Microsoft Surface Research: Most Offices Not Fit for Purpose

Employee expectations aren’t being met and the office environment isn’t fit for purpose, according to Microsoft Surface research.

More than four in five UK workers (83%) surveyed by YouGov on behalf of Microsoft Surface find themselves still in the same office environment as before the pandemic. Meanwhile, only 35% of IT decision makers (ITDMs) surveyed have been asked to consider whether the IT in their office is fit for today’s workforce.

When asked to imagine a new office workplace, UK employees long for the basics. Strong Wi-Fi is the most common request (49%). However, less than one-third of workers agree their organization has invested in technology to improve collaboration in the past year.

The research indicates that a one-size-fits-all approach no longer works.

“The whole way in which we work has changed irrevocably, but our workplaces have not kept pace,” noted the report.

The research also found that devices continue to fuel productivity. Four in five (81%) employees think of their device as their personal office, keeping them productive from any location.

Workers need a better reason to go into the office than an employer mandate. One-half (50%) of employees only go to the office because or when their employers require it.

Additionally, the report links frustrations of working from the office to loss of time and productivity. Nearly one-third (32%) cite cost and length of time commuting contributing to feeling like they are achieving less (26%).

Partners Helping Organizations to Adapt

Partners have played a pivotal role in helping businesses adapt amidst the pandemic, said Alan Slothower, Surface business group lead at Microsoft UK.

Microsoft’s Alan Slothower

“We remain committed to investing and delivering what our partners need to innovate and grow their business and deliver against the reimagined office of today. Our partners must continue to work closely with their customers’ business leaders and change managers to manage this shift,” he said.

Slothower added that focusing on ensuring employees needs are central to business strategy. So is “accepting and addressing the new hybrid paradox and viewing devices as a productivity powerhouse, and not just a technical necessity,” said Slothower.

“Customers are re-thinking and re-defining their strategies and they’re looking to Microsoft and our partners to help them innovate at scale. We are deeply invested in customer outcomes that ensure every organization has the technology, the skills and the ecosystem in place that makes it ready for the future,” he added.