Vis Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Tomohiro Kanaya; hereinafter referred to as Vis), which handles "Work Design," conducted its latest office trend survey. With hybrid work now established, there is a renewed demand for answers to the fundamental question: "Why do we go to the office?"

This survey revealed that while office renovations and relocations significantly improve employees' recognition of "company identity," new challenges such as "feeling forced to come to the office" and "inability to utilize the space" have emerged.

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Survey Result Highlights

・ "Company Identity" Perception Increases Approximately 2.5 Times with Office Renovation/Relocation

・ Approximately Half of Respondents Cite "Human Connection" as the Purpose of Coming to the Office

・ The More Employees Feel They Can "Effectively Utilize" the Office, the Approximately 4.7 Times Lower the Risk of Feeling Lonely

・ Empathy for "Company Identity" Reduces the Sense of Forced Attendance by Approximately One-Fourth

Survey Result Details

1. Office Relocation/Renovation Significantly Enhances "Company Identity"

Among companies that relocated or renovated their offices within the last three years, 51.4% responded that their "office is like their company." In contrast, only 20.7% of companies that had not done so responded similarly, resulting in a perception difference of approximately 2.5 times. These results indicate that the office space itself functions as a manifestation of the company's vision and culture, playing a crucial role in reinforcing "company identity."

In free-response comments, many praised the alignment between space and corporate culture, with remarks such as:

"The design and usability make me feel the 'identity.'" "I feel attached to the space that utilizes our company's products." "Layout designed for easy communication." "The culture is embedded." "Corporate culture is reflected."

2. "Interpersonal Interaction" Accounts for Approximately Half of Office Attendance Purposes

Of the survey respondents, 43.8% cited "work-related communication" as their primary reason for going to the office. Including "casual communication" (4.6%), approximately half (48.4%) go to the office seeking "interpersonal interaction." On the other hand, those prioritizing individual work, such as "can concentrate better than at home" (9.4%) and "switching between work and personal life" (6.3%), accounted for only about 15.6%.

It is clear from these figures that the role of the office has significantly shifted from a "place for work" to a "place to connect with people" and a "place for co-creation" that can only be obtained through face-to-face interaction.

3. Current State of "Loneliness" and "Office Utilization" in the Workplace

However, challenges have also become apparent. Despite "interaction" being the top reason for coming to the office, 17.2% of respondents reported "sometimes feeling lonely at the office," revealing that approximately one in six people feel alienated.

Furthermore, a significant difference was observed between those who felt lonely and their level of office utilization.

Of those who do not feel lonely at the office ("psychologically stable group"), 85.7% responded that they "effectively utilize the office." In contrast, only 18.1% of those who feel lonely reported effectively utilizing the office. This indicates a difference of approximately 4.7 times.

These results suggest that simply providing a space and gathering people is insufficient to alleviate loneliness. It is believed that a natural sense of connection and security with others arises only when individuals have the feeling that they can proactively choose their own place and maximize its value. In other words, not only arranging the space but also the experience of "effectively utilizing" it is a crucial element in enhancing engagement.

4. Empathy for "Company Identity" Reduces the Psychological Burden of Commuting

Perception of "company identity" in the office also significantly impacts the psychological burden (sense of coercion) associated with commuting.

Among those who feel their "office is like their company," only 8.3% feel a sense of coercion to come to the office. On the other hand, among those who do not feel a sense of company identity, 33.3%, approximately four times as many, reported feeling coerced.

These results indicate that to create an "office people want to go to," it is essential not only to improve convenience but also to reflect the company's vision and culture in the space and design an experience that allows employees to feel proud of it as "their own place."

5. Trend Towards Strategic Investment in "Human Capital"

Analysis of keywords considered important for future office strategies (multiple responses allowed) revealed "internal co-creation" (20.4%) as the top choice, followed by "motivation improvement" (17.7%) and "engagement" (11.8%).

Given the significant impact of offices on people and organizations, their importance in corporate activities is increasing. As a result, offices are beginning to be positioned as "assets" that strengthen engagement, retention, and recruitment.

Summary

What is required of offices going forward is not merely the provision of physical workspaces, but a perspective that fosters employees' sense of belonging and proactive work styles, leading to improved engagement.

・ The Value of "Branding" to Visualize Corporate Culture With the perception of "company identity" increasing approximately 2.5 times through renovation and relocation, it is clear that offices are a powerful means of permeating the company's purpose and culture among employees. In fact, among those who feel their "office is like their company," the sense of coercion to come to the office is only 8.3%. Employees feeling proud of their space as "their own place" dispels negative feelings about commuting and leads to a positive attitude towards attendance and organizational unity.

・ Designing to Eliminate "Loneliness" and Foster "Co-creation" There is a mismatch where approximately one in six employees (17.2%) who come to the office for "interaction" feel lonely. To resolve this, the experience of "effectively utilizing" the office is crucial. Those with a high sense of office utilization are approximately 4.7 times less likely to feel lonely compared to those who feel lonely.

These psychological challenges, such as loneliness and a sense of coercion, cannot be solved by merely arranging a physical space. What is now required of offices is a "redesign of connections" that allows for a sense of human presence and warmth, encompassing not only the physical space but also the work styles themselves, such as layout design that facilitates spontaneous conversations while ensuring individual focus, and the redefinition of attendance purposes and the establishment of operational rules.

At Vis, we believe that to realize an "office people want to go to," a perspective of "Experience Design" is essential, designing not only the "place" of the workplace but also the "experience" including work styles and connections between employees.

Transforming the office into an investment that supports corporate growth.

Moving forward, Vis will continue to realize "Work Design" by integrating the design of space and experience, in line with its purpose of "Making people who work happy," contributing to the sustainable improvement of corporate value while enhancing engagement between people and organizations.

【Survey Overview】

Target Audience: Employees and management

Survey Period: April 14, 2026 - May 7, 2026

Valid Responses: 64

Survey Method: Internet survey (conducted by Vis Inc.)

Vis Inc. HP

https://vis-produce.com/

For more details on "EXPERIENCE DESIGN," click here

https://vis-produce.com/lp/experience-design

Vis Inc.

Vis Inc. aims to realize its purpose of "Making people who work happy" through three business segments.

・ Branding Business We support the construction of corporate branding through the design of workplaces, experiences, and CI/VI (logos, websites, brochures, etc.). ・ Data Solutions Business We visualize "work" related issues quantitatively and qualitatively based on data, including through the "WORK DESIGN PLATFORM," and guide the creation of optimal work styles and office environments. ・ Place Solutions Business Through the operational know-how of our flexible office "The Place," we support the effective utilization of real estate assets, such as proposing office building and workplace utilization.

【Company Profile】 Company Name: Vis Inc. Representative: Tomohiro Kanaya, President Business Activities: Branding, Data Solutions, Place Solutions Established: April 13, 1998 Offices: Tokyo Headquarters, Osaka Headquarters, Nagoya URL: https://vis-produce.com

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  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Surveyレポート