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Even though Indian employees are the least likely to spend time at an office desk, Indian employees and employers are among the world’s most satisfied with today’s hybrid working environment. The latest Global Workspace Insights report from Unispace, one of the leading workplace creation companies in the world.
97% of Indian employees and 98% of employers surveyed by Unispace for this report are satisfied with hybrid working arrangements, compared to a global average of 87% of employees and 95% of employers. The answer was yes. This shows that employees in India are much more likely than any other country in the world to be willing to take a pay cut to work from home, with almost a third (31%) indicating that they are: This represents a significant change from last year’s statistics. They are already doing so, almost double the global average of 16%.
Part of Unispace’s Global Workplace Insights 2024-25, the report, titled ‘From Restrictions to Resilience’, is based on a survey of 10,700 employees and employers in 13 countries around the world. We uncover trends and insights to guide you in building resilient workplaces. For this report, 500 employees and 250 employers in India were surveyed.
According to the third edition of the Unispace annual report, employees around the world will spend an average of nearly half a day more each week in the office than a year ago in 2024 (last year). (3.7 days compared to 3.4 days last year).
“Despite people spending nearly half a day more in the office than a year ago, our research shows that employees and employers alike are looking for workspaces that inspire innovation and drive productivity. If you are willing to endure long commutes and arrange childcare, your destination must be an environment where ideas can flourish.” Unispace India’s strategy. says Swatasiddha Majumdar, principal in charge. “We’ve also seen a noticeable shift this year, with employees actively seeking out workplaces that allow them to focus, rather than reserving their focus to work from home.”
While in-person collaboration remains the number one motivator for coming into the office, employees around the world actually report spending 64 percent of their time at their desk. Interestingly, we found that Indian employees, with an average reporting time of 50%, are the least likely to spend time at their desk when working in an office.
The report further reveals that noise, temperature and air quality issues are the biggest barriers for Indian employees to work productively in the office. Not finding time to exercise or staying active during the workday is an added challenge and can cause physical and mental fatigue.
To alleviate these challenges, the Unispace report recommends a combination of furniture and workplace configurations that accommodate a variety of tasks and work styles. “People now want quiet places to focus and work, as well as flexible spaces for a variety of activities and collaboration. By addressing these needs, companies can better align their employees with This can support both productivity and employee health,” Majumdar added.
The Unispace report also reveals that Indian employers’ confidence in their ability to foster workplace innovation is on the decline. While 96% of Indian employers believed their workplaces enabled employees to be innovative in 2023, that number dropped to 85% in 2024.
The report also reveals the top motivations for Indian employees to work in an office, including paid or subsidized travel (parking and public transport), access to more training and development programs, or cite free drinks, coffee, and snacks as their top three reasons. This is to make you feel happier spending more time in the office. Additionally, the top three reasons why Indian employees work in an office are technology infrastructure, benefit areas for relaxation and stress relief, and hygiene facilities.
With 87% of Indian employers and 80% of employees agreeing that technology in the workplace fully facilitates their work, technology continues to be an integral part of improving productivity and communication.
91% of Indian employees want to reduce their commute time, and 94% of employees say they are happy with free snacks, coffee, and drinks. Only 48% of Indian employers currently offer flexible start times, suggesting there is significant room for improvement in employee engagement and retention strategies.
