- Employees want calm, comfort and customisation, but most workplaces are still getting it wrong
- Hybrid working dominates across Europe with office days set to shrink further by 2030
- Unispace research surveying over 5,000 employees finds 93% of staff still believe the office will be needed.
LONDON, Oct. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- After five years of debating where people should work, employees have a clear message: it's time for employers to get the basics right.
According to the latest global survey from leading workplace creation firm Unispace, workers are clear on what they need: less noise and distraction,with 75% saying these hinder performance, and more spaces designed around calm, comfort, and customisation. Yet 1 in 4 say their workplace isn't comfortable, and over a fifth (21%) report their space doesn't support their role.
The Unispace study, A Moment of Clarity - a survey of full-time employees across 14 markets - finds that employees are ready to perform, but workplaces are still holding them back.
"The office is no longer in crisis; it's in progress. We've gone from reluctance to rhythm, and the focus now is on getting back to basics," said Rob Frank, CEO, EMEA. "The message is consistent across Europe: give people calm, comfortable, customised spaces, and they will deliver."
From "storming" to "norming"
Since 2020, Unispace's in-depth surveys have tracked the workplace's journey.
The shifts seen mirror a well-known team development framework by psychologist Bruce Tuckman, which describes how groups evolve through four stages:
- 2020-2021: Shutdowns and "forming". Most spaces shut, teams scattered, and uncertainty reigned. Then came the tentative returns and negotiations between employers, employees, and governments: "Why? When? How?".
- 2021-2023: Then came a period of "storming", as employers encouraged in-person office attendance while employees resisted.
- 2024: "Norming", with hybrid models becoming mainstream.
- 2025: "Performing" - a moment of clarity where office value is no longer disputed, but its design is under scrutiny.
The silent failure
Workplaces may be open, but for many employees, they're anything but productive.
- 75% say noise, distractions and a lack of space for quiet work are preventing them from performing at their best.
- 80% report that the office has more distractions than working from home.
- Almost half (48%) said a desk or personal workspace is the most important workplace zone, yet it's also described as the most underperforming.
This "silent failure" is amplified by the constant digital noise and workplaces not fit for purpose, which is only set to increase.
Looking ahead to 2030
Offices will remain a central part of working life, but their role is changing.
- In 2025, employees spend an average of 2.9 days in the office, 1 day at home, and 1.1 days in third spaces like co-working hubs, cafés, or a client site.
- By 2030, office time is expected to drop to 2.6 days per week.
- Yet 93% of employees believe the office will still be needed, with its primary purpose shifting to collaboration, teamwork and innovation (33%), alongside visibility with leadership and access to tools and technology.
Employers must act now
Organisations that don't deliver the basics risk jeopardising both productivity and people. Employers must:
- Reframe the office as a strategic asset, not a cost.
- Invest in the 3 Cs: calm, comfort and customisation.
- Design spaces that adapt to AI-enabled work, the needs of introverts and neurodiversity, and the individual expectations of local markets.
"If the workplace isn't working, your people aren't reaching their full potential and productivity is at risk," said Rob Frank, CEO, EMEA . "The fundamentals matter more than ever, and employers that listen now will be the ones that thrive in 2030."
About Unispace
We are a global strategy, design, and construction leader creating spaces that deepen connections, foster a sense of belonging, and propel success. We believe spaces should spark brilliance in people who use them. With 5,500 projects completed, a presence across 26 countries, and 700+ employees worldwide, Unispace Group's portfolio of brands creates spaces that enhance human experience across workplace, life sciences, branded experiential environments, hospitality and retail.?
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