Last year, research from property maintenance experts Aspect, who provide emergency plumbers to commercial and private customers, found that the vast majority of people find their place of work to be an ‘unpleasant physical environment’.
Among the many complaints reported, the ones which stood out, in particular, included things like uncomfortable temperatures, poor lighting and ventilation, bad smells and toilets in poor condition.
However, the problems didn’t stop there. Other things staff complained about included the standard of decor — specifically, poor fixtures and fittings or deteriorating floor coverings. Surprisingly, insect infestations, damp, mould and dripping taps were further issues reported.
Experts Say Correct Maintenance & Basic Upgrades Can Improve Staff Comfort
Professor Sir Cary Cooper, Organisational Psychology and Health Specialist, was shocked at the findings. He believes that many of the problems raised by employees are minor and can be fixed easily.
“The complaints highlighted in the study suggest a wide spectrum of failure when it comes to meeting these basic standards. Workplaces should be a comfortable temperature and well-lit where possible, free from intrusive noise, bad smells and other avoidable sources of unpleasantness.”
Professor Cooper was also surprised that businesses were not putting their staff comfort as a top priority. He admitted that significant changes were possible without the need to break the bank. He believes that employers also need to go beyond basic health and safety obligations.
“Those that don’t are sending a signal to their people that their physical comfort and freedom from distraction are a low priority, which can be demoralising for any workforce. That’s not to say organisations need to invest in high-spec fit-outs and luxurious surroundings. Still, they should focus instead on meeting a basic standard of environmental comfort appropriate for their industry.
Other Positive Changes to Work Environment Are Possible at Low Cost
Nick Bizley, Commercial Director at Aspect, mirrors Professor Cooper’s sentiments. He also believes that the most basic improvements to a workplace can have the most substantial impact on staff working there.
“The majority of the big complaints revealed by the study relate to issues that can be fixed or mitigated quite easily. For example, we visit organisations who would have significantly more natural light if they just rearranged some of their furniture. It’s quite surprising how many windows are obscured by whiteboards, shelves and sometimes even posters.”
Organisations can begin to fix a lot of the issues they experience, simply by bringing in the right maintenance teams. After all, modern-day working environments should not be suffering from things such as mice or insect infestation.
For the remaining problems, such as complaints about temperature, Nick believes this boils down to a lack of communication among the workforce.
“Some of the complaints don’t even necessarily require anything more than better communication. The fact that more than half of women complain of workplaces being too cold tells us something important. Studies** have shown, for example, that office climate standards were set at a time when most workplaces were male-dominated, so the ‘ideal temperatures’ are really ‘men’s ideal temperatures’. If employers were to ask their people if they were happy with the temperature and to allow them to work in different areas with different ambient temperatures, this could help tackle that particular problem.”