US Employees Are the Happiest in the World. Here's One Theory Why.

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL-Boutique coworking provider ​Mindspace​ recently announced the findings of its global work culture survey which included a poll of 1,000 employees from across the US. The coworking provider surveyed people to determine how they feel about their jobs focusing on employee engagement, wellness, and overall happiness at work. The report, “2019 Mindspace Work Culture Report, US Findings,” revealed the majority of US employees are happy in their workplace thus placing the country at the top among the other countries surveyed.

• US 93%
• Netherlands 91%
• Poland 83%
• Romania 82%
• Germany 81%
• Israel 81%
• UK 73%

Office Space, Coworking and the Happiness Factor

A shift in thinking in the US real estate industry could be part of the reason behind the US’ high score.

For decades, the CRE industry has focused on the “buyer” and not the “user.” However, landlords have recently come to realize that the focus must now shift to employees and to their happiness. The office is no longer simply a 9-5, four-walls-and-a-desk, come-do-your-job-and-leave space anymore. Employees now expect a certain level of quality, modernization and access to amenities.

While there are many factors of employee happiness that are not in the control of coworking and flex space, there’s still a lot that can be done to enhance the experience and create an office space that promotes happiness.

“In our survey, we looked at physical elements like design, layout, lighting, decoration and greenery, as well as activities and activation, and their relationship with employee happiness and found correlations between several of these factors and the levels of happiness employees report,” shares Dan Zakai, CEO and co founder of Mindspace.

The Social Aspect of Coworking

Additionally, the social aspect is clearly one of the biggest contributors to happiness (or unhappiness). In short, the sense of community and belonging is one of the reasons people like coming to the coworking office.

“We have found that creating a functioning, supportive coworking community is more than simply providing a place for people to come together. It requires ongoing management, attention to the requirements of the community and its members, proactive introductions between members, and the creation of well crafted activities and activation,” explains Zakai.

Top 3 Perks

The top 3 perks that Americans most want from work are flexible working hours (35%), exercise activities, and financial bonuses (32% each). These are closely followed up by professional development sessions and free food (29% each). The report also reflected that:

• 96% of US workers feel engaged and valued in their job,
• 95% of US companies strongly value employee wellness, and
• 68% of US workers can work flexible hours, and
• 35% think flex time is a high-value perk.

“We have found that the more options people have throughout the day to change their scenery, setup and location in the office and from home, the happier and more productive they are,” observes Zakai.

Future of Coworking

The future of the coworking/flex space industry is bright, Zakai says, with upward growth in existing markets as well as in new markets. “The findings are clear on the connection between happiness and certain work attributes and any organization that cares about their employees, their productivity, creativity and longevity will find these survey findings to be significant,” he says.

“As a result, companies will continue to team up with coworking operators in their quest to attract and retain the best talent, and foster a work environment that yields creativity and productivity.”