Research

COVID-19 Impact: Offices will find a new purpose

How the global pandemic changed the workplace and is defining a new purpose of the office.

September 02, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended work and office life, becoming a powerful catalyst for workplace change. Within a matter of weeks, the coronavirus crisis forced much of the global workforce to embrace remote working. This sudden and extreme shift has raised many questions about the sustainability of this new way of working, particularly in terms of workplace productivity. More fundamentally, it has led many to query the role and purpose of physical offices in the future. Our research, involving over 3,000 employees from diverse industries across the globe, demonstrates that physical offices will remain critical in ensuring organizational success in the post-pandemic world. It also highlights imperatives for optimizing remote workers’ experience and enhancing human performance and productivity in the future workplace.

Our survey* of more than 3,000 office workers across the globe found that:

  • 71% worked from home during the pandemic
  • 58% missed their office and 65% missed it among young professionals (under 35yo)
  • 44% missed the human interaction and socializing with colleagues
  • Only 48% felt more productive at home vs. in the office

*Source: JLL survey conducted online among 3,000 employees working in offices. The survey spanned all industries in 10 countries. It was carried out at the end of April 2020.

Report highlights:

  • Working Remotely: From surviving to thriving
  • Rethinking the office as a social hub
  • Providing highly personalized and human experiences

Fill out this form to download report

There was an error submitting the form. Please try again.