Attractive Office Design Contributes to Improved Productivity and Employee Retention

Frontier Consulting Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Kuniyuki Kawahara; hereinafter referred to as "the Company") has been continuously collecting quantitative information regarding "people who work and places to work" since 2022. Based on the latest "Survey on Office Environment Design" (conducted in 2025; Target: N=1,000 full-time employees working in Sapporo, Tokyo's 23 wards, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka), we conducted a comparative analysis of the perceptions of workers who find their company's office design "attractive" (414 individuals, hereinafter "Attractive Group") and those who find it "unattractive" (586 individuals, hereinafter "Unattractive Group"). The results suggest that office design positively influences workers' psychological states and attitudes towards work, contributing to productivity and employee retention.

First, regarding "awareness of the company" perceived from office design, the Attractive Group strongly feels "consideration and expectations for employees" and "corporate philosophy and organizational culture." The perceived consideration for "discretion/diversity" and expectations for "active communication" and "initiative/creativity" showed a particularly significant difference compared to the Unattractive Group. This indicates that investment in design serves as a message from management, leading to workers' positive perception of their situation. The Unattractive Group had a higher proportion of workers who felt expected to "adhere to discipline and rules," highlighting a reality where they tend to perceive surveillance and control from the space. Furthermore, a higher percentage of the Unattractive Group than the Attractive Group reported feeling "history/tradition." While history and company identity are important organizational elements, they may be perceived negatively in terms of "lack of change" and "inflexibility," suggesting the importance of design and communication strategies.

Next, concerning "awareness of the place" perceived from office design, the Attractive Group recognizes the office not just as a place for work, but as a location offering "preferential utility" such as "promotion of concentration" and "relationship building." The survey measured the psychological benefits provided by the office using a proprietary questionnaire called "Office Seven Virtues" (① Promotion of Concentration, ② Compensatory Self-Regression, ③ Emotional Fulfillment, ④ Liberation Enhancement, ⑤ Performance, ⑥ Place Control, ⑦ Relationship Building). Additionally, attractive office design fosters an emotionally positive meaning called "place attachment," a psychological connection between people and their workspace, suggesting that the office becomes part of forming individual identity and social bonds.

Finally, regarding "workers' attitudes" perceived from office design, the Attractive Group experiences positive changes in their self-perception since working in their current office. Their evaluation of "self-productivity in their work" is higher than that of the Unattractive Group, and their work engagement and alignment with organizational goals are also higher, suggesting an uplift in overall organizational productivity and engagement. The Attractive Group also shows higher retention intentions and a greater likelihood to recommend their company/office space. Approximately 30% of the Attractive Group wish to increase their office attendance, while only about 3% of the Unattractive Group share this intention. The low frequency of discussion and the absence of even complaints from the Unattractive Group may indicate resignation or a sense of powerlessness.

The Company believes that workers are highly sensitive to management's awareness of the office through its design. Therefore, instead of viewing the office as merely a "cost reduction target," it is crucial to adopt a management perspective that sees the office as an "investment target" essential for practicing human capital management, which positively transforms workers' self-perception and fosters a sense of organizational community. Through office design as a "medium" embodying work styles and corporate culture, we support the creation of workplaces that maximize organizational productivity and engagement.