Xymax Real Estate Institute

RESEARCH REPORTSummary

Work Style & Use of Office Space Survey 2015
New work style influences location and use of officeNovember 18, 2015
*1

Recent progress in information technology enabled work style changes. Mobile working is one of them. If
flexible work style continues to expand, will there be any changes in company's office location strategy and useof office space?
Our research encompasses current situations and three-to-five year plans of companies in Japan including
obstacles against such plans. This is a summary of the results.

Key Findings From Research Current Situation & Future Plan (Figure 1)•

About 60%-70% said they have introduced or in process of mobile working with IT tools.
About 80% are positive in introducing it in a three-to-five year plan.

•

About 20% said they have introduced or in process of work-from-home programs.
About 40% are positive in introducing it in a three-to-five year plan.

•

About 20% said they have introduced or in process of hot-desking system.
*2*3
Only approx. 10% have workplaces other than their main office (third-place office / satellite office ).

 Problems to be solved by New Work Style & Obstacles against Future Plans•

About 80% said improving work efficiency and productivity is what they want to solve, followed byforward-looking challenges including improving workers' motivation and more active internalcommunication. (Figure 2)•As obstacles against three-to-five year plans, respondents raised difficulties in managing attendance,
avoiding risk of information leakage and office costs (fixed costs).
When it comes to the new work style, respondents feel difficulties in developing the system. When itcomes to the office innovations, respondents feel difficulties in controlling the costs. (Figure 3)

 What companies with positive plans have in common•

Larger companies (number of employees) are more likely to have mobile working andwork-from-home programs. They are also more positive in future office plans. (Figure 4)•

Companies with mobile working system have a stronger awareness of improving productivity while
companies without such system are more focusing on reducing office costs. (Figure 5)
Companies with mobile working system also expressed stronger willingness for work-from-homeprograms, hot-desking system and separate offices. (Figure 6)

Mobile working with IT tools has become increasingly common. Compared to this, however, introducing
alternative workplace remains slow; work-from-home programs and third place offices were introduced by only
a limited number of companies. Nevertheless, companies that accepted new work style are motivated in officeinnovations too. There is a possibility that company's office location strategy and use of office space will havean influence of changing work style.
*1 Mobile working: IT environment/system that enables workers to work outside the office, when traveling or visiting places.
*2 Third-place office: Sub-workplace where workers enjoy an environment equivalent to that of their main office in terms of ITsystem and security. Used when workers are away from the main office (visiting somewhere near terminal rail station).
*3 Satellite office: Office in the local area near workers' home, where workers enjoy an environment equivalent to that of theirmain office.
All the contents are as of the date of this report. Xymax Corporation does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information
herein. Copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is not allowed without prior permission from Xymax
Real Estate Institute Corporation.
Copyright © 2015 Xymax Real Estate Institute Corporation. All rights reserved.

1RESEARCH REPORT｜Xymax Real Estate Institute

Figure 1: New Work Style & Office Innovations—Current Situation & Future Plan (n=1137)

Higher motivations in the future
0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Mobile working (IT system allows remote
access to emails and schedule.)

75%
83%

Mobile working (IT system allows remote
access to company server.)

61%
77%

Mobile PC and tablets to workersfor mobile working

65%
74%
19%

Work-from-home programs

40%
11%

Third-place office near terminal rail station

Satellite office near workers' home

100%

22%
7%

Hot-desking system

Current situation(Introduced + In process)

17%
19%
38%
Future plan
(Yes + Sort of yes)

All the contents are as of the date of this report. Xymax Corporation does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information herein.
Copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is not allowed without prior permission from Xymax Real EstateInstitute Corporation.
Copyright © 20152016 Xymax Real Estate Institute Corporation. All rights reserved.

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RESEARCH REPORT｜Xymax Real Estate Institute

Figure 2: Problems to be solved with New Work Style (Multiple answers, n=1137)

Improving the work efficiency and productivity topped the list
0%

20%

40%

60%

100%

76%

Work efficiency and productivity

52%

Workers' motivation

42%

More active internal communication
Reduce office cost

36%

Work-life balance

35%

Long working hours

34%

Employees' refreshment

29%

Fair evaluation of achievements

28%

Support workers with child/elderly care needs

25%

Business Continuity Plan (BCP)

23%Reduce commuting time

20%

Reduce job turnover

18%

Workplace diversification

18%

Reduce travel cost17%

Efficient recruiting
None in particular

80%

11%
3%

Figure 3: Obstacles in Achieving Future Plans (Multiple answers, n=1137)

Managing attendance/Evaluating achievements

Office Costs (Fixed Costs)

Risk of information leakage
Office Innovations

New Work Style
0%

20%

40%

Managing attendance

60%

45%

0%

20%

40%

Cost

51%

Evaluating achievements

40%

Uncertain costeffectiveness

39%

Risk of informationleakage

38%

High relocation cost

37%

Personnel review

31%

Arrangements incompanyUncertain costeffectiveness29%

Layout change

60%

31%
17%

All the contents are as of the date of this report. Xymax Corporation does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information herein.
Copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is not allowed without prior permission from Xymax Real Estate
Institute Corporation.
Copyright © 20152016 Xymax Real Estate Institute Corporation. All rights reserved.

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RESEARCH REPORT｜Xymax Real Estate Institute

Figure 4: Future Plans by Number of Employees (n=1137)*4

Larger companies are more motivated in office innovations in the future.
Percentage of "Yes" + "Sort of yes"
0%

20%

40%

Work-from-home programs

38%

Best location for each business division

24%

Third-place office near terminal rail station

20%

Satellite office near workers' home

15%

60%
46%

31%

27%

23%

Hot-desking system

48%

35%

301 or more employees (n=324)

1 to 300 employees (n=813)

Figure 5: Top Priority Problem to be solved by New Work Style
by Company's Current Situations (n=1104)

Over 50% said "Work efficiency and productivity"

20%

Work efficiency andproductivity

60%

54%

Long working hours

8%More active internal
communication

7%

Workers' motivation

7%

Work-life balance

6%

Reduce office cost

40%

Office Costs ranked No. 2
No Mobile Working System (n=224)

Mobile Working System
Introduced or In Process (n=880)
0%

*4

3%

0%

20%

40%

Work efficiency
and productivity

35%

Reduce office cost

12%

Workers' motivation

11%

Reduce long working
hours

9%

Work-life balance

7%

More active internal
communication

5%*4 "Mobile working" in these questions refers to "IT system allows remote access to emails and schedule", "ITsystem allows remote access to company server" and " Mobile PC and tablets to workers for mobileworking".

All the contents are as of the date of this report. Xymax Corporation does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information herein.
Copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is not allowed without prior permission from Xymax Real EstateInstitute Corporation.
Copyright © 20152016 Xymax Real Estate Institute Corporation. All rights reserved.

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RESEARCH REPORT｜Xymax Real Estate Institute

Figure 6: Future Plans by Current Situations (n=1137)

Companies with mobile working system are more motivated in future plans.
Percentage of "Yes" + "Sort of yes"

0%

10%

20%

Work-from-home programs

Satellite office near workers' home

50%

47%

29%

15%
25%

11%

9%

Hot-desking system

One or more mobile working systems
Introduced or in process (n=890)

40%

18%

Best location for each business division

Third-place office near terminal rail station

30%

20%

19%

44%

Not introduced and not in process (n=247)

The full version of the report is available from the following page.
All the contents are as of the date of this report. Xymax Corporation does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information herein.
Copying, quoting, forwarding, distributing, reprinting or any other use of this report is not allowed without prior permission from Xymax Real EstateInstitute Corporation.
Copyright © 20152016 Xymax Real Estate Institute Corporation. All rights reserved.

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