The influence of office environments on work efficiency and worker health is profound, making creating and maintaining an optimal built environment within office spaces pivotal for driving a company’s economic growth. While past research has delved into the impact of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) on work efficiency and worker health, there needs to be a more simultaneous focus on these aspects and a need for quantification regarding the economic advantages of office environment optimisation.

A unique research endeavour was undertaken by a team of Japanese scholars, who meticulously investigated the intricate relationship between office environmental factors, work efficiency, worker health, and the economic benefits associated with optimising these elements. The study, conducted across 29 office buildings in Tokyo, involved a substantial cohort of 1644 workers. Data on the built environment was collected through worker questionnaires and physical IEQ measurements, ensuring a comprehensive and reliable dataset. The research was led by Professor Shun Kawakubo from the esteemed Faculty of Engineering and Design at Hosei University, Japan, and included esteemed colleagues Shiro Arata and Masaki Sugiuchi from the same institution, among others.

The study’s findings unveiled a myriad of insights. Participants, on average, perceived their work efficiency to hover around 77%, with varying degrees of presenteeism observed among them. The detrimental impact of presenteeism on performance was quantified, revealing an approximate 34% decline in productivity.

The study’s core focus was the examination of how overall office environmental elements influenced perceived work efficiency and presenteeism. A key finding was the correlation between a superior office environment and heightened work efficiency among employees. This translated into A substantial 16.8-point disparity in work efficiency between offices with commendable and subpar environments, resulting in an annual economic benefit of approximately 1,039,000 JPY. This underscores the significant financial dividends of an optimal work environment, making a compelling case for office environment optimisation.

Likewise, a positive association between an enhanced office environment and reduced performance decrement due to presenteeism was observed. Professor Kawakubo remarked, “As the quality of the office environment improves, the magnitude of performance loss attributable to presenteeism diminishes. The discernible contrast in annual economic loss stemming from presenteeism between workers in offices characterised by lower environmental performance and those in high-performance environments amounted to 423,000 JPY.”

Further exploration revealed that high-quality elements such as ‘interior and furnishings,’ ‘overall building sanitation,’ ‘HVAC airflow,’ and ‘meeting spaces’ were linked with augmented perceived work efficiency. These findings provide concrete insights into the elements contributing to a high-quality office environment, offering actionable recommendations for optimisation. Conversely, factors like ‘disaster and emergency preparedness,’ ‘thermal environment,’ ‘lighting conditions,’ and ‘telecommunication networks’ were associated with mitigated economic losses due to presenteeism. Significantly, the estimated financial benefits related to perceived work efficiency surpassed those tied to presenteeism, further highlighting the economic significance of office environment optimisation.

This study posits that offices wield the potential to amplify economic gains, accentuating the global imperative for bolstering worker efficiency and safeguarding employee health by cultivating high-quality office environments. Professor Kawakubo articulated, “In today’s landscape, corporations worldwide are reaffirming the pivotal role of human capital. We firmly believe that widespread recognition of the nexus between investment in the creation of conducive office environments, the preservation and enhancement of employee well-being, and the augmentation of overall company productivity will contribute substantially to the cultivation of a healthier society.”

More information: Shiro Arata et al, Economic benefits of the effects of office environment on perceived work efficiency and presenteeism, Building and Environment. DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110712

Journal information: Building and Environment Provided by Hosei University