December 1, 2014
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Survey of Use of Office Space 2014
Actual use of office spaces and needs of office tenants
Xymax Real Estate Institute constantly interviews and surveys corporate tenants occupying office buildings
managed by Xymax Group. This year, we conducted a survey to discover the actual use of office spaces
and needs of office tenants. The results are summarized in this report.
Xymax Real Estate Institute will continue the study based on results from this survey and report moreconstructive information on use of office spaces and needs of tenants.

Key Findings
Actual Use of Office Space
Layout of Office
The area not used as desk space is used as conference room by 90% of the respondents, asreception space by 70% and as documents room or storage by slightly below 60% of the
respondents. The most common response to the question of the proportion of the desk space tothe overall lease area is 70%.
Changes in Number of Workers
40% of the respondents said the number of their office workers increased from 2013 while 10%
said the number decreased. A certain number of respondents said the size of their current office is
not appropriate.
Office Environment (Diverse Work Styles and Introduction of ICT)Many companies have introduced ICT in office. 70% of the respondents introduced mobile work
and wireless LAN, 50% introduced online or video conference system.
Disaster Prevention Measures
60% of the respondents said they have water stock, 50% said they have food stock. Other
measures are introduced by less than 50% of the respondents.
Energy and Electricity Saving“Cool Biz” and “Warm Biz” campaign was the most commonly implemented action, implemented
by 70% of the respondents. Companies are implementing actions that are easy to adopt.
Office Building Needs
Important Criteria in Choosing Office Building
Affordable rent, proximity to the train station, earthquake-resistance of the building, and quality ofcleaning, sanitary and maintenance services are important.
Systems or Functions Preferable Even If It Increases Rent
High marks were given to safety-related systems such as earthquake resistance, power supply forblackouts and emergency stocks and convenience-related systems such as bicycle parking areas
and rental conference rooms.
The information contained in this report is as of the date of preparation. XYMAX accepts no liability for any inaccuracies or omissions in this report.
No copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is allowed unless prior consent from XYMAX is obtained.
Copyright © XYMAX Corporation. All rights reserved.

1Outline
PeriodRespondents

Valid
Response

Area

Survey Type

September-October 2014
Of the corporate tenants occupying the office buildings under management by Xymax Group,
2,379 companies were surveyed.

1,107 companies (response rate: 46.5%)

Greater Tokyo (Tokyo, Kawasaki city, Yokohama city, Saitama city), Nagoya city, Osaka city,
Fukuoka city
Online survey and questionnaire paper• Type of office use (desk-work oriented, out-of-office work oriented, visitor oriented)• Layout of the office space• Proportion of the desk space, the number of office workers• Changes in the number of office workers from 2013 and reasons for the changes• Opinion on the size of the current office space• Problems related to layout

Questionnaire• Approaches to office environment that influences the work styles, their purposes and problems,
and whether the size of rentable changed• Disaster prevention measures• Environmental actions including energy/electricity saving• Whether any changes were made to the standard interior• Important criteria in choosing office and unsatisfied parts of current building• Systems or functions preferable even if it increases rent
• In-house team or person dedicated to corporate real estate

Profile & Attributes of Respondents
Greater Tokyo: 617 companies (56%)

Nagoya city: 173 companies (15%)

Osaka city: 162 companies (15%)

Fukuoka city: 155 companies (14%)

Area
Occupied Area

110 tsubo (median)
Desk-work oriented
518 companies (47%)
At this type of office, workers rarely go out but mainly stay at the office.
Out-of-office work oriented

Type of Office
At this type of office, workers often go out to visit sites or clients. Only a

474 companies (43%)

Usefew workers are desk-work oriented.
Visitor oriented
112 companies (10%)
This type of office receives many visitors such as clients.

The information contained in this report is as of the date of preparation. XYMAX accepts no liability for any inaccuracies or omissions in this report.
No copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is allowed unless prior consent from XYMAX is obtained.
Copyright © XYMAX Corporation. All rights reserved

2Actual Use of Office Space
Layout of Office
The area not used as desk space is used as conference room by 90% of the respondents,
as reception space by 70% and as documents room or storage by slightly below 60% of the
respondents.
The most common response to the question of the proportion of the desk space to theoverall lease area is 70%.
The area not used as desk space is used as conference room or drawing room by 90% of the
respondents, as reception space by 70% and as documents room or storage by slightly below 60% of
the respondents. Other use follows in this order: locker room, server room, refresh space, president’s
room and executive’s room (Figure 1). Only around 10% said they have smoking area within the lease
area. This may be due to the cost barrier of installing the equipment.
The most common response to the question of the proportion of the desk space to the overall lease area is
70% (Figure 2).
Figure 1: Area Not Used as Desk Space (multiple answers)

Figure 2: Proportion of Desk Space to Overall Lease Area

The information contained in this report is as of the date of preparation. XYMAX accepts no liability for any inaccuracies or omissions in this report.
No copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is allowed unless prior consent from XYMAX is obtained.
Copyright © XYMAX Corporation. All rights reserved3Changes in Number of Workers
40% of the respondents said the number of their office workers increased from 2013 while
10% said the number decreased.
A certain number of respondents said the size of their current office is not appropriate.
In general, the size of required office space changes in accordance with the changes in the number of office
workers. We asked the respondents whether the current number of workers changed from January 2013.
Around 40% of the respondents said the number increased while 10% said the number decreased (Figure3).
The respondents who said that the number of workers changed cited mid-career recruitment as a factor
for the change (Figure 4). Several respondents said, other than mid-career and graduate recruitments,
increase of temporary staff in relation to the start of new business and increased workload were the factor.
Regarding the size of the current office space, slightly over 50% of the respondents said the size isappropriate whereas slightly over 40% said the size is not appropriate because it is too small or too large.
This is probably because it is difficult to adjust the size of the office that best suits the number of workers at
the same time the number of workers changes (Figure 5).
The area-by-area analysis shows that respondents in all the surveyed areas from Greater Tokyo to Nagoya,
Osaka and Fukuoka cities who said the number of workers has increased exceeded those who said thenumber has decreased, indicating that, regardless of the area, the number of office workers is increasing.
Figure 3: Changes in Office Workers after January 2013

Figure 4: Reasons for Changes in Office Workers (multiple answers)

Figure 5: Opinion on Size of Current Office Space

The information contained in this report is as of the date of preparation. XYMAX accepts no liability for any inaccuracies or omissions in this report.
No copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is allowed unless prior consent from XYMAX is obtained.
Copyright © XYMAX Corporation. All rights reserved

4Office Environment (Diverse Work Styles and Introduction of ICT)Many companies have introduced ICT in office. 70% of the respondents introduced mobile
work and wireless LAN, 50% introduced online or video conference system.
Office work styles are changing, driven by the diversification of the employment system and rapidly
emerging new technology including the information and communication technology (ICT). This section
covers efforts of companies for better office environment, which is important in company’s recruiting strategy
and productivity improvements.
When asked about facilities or systems introduced in office or are in consideration, the most common
response was the in-house security system which accounted for 69% (“introduced” and “in consideration”
combined; the same applies hereinafter). Other facilities or systems introduced by respondents include amobile work environment that allows workers to work away from office, wireless LAN at office,paperless meeting system, and use of cloud storage in business operation, all of which are adopted or
to be adopted by over half of the respondents. As shown, many companies use ICT in business nowadays(Figure 6). The free-address office system and work-at-home system, which can drastically change thework style, are less popular. Companies showed low motivation to introduce them in the future too.
Around 90% of the respondents said the introduction of such systems or facilities is for the purpose of
efficient operation, followed by around 50% introduced for cost-cutting; the two exceeded other purposessuch as for sales growth or improving communication. The survey results indicate that companies are
placing priority on items of which realistic effects are achievable. After introducing systems or facilities, 20%of the respondents said the size of their office and use of the office have changed.
Figure 6: Efforts for Better Office Environment (Diverse Work Styles and Introduction of ICT)

Note: Items marked with asterisks (*) are related to ICT.

The information contained in this report is as of the date of preparation. XYMAX accepts no liability for any inaccuracies or omissions in this report.
No copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is allowed unless prior consent from XYMAX is obtained.
Copyright © XYMAX Corporation. All rights reserved

5Disaster Prevention Measures
60% of the respondents said they have water stock, 50% said they have food stock.
Other measures are introduced by less than 50% of the respondents.
When asked about disaster prevention measures in office, 63% of the respondents said they have water
stock, and 54% said they have food stock (Figure 7). Thus, relatively many companies are adopting
disaster prevention measures; however, only around 40% of the respondents said they provided helmets
to workers as proactive measures and/or they have office furniture fastened to the floor or wall. Also,
only around 30% of the respondents have portable toilet stock which is highly necessary when workers
stay at office on emergency. The survey indicated that measures other than water and food stock are
introduced by fewer respondents. Moreover, the business continuity plan (BCP), which is an importantpart of the post-emergency rehabilitation, is introduced by only 23% of the respondents.
*1

The results remained the same as a similar survey conducted by Xymax Real Estate Institute in 2013 ,showing little progress in introduction of disaster prevention measures.

Figure 7: Office Disaster Prevention Measures (multiple answers)*1

Office Disaster Prevention Survey 2013

http://www.xymax.co.jp/english/research/images/pdf/131011_News-release.pdf

The information contained in this report is as of the date of preparation. XYMAX accepts no liability for any inaccuracies or omissions in this report.
No copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is allowed unless prior consent from XYMAX is obtained.
Copyright © XYMAX Corporation. All rights reserved

6Energy and Electricity Saving“Cool Biz” and “Warm Biz” campaign was the most commonly implemented action,
implemented by 70% of the respondents. Companies are implementing actions that areeasy to adopt.
When asked about the energy and electricity saving actions listed in Figure 8, cost-free actions including the“Cool Biz” and “Warm Biz” campaigns, which are the government-proposed ideas of wearing clothes thatsuit the season and reducing air conditioning load, the use of electric fan and air conditioner together,
the reduction of the overtime work, the removal of some lighting bulbs, the turning off of the lights
during lunch break and the limitation of the hours of use of air conditioner are introduced by a higher
number of respondents whereas actions that are costly such as the replacement of personal computersand office equipment with energy-saving machines and the installation of LED lights are introduced
by a fewer number of respondents. The survey shows that actions that are easy to adopt are more likely tohave been implemented by respondents.
*2

According to the quarterly reports on electricity consumption by tenants released by Xymax Real Estate
Institute, the electricity consumption continued the level around 10%-20% lower than in 2010 before theearthquake.

Figure 8: Energy and Electricity Saving at Office (multiple answers)*2

Electric Power Consumption by Office Tenants (September 2014) released in December 2014.

The information contained in this report is as of the date of preparation. XYMAX accepts no liability for any inaccuracies or omissions in this report.
No copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is allowed unless prior consent from XYMAX is obtained.
Copyright © XYMAX Corporation. All rights reserved

7

Important Criteria in Choosing Office Building
Affordable rent, proximity to the train station, earthquake-resistance of the building, andquality of cleaning, sanitary and maintenance services are important.
Here are the important criteria in choosing office building given by a very high number of the respondents: 1.
Affordable rent level cited by 98% of the respondents (“very important” and “somewhat important”
combined, the same applies hereinafter), 2. Proximity to the train station, by 96%, 3.
Earthquake-resistance of the building, by 95%, 4. Cleaning, sanitary and maintenance of the building,by 95%, and 5. Layout flexibility, by 94%. In general, “proximity, new, and large” are said to be the typicalcriteria demanded by office tenants. However, as the survey shows, a more diverse criteria was cited by the
respondents, rather than the typical criteria like 15. Building age and 21. Size of the building (large
building is preferred).

Figure 9: Important criteria in choosing office buildings

The information contained in this report is as of the date of preparation. XYMAX accepts no liability for any inaccuracies or omissions in this report.
No copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is allowed unless prior consent from XYMAX is obtained.
Copyright © XYMAX Corporation. All rights reserved

8Systems or Functions Preferable Even If It Increases Rent
High marks were given to safety-related systems such as earthquake resistance, power
supply for blackouts and emergency stocks and convenience-related systems such as
bicycle parking areas and rental conference rooms.
Although nearly all the companies place emphasis on rent affordability, there are some systems andfunctions that owners can provide and are highly regarded by tenants even if it increases rent. Suchsystems and functions include safety-related items like earthquake resistance (46%), power supply forblackouts (private power generator, etc.) (32%) and emergency stock (26%) (Figure 10). A variety ofsystems and functions that follows include the grade of toilets and the convenience-related items such as
bicycle parking areas and rental conference rooms.

Figure 10: Systems and functions desired by respondents even if it increases rent (multiple answers)

The information contained in this report is as of the date of preparation. XYMAX accepts no liability for any inaccuracies or omissions in this report.
No copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is allowed unless prior consent from XYMAX is obtained.
Copyright © XYMAX Corporation. All rights reserved

9