The science of seating: how variety drives employee experience

The adoption of unassigned seating in office workplaces has surged by 20 per cent over the past four years, according to new research by Leesman. While this trend aligns with the rise of hybrid working and flexible arrangements, the transition to unassigned seating warrants careful consideration.

Leesman’s latest report, ‘The Value of Variety’, explores the nuances of assigned versus unassigned seating and its effects on employee experience. The report draws on global data from 1,591 workplaces and more than 400,000 office and home workers collected between Q3 2021 and Q1 2024.

The findings reveal that 87 per cent of respondents now work in a hybrid model and 13 per cent are either never in the office (4 per cent) or in the office five days a week (9 per cent). Of those who are hybrid, 63 per cent spend one to three days in the office. This shift has prompted many organisations to rethink real estate strategies, with two-thirds of respondents reporting plans to reduce office space by more than 25 per cent within the next 18 months.

A global view

Unassigned seating, a natural progression for companies looking to downsize, has become a preferred solution among real estate professionals due to its cost-saving potential. However, the report questions whether this move is always strategic or simply a response to cutting costs.

More than half (54 per cent) of the workplaces surveyed are predominantly unassigned. This varies across the world, with Oceania paving the way with 81 per cent unassigned seating, followed by Europe (68 per cent), Asia (37 per cent), and North America with the least unassigned seating of just 35 per cent.

Leesman measured the experience scores (Lmi) of workplaces that were assigned versus unassigned and found that those in assigned seating had a slightly better experience score (69.6 out of 100, compared to 68.2). Leesman then split those in unassigned seating into two groups: those with a lot of variety of seating in the office and those without variety; it found that those with diverse seating arrangements had the best experience of everyone, with an experience score of 72.8.

The report underscores the importance of variety. Environments with diverse seating arrangements – including spaces for informal collaboration, private conversations, and creative work – consistently outperform those that rely solely on unassigned desks without additional spatial options.

Considerations for seating

To optimise office design for productivity and employee satisfaction, the Leesman research identifies key considerations:

• Know your workforce: Understand the tasks your employees perform and design accordingly. For instance, assigned seating supports individual tasks like spreading out materials or individual focus work, while varied unassigned spaces enhance activities such as informal social interaction and creative collaboration.
• Challenge assumptions: The assigned desk can be seen as a reward for returning to the office, but unassigned arrangements with variety can provide equal – if not greater – benefits in fostering pride, enjoyment and productivity.
• Beware of bad implementation: Poorly executed unassigned seating can lead to disengagement, with one-third of employees in such environments classified as ‘obstructors’ who are actively disengaged from their work.

The rewards of variety

When done right, unassigned workplaces with diverse spatial offerings outperform traditional assigned setups in several key areas:

• Pride and enjoyment: 72 per cent feel proud to bring visitors to their workplace, and 77 per cent find the environment enjoyable.
• Support for breaks and interaction: 80 per cent are satisfied with spaces for breaks, and 89 per cent value opportunities for informal interaction.
• Productivity support: Thrivers – those who have the highest positive perception of the workplace – report that the workplace enables them to work productively, with 92 per cent expressing high satisfaction.

For organisations considering unassigned seating, Leesman offers a critical takeaway: if you cannot commit to providing a variety of functional spaces, unassigned seating may do more harm than good. While a well-executed unassigned environment can achieve ‘excellent’ experiences (with an average score of 72.8), a poorly designed one risks productivity, satisfaction and engagement losses for the business.

As workplaces continue to evolve, the focus must shift from simple cost-cutting measures to creating spaces that genuinely support diverse working styles and foster a positive employee experience. By prioritising variety and understanding employee needs, organisations can navigate the complexities of hybrid work and unassigned seating with confidence.