U.S. onsite employees say their workspaces are getting in the way of doing their jobs and influencing their desire to go into the workplace. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of on-site employees report they're frustrated with their workspace, according to a new nationwide survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of office furniture retailer National Business Furniture (NBF).

"Workspaces play a bigger role in employee behavior than many organizations realize," said Yonca Heyse, president of National Business Furniture. "When the environment makes it harder to focus, collaborate or feel comfortable, it directly impacts whether people want to be in the office."

Explore the full findings and what's driving workspace frustration in the complete infographic.

Comfort and functionality are key frustrations among onsite employees:

• About one in five report posture fatigue (23%) and uncomfortable seating (19%).
• Only 47% say they can easily collaborate with others in dedicated spaces always/often, highlighting gaps in how current environments support both focused and collaborative work.
• More than half (57%) of on-site employees say they struggle to focus while at work at least sometimes due to their workspace set up.
• Only 42% say they always/often feel connected to their coworkers due to their workspace set up.

"Employees are telling us exactly what's not working; noise, lack of privacy and spaces that aren't comfortable," said Heyse. "These challenges point to a broader issue: the way people work has changed, but many workplaces haven't kept up."

Work Has Changed. But Workspaces Haven't.
Work today looks different. People can move between focused work and collaboration throughout the day, meeting with colleagues both in person and virtually, but many workplaces aren't designed to support this range of work.

Some of the most common on-site employee workspace frustrations reflect that mismatch:

• Noisy environments (23%)
• Lack of privacy (22%)
• Cluttered shared spaces (19%)

Better Workspaces Can Bring People Back
The workspace plays a direct role in shaping both employee experience and attendance decisions.

• Among hybrid employees who experience workspace frustrations, 77% say they would work on-site more often if those frustrations were resolved. Today, however, only 36% say they consistently want to go into the office.
• Among on-site employees, 79% say improvements would increase how often they come in.

The fix doesn't have to be complicated. Employees aren't asking for a full overhaul, they're looking for practical improvements that make the office more usable and effective:

• More small/private workspaces (27%)
• Better hybrid-ready collaboration areas (23%)
• Better-designed collaboration zones for just those physically at the workplace (23%)

Making these changes can directly influence attendance. When employees have spaces that support how they work, they can be more focused, feel more valued, and will be likely to come into the office more often.

"Practical changes like better layouts, more comfortable seating and zones designed for different types of work can make a meaningful difference," Heyse added. "When organizations invest in the right environment, they make it easier for employees to do their best work."