortable office environment is to come. Close to 20% of the respondents admitted that the density of desks would be reduced due to the pandemic. This will mean more space per office user, resulting in less cramped conditions. Paradoxically, Polish homes and workspaces are frequently cramped. Without a doubt, for many employees a better physical work environment will translate into greater willingness to return to offices, even more so since few can afford to convert a room in their homes into a private office,” says Dominika Kowalska, Associate Director, Workplace Strategy, Office Department, Cushman & Wakefield.

On the other hand, less than 15% of the respondents decided to downsize occupied office space and, as a result, to reduce the number of desks (11%) and large meeting rooms (6%).

“Increasing the number of small and medium-sized rooms will also improve user comfort in the office. Meetings face to face or in groups of up to four people have always been the most common. The changes indicated by respondents will make for better use of office space, improve the conditions for meetings and individual work, and drive employee experience in the workplace,” adds Dominika Kowalska.

Of all the new features to be introduced before employees return to the workplace, an app for booking rooms, desks and parking spaces is being considered by close to 25% of the respondents.

“The roll-out of an office management app is one of the most popular changes planned for workspace management. This clearly shows that the days of sticking a post-it note on a door to book a room are long gone. As apps are to make life easier, it’s good that more and more companies want to invest in them. I personally think that one of the best features of such an app is the opportunity for employees to share parking spaces with colleagues who normally don’t have access to them. Although this appears to be a minor thing, it means a lot to many,” comments Dominika Kowalska.

The survey was conducted using the CAWI method in June 2021 on a sample of 132 decision-makers in office space management (CEOs, Heads of Administration, Chief Operating Officers and Office Managers) in buildings under the management of Cushman & Wakefield.