Detail of Verbatim Comments from Office-Worker Survey
Question: If you could change something about your office building, what would it be?
Needs Improvement: Layout and Décor
“I wouldn’t change anything, I feel safe, comfortable, and it’s well kept.”
“Too many steps to climb to get to entrance.”
“Higher cubicle walls to help tone down extraneous noise.”
“More plants would be beneficial.”
“Bigger office space, and more room for actual offices instead of having desks in an open area.”
“Less clutter.”
“I would make it more lively! It is so boring, all blah colors, no fun. It would be more fun to work if there was something going on besides gray carpet and bland off-white walls with lots of cubicles.”
“More outside appeal.”
“More space for growth.”
“Larger break area.”
“Make it more like a regular office environment. It’s just too trendy to be workable. The surroundings are “interesting” rather than workable”
“Pictures are related to our products and it would be nice to have nicer artwork.”
“More privacy for employees. Cubicles are not the answer to efficient and effective working conditions.”
“I wish the building had windows.”
Needs Improvement: Safety & Security
“Installing an alarm system because we deal with cash on occasion and it’s a serious concern.”
“Security measures such as metal detectors and security guards. Bullet proof glass would be an asset.”
“More thorough checks of employee and visitor credentials.”
“Better locks on outside of building.”
“An additional exit to the office (there is currently only one).”
“Add security guards, add fingerprinting to employment file.”
“Someone to walk you to your car late at night.”
“Security cameras with Internet monitoring available to several staff members.”
“Someone at the reception desk all the time.”
“Do not let strangers walk into building work areas without a chaperone.”
“Mace for protection.”
“That when there is an emergency, they would notify office tenants via telephone or PA system.”
Needs Improvement: Comfort, Cleanliness & Productivity
“Area to lay down for a quick nap as needed during lunch.”
“More freedom to make office space our own (hanging pictures, etc.).”
“The ability to decide what kind of chair you use.”
“I would have it cleaned regularly.”
“Trash should be picked up nightly.”
“More natural light.”
“Windows that open.”
”The temperature in the building; in the winter it is too hot and the summer is too cold.
“A good rug cleaning. It has not been done for at least 3 years and that is a lot of dirt tracked onto it.”
“The carpeting in here is 30 years old and its making all of is sick all the time.”
“The strings from and holes in the carpet are a safety hazard that we constantly trip over.”
”There is dust everywhere all over the desk and tables that doesn’t get clean unless we the employees clean them.”
“Sometimes odd smells come through the vents.”
“Personal air filter for the office.”
“The carpeting in here is 30 years old and its making all of is sick all the time.”
“The lighting is very harsh and causes eye strain and migranes.”
“Reworking of the ventilation system. The environment seems to bring out the “sick” in people.”
“Replace 70% of the furniture to include desks, file cabinets, and standard desk chairs with ergonomic desk chairs.”
”Faster connection speeds needed.”
“I would just want better and more sophisticated computer equipment.”
Needs Improvement: Amenities
“Better Gym/workout facilities.”
“I would include the option for childcare for some of the single parent employees… and add cafeteria services.”
“A gym and juice bar.”
“Free drinks and snacks.”
“Better vending machine selection.”
“Outdoor recreation area.”
“Better conference areas.”
“Have a kitchen area.”
“Free Coffee Free Popcorn and Free Fruit once a week.”
“Satellite TV.”
“Needs free parking.”
Needs Improvement: Recycling/Environment
“We would recycle and use cloth towels instead of paper towels.”
“We can’t trust the elevators, they should probably be replaced with energy efficient elevators.”
“Recycling would be first, then carpools.”
“More recycling, less waste, transit reimbursement (or at least tax-free transit), energy-efficient lighting.”
“Environmentally safe building materials and more energy efficiency appliances.”
“Would like it to be ‘green.’”
Needs Improvement: Bathrooms
“Install extra bathroom for visitors.”
“Keep the bathrooms cleaner.”
“Men’s room instead of unisex bathroom.”
“Remodel rest rooms. MAJOR UPGRAGE IS NEEDED.”
“Appropriate size paper towels in dispensers in restrooms.”
“We would have a vent for gases to escape through the ceiling in the client restrooms.”
“Some of the bathrooms don’t have hot water.”
“More bathrooms. Ours are centrally located.”
“Fix the bathrooms completely instead of just patching it up.”
“Tampons in the women’s bathroom dispenser.”
Needs Improvement: Facilities
“Fix the elevators.”
“Handicap accessible, elevators, etc.”
“Take better care of the grounds, fix the kitchen, make it not seem like a nursing home.
“Better insulation, lighting other then what we use, wiring updated.”
”No power outages in bad weather.”
“The plumbing and electric needs to be updated.”
“Fix the roof so it doesn’t leak.”
”I wish it did not have a flat roof. They all seem to leak sooner or later.”
“Replace broken skylights.”
Question: What is the best feature of your office building?
Best Features: General
“Nothing really, its a pretty drab place.”
Best Features: Layout & Decor
“Very few cubicles, mainly offices.”
“Large offices (no cube farms).”
“Nearly all window offices.”
“Floral arrangements every week.”
“Plants.”
“Everything has a new fresh appearance.”
“Setting is very nice, with fake, woodlike wilderness.”
“Lots of windows.”
”It’s a cool old building with all of the original wood and stained glass windows.”
“Interior hallway so you do not have to face the elements to get from one building to another.”
“Architecture gives us lots of open space and light.”
“Brightly painted fun place.”
“Can see out of windows.”
“Lots of meeting space.”
”Exterior benches & grass/landscaping
“Arrangement of office furniture makes traffic flow much easier.”
“Indoor waterfall in lobby.”
“Soft music.”
“It’s a short building and you don’t have to go too far in the elevator.”
Best Features: Safety and Security
“Strict security, health, safety and environment measures.”
“Established rules and evacuation for fires, testing via fire drills, etc.”
“Explosion proof electrical equipment.”
”It has 2′ thick concrete walls which makes it very safe and secure.”
“Sturdy — considered a safe zone for earthquakes.”
”Security, and we are almost all armed.”
“Back up generator, equipment, defribilators.”
”I have full view of whoever comes into the building.”
“Security officer, closed circuit cameras, ID badges.”
“Employees familiar with other employees.”
“I feel secure leaving personal belongings at my desk.”
“Keyless card entry. Buzzers to open doors.”
“Hand scan to enter.”
“Security code to get in, security officers to let you in the parking lot.”
“The lot is gated to reduce car theft.”
“They upgraded the outside lighting so that there are no dark spots in front of the building or in the parking area.”
Best Features: Comfort, Cleanliness & Productivity
“Relaxed environment.”
“Homey, inviting, comfortable.”
“It is small and intimate.”
“AC in the summer and heat in the winter.”
“It is a very casual atmosphere with a remarkably low level of stress at most times. For the most part it is also quite quiet and so it is easy to concentrate.”
“It has room-by-room temperature controls.”
“Daily janitorial services.”
“We have a home environment we have trust and we have freedom.”
“Current technology.”
“We have tools to get the job done without being forced to work in a creative manner.”
Best Features: Location
“The scenery is my favorite focal point (outside view)”
“It’s also very conveniently located in the center of downtown.”
“Good location - easily accessible by freeway.”
“Located overlooking the woods and Minnesota River.”
“Convenient access to transportation.”
“Near main police station.”
“In a strip mall with other offices.”
“Near restaurants and entertainment.”
“High visibility to the outside, it’s on the ground floor, it has an exit known only to employees.”
“In a suburban area.”
“Close to home.”
“On main road.”
“Good parking great restaurants and shopping close.”
“Easy access from parking lot to office.”
Best Features: Amenities
“Health room to use for breast pumping.”
“Working stove, dishwasher and fridge.”
“Coffee machine.”
“Free hot water.”
“A fridge with drinks provided for us.”
“Free parking garage.”
“Our gas pumps.”
“Deli.”
“Coffee shop in building.”
”It is all new—they recently remodeled the whole building…the state of the art conference [center]“
“Having an employee club and credit union on the premise.”
“In house cafeteria, security, vending.”
“Sundries store.”
“Workout facility.”
“Free internet access.”
“25 cent snack machine….great for morale.”
“Fully-stocked breakroom.”
“Convenient selection of restaurants and other vendors (salons, cleaners) within the building, proximity to other shopping and transportation, responsive management.”
“We have monitors in the lunchrooms that give progress of projects and financial information. It is a great way of communicating to everyone.”
“Nice breakroom with tables and many windows.”
“DirecTV for lunch breaks.”
Best Features: Recycling & Environment
“Energy efficient lights.”
“Good recycling programs.”
Best Features: Bathrooms
“Men’s rooms on every other floor.”
“Short walk to the restroom.”
“Clean restrooms.”
“Marble bathrooms.”
Best Features: Maintenance & Facilities
“Good response time when a problem arises.”
“Impressive entryway.”
“Regular maintenance of walls, halls and floors.”
“Things are repaired promptly and courteously.”
“Snow removal.”
“The people in charge of the building take great pride in taking care of it.”
“It’s brand spankin’ new!”
“Strong block and fire resistant construction. Excellent electrical system.”
“Landscaping is very well kept, handyman always on premise if needed.”
“Rent has not been increased in 8 years.”
Other amenities that influence decisions to work in office buildings.
“Massage parlor.”
“Classrooms.”
“Clean, well stocked vending machines that are kept full AND a coin changer AND an ATM in the building.”
“Closer trash service.”
“Convenient location to shops.”
“Centralized coffee centers on each floor.”
“Kitchen facilities.”
“Good toiletries.”
“Break room with refrigerator.”
“Gift store.”
“Mail station.”
“Spa.”
“Bookstore.”
“Plowing of parking areas after snow storms.”
“Water delivery service.”
“On duty nurse.”
“Bottled water.”
“Clean, safe drinking water.”
“Starbucks coffee.”
“Ice machine.”
“Sleep room.”
“Well-lit parking lot.”
“Discounted personal office supplies.”
“Security.”
“Personal locker space.”
“Escort to outdoor open air (covered) parking at night.”
“Car wash.”
“Discount parking.”
Keywords: BCP Survey, Blumberg Capital Partners, Office Worker Survey, Worker Survey Details
