NEW YORK — A surprising new survey reveals that crafting the perfect workspace is a labor of love — and time! Nearly 60 percent of American office workers don’t feel very satisfied with their current setups, with it taking up to two years to create the ideal work-from-home haven or office layout.
Specifically, the poll of 2,000 U.S. adults finds that only 40 percent are “very satisfied” with their current workspace, whether that’s at home or in an office. Those who were unsatisfied blamed the lack of space (48%), back pain from their current chair (34%), and their area being too messy (32%).
Overall, 79 percent of Americans take pride in their workspace setup, and 86 percent say their workspace has a “huge” or “moderate” impact on their happiness.
Commissioned by Mind Reader and conducted by OnePoll, the survey also finds that 83 percent feel more productive if their workspace is organized and — if it were more organized — believe they could increase their productivity by an average of 38 percent. Three-quarters say they’d even consider sharing their workspace with a famous daytime talk show host if they could. Top picks for celebrity co-workers include Drew Barrymore (21%), Kelly Clarkson (19%), and Jennifer Hudson (15%).
Over half (58%) say they are “professionally organized” but admit they’re personally chaotic. Additionally, people felt the most organized in their work (61%) and least organized when it comes to their mental health (27%).
Compared to other aspects of their lives, 77 percent say their workspace is more organized than the rest. In fact, 47 percent believe that their loved ones would be surprised to see just how orderly their workspace really is.
Respondents also share the trends they’ve tried in the past five years to help keep them organized: decluttering their digital space (35%), minimalism (32%), and using space-saving or multi-functional products (27%). As a result, 83 percent swear the trends they’ve tried have effectively improved their organizational skills.
“It’s natural for us to feel more productive when we’re in an environment that is comfortable and organized,” says spokesperson Glenn Goldberg, Head of Marketing at Mind Reader, in a statement. “‘Get Organized Day’ is a moment in time to motivate people to reorganize their workspaces and embrace that fresh feeling of productivity that comes as a result.”
The survey also highlights the importance of location in one’s work life. Nearly half of the respondents (47%) reported that they work remotely for some portion of their job.
If they’re working from home, 59 percent say they still prefer to work from a desk, while others change spots throughout the day (18%), work from their dining room (17%), or exclusively from bed (16%).
Remote workers say the best parts of working from home are not having to commute (50%), dressing how they want (48%), and feeling more productive and organized (29%). More than a quarter (28%) say they work in a hybrid environment, splitting their time between their home and an office for their job.
Comparing the two locations, 40 percent say their in-office workspace is more organized, while 29 percent say their home workspace is more organized. However, hybrid workers spend more time customizing their at-home workspace than their office workspace (35% vs. 27%).
The best parts of working in person or in an office setting are feeling more engaged with co-workers (37%), feeling more productive (29%), and feeling more organized (29%).
Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 Americans who work in an office environment was commissioned by Mind Reader between Mar. 26 and Mar. 31, 2024. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
