Over 62% of the respondents would prefer to have their lunch at a restaurant or in a park, but only 17% have this opportunity.

For a third consecutive year, Sofia Airport Center and Tishman International are conducting a survey, aiming to identify how the ideal workplace looks like and which are the greatest motivators for the employees in the ICT industry in Bulgaria. This year’s survey brings additional empirical evidence that both managers and employees deem office environment and office culture are important components for as important for their effective and fruitful work. Many of them have indicated that their current working environment has a positive influence on their own productivity and creativity, as well as this of their colleagues and subordinates. Nevertheless, 45% of the respondents define the level of stress in their office as high. In addition, every third respondent believes that there are no prerequisites for reducing the existing level of stress.

The survey reveals a tendency that almost half of the employees regularly miss to take their lunch breaks – 45% of the respondents have indicated that they have used their breaks to work. The leading preference for spending lunch breaks include eating out with colleagues at a restaurant or in a park (62%), but only 17% currently have the opportunity to eat in a park or garden.

Almost 97% of all respondents have taken advantage of the opportunity to work from home and all of them have indicated the stress levels as lower compared to working at the office. Sixty two percent of them define their organization of work from home as more successful. For half of them there is no difference in spending personal finances when working in the office or from home, but at the same time they identify their productivity (36%) and creativity (31%) as emphatically higher.

Having personal contact with colleagues turns out important for 94% of the respondents. However, only 5% of them would share their workplace with a colleague – for 67% owning a workplace that is only theirs remains of an utmost importance. Meeting rooms and spaces for conducting personal conversations are also needed, but insufficiently available for professionals in the ICT industry. Seventy seven percent of respondents hold meetings in the office, while one out of ten has cancelled a meeting due to the lack of a free or a suitable meeting room.

The study, conducted on behalf of Tishman International and Sofia Airport Center, was held for a third year in a row. This year its focus has been to identify how the ideal workplace looks like, according to the experts from the leading companies in the ICT industry in Bulgaria. “Speaking out of experience, we have no doubt that the productivity and motivation

of the employees in one company can be influenced by the way their workplace is organized. Fortunately, we observe trends that companies pay increasing attention to the design and arrangement of their offices. We notice another change that we deem positive – 76% of all respondents indicate as important the opportunity to see their office and work environment before they accept a job offer, although still only 62% have the actual opportunity to do so. The arrangement of the office is certainly a prerequisite for employees to perform their duties well and here all managers have a vital role. Through our surveys and the analysis of the results, we want to support the companies in their efforts to create the most suitable for their environment for their employees,” said Olga Stoichkova, Commercial Director at Sofia Airport Center.