Business Survey Finds 41.5% of Executives Planning a Full-Time Return to the Office

Many Businesses Planning a Return to the Office by the End of June 2021

Eight in Ten Executives Planning Either a Full-Time Return or a Hybrid Model, But More Than 60% Have Not Yet Made Plans to Reconfigure Their Office Space

New York, NY, April 19, 2021 — WB WOOD, one of the oldest and largest commercial furniture dealerships and management companies in the United States, today announced the results of a survey of Northeast businesses. The findings show that 41.5% of business executives are planning a full-time return to the office, and 39.4% are planning for a hybrid model, i.e., splitting employees’ time between working remotely and in the office. Fewer than one in five executives (19.1%) expect working remotely to be a permanent solution.

The WB WOOD survey finds that 39.1% of business executives with decision-making authority or input on office space decisions expect to return to the office in the second quarter of 2021 (April through June), with 70.9% expecting a return to the office before the end of this year.

Although 80.9% of executives are planning for either a full-time return to the office or a hybrid work model, more than half (52.8%) of the survey respondents say they have no plans to reconfigure their office space.

“In our daily conversations with corporate clients and business prospects, my colleagues and I anecdotally see gathering interest for a full-time return to the office, but the results of this formal survey provide statistical evidence of the trend,” said Rich Mines, CEO of WB WOOD. “My interpretation is that companies want to gain a competitive advantage with a robust office presence.”

According to Mr. Mines, the survey findings suggest that many businesses may be underestimating the changes needed to optimize workplaces for health and safety and accommodate the evolving requirements of a hybrid work model in which employees blend working from different locations, including home, on the go, or the office.

Fewer than one out of five businesses (18.3%) have already reconfigured their spaces, and 21% are planning to make either modest or substantial adjustments to their spaces. 8% of respondents said they are not sure how to reconfigure their office space.

Among those business executives who are making changes to their offices, optimizing floor plans tops the list of redesign priorities (17.7%), followed by integrating new technology (12.8%) and implementing aesthetics that promote wellness (7.4%).

WB WOOD conducted the survey via Google Surveys from March 18, 2021 to March 30, 2021 and screened 3,651 participants including 208 qualified responses from the c-suite, senior executives, founders, and board members who have decision-making authority or input regarding their companies’ office space. Respondents were men and women aged 35-65+ who reside in the Northeastern United States.

About WB Wood

WB WOOD, founded in 1905, is recognized as a prominent furniture dealership and management company based in the New York metro region serving clients across the United States. The company represents more than 300 manufacturerswith products spanning the design and budget spectrum. WB WOOD provides a full range of procurement, furniture, and project management services to organizations, working with and partnering alongside architects, design firms and consultants. Learn more at wbwood.com.

Media Contact for WB Wood:

Jerilyn Allen
VP, Marketing and Special Events
212-647-6223