世論 What Japan Thinks

Over two days back in October last year, goo Research interviewed 2,215 members of its business monitor community regarding office design issues. The particular aspect of office design that they were interested in is what might be called “functional design”, namely design with the aim of improving employee motivation or communication, or other such positive effects. The sample consisted of 14.5% in their twenties, 40.5% in their thirties, 32.5% in their forties, 10.7% in their fifties, 1.6% in their sixties, and 0.1% aged seventy or older.

Regarding employment status, 8.9% were at board level, 77.3% were regular full-time employees, 2.3% contract full-time employees, 1.5% were short-term contractors, and 10.0% had other status. 8.2% were in real estate, 23.9% in manufacture, 4.7% in finance and insurance, 6.1% in distribution, 1.3% in utilities, 5.3% in import/export, 22.8% in the service sector, 8.6% in the public sector, and 19.0% in other industries. 18.6% worked in companies or between 1 and 9 employees, 13.5% in those between 10 and 49 employees, 8.1% with 50 to 99 employees, 19.4% with 100 to 499 employees, 8.0% with 500 to 999 employees, and 32.4% in companies with 1,000 or more employees. The sex breakdown is not given, however.

My office is a pretty typical Japanese office; open plan with token partitions that barely hide you from other members, although looking around other parts of the building we have it lucky in having even just these token walls. I find that the offices are exceptionally noisy, as people just shout across the place, and sadly I dislike headphones of ear buds, so cannot get much respite from the din.

Q1: Has your company’s office design been “functionally” changed? (Sample size=2,215)

Recently been changed (to SQ)	5.2%
Changed some time ago (to SQ)	11.1%
No, but currently being planned	7.5%
No	65.6%
Don’t know	10.6%

Q1SQ: What sort of office design “functional” change was it? (Sample size=361, multiple answer)

Relaxation space that employees can use at any time	65.1%
Placing of plenty of pot plants	40.2%
Air conditioning or humidifiers, etc to improve the environment	36.8%
“Non-territorial office” – desks not assigned to specific people	19.9%
Library or other information collecting spaces	18.0%
Bar or cafe for employees	14.1%
Environmentally friendly roof garden, solar power, etc	9.4%
Tatami (straw mat) meeting room	5.3%
Billiard, darts, etc play space for employees	2.5%
Other	4.7%

Q2: What “functional” changes would you like to see in the future? (Sample size=2,215, multiple answer)

Relaxation space that employees can use at any time	48.4%
Air conditioning or humidifiers, etc to improve the environment	39.1%
Library or other information collecting spaces	23.4%
Bar or cafe for employees	21.9%
Placing of plenty of pot plants	21.4%
Environmentally friendly roof garden, solar power, etc	17.7%
“Non-territorial office” – desks not assigned to specific people	13.9%
Billiard, darts, etc play space for employees	6.9%
Tatami (straw mat) meeting room	6.9%
Other	2.4%

Q3: Do you think that “functional” changes in office design have a positive effect on employee motivation? (Sample size=2,215)

Strongly think so	16.6%
Think so	55.2%
Can’t say it does or doesn’t	16.3%
Don’t really think so	6.6%
Don’t think so at all	1.6%
Don’t know	3.8%

Q4: Do you think that “functional” changes in office design have a positive effect on employee communication? (Sample size=2,215)

Strongly think so	15.4%
Think so	55.7%
Can’t say it does or doesn’t	17.9%
Don’t really think so	5.8%
Don’t think so at all	1.4%
Don’t know	3.8%

Q5: Do you think that “functional” changes in office design have a positive effect on employee creativity? (Sample size=2,215)

Strongly think so	13.9%
Think so	48.7%
Can’t say it does or doesn’t	23.8%
Don’t really think so	8.1%
Don’t think so at all	1.6%
Don’t know	3.9%

Q6: Do you think that changes in office design have a positive effect on employee CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and environmental protection awareness? (Sample size=2,215)

Strongly think so	8.5%
Think so	32.2%
Can’t say it does or doesn’t	33.5%
Don’t really think so	18.0%
Don’t think so at all	3.7%
Don’t know	4.1%

Q7: Do you think that “functional” changes in office design should be carried out regardless the cost involved? (Sample size=2,215)

Strongly think so (to SQ1)	10.0%
Think so (to SQ1)	40.0%
Can’t say it should or shouldn’t	31.0%
Don’t really think so (to SQ2)	13.0%
Don’t think so at all (to SQ2)	3.1%
Don’t know	2.9%

Q7SQ1: What is the reason for your answer? (Sample size=1,107, multiple answer)

Becase improvement in employee motivation and creativity is connected with improvements in profit	69.8%
Because providing a place that is easy for employees to work in is a natural obligation for management	53.5%
Because employees mental health problems can be reduced	41.0%
Other	0.5%

Q7SQ2: What is the reason for your answer? (Sample size=357, multiple answer)

Because the effectiveness can not be directly related to the cost	56.6%
Because the cause of motivation problems is not due to the office environment	37.5%
Because it would be better used for employees’ salary and benefits	26.6%
Because one won’t know if such an office is good or not	9.2%
Other	5.0%

When asked about what would be the ideal place to work, tops was Google with 60 votes, then IBM with 30 votes, Kokuyo also with 30, Sony with 22 and Toyota on 18.