The national survey of more than 300 American workers aged 25-55 reveals conflict in the cubicles!

Tempers Flare over Temps!

  • More than ½ (56%) of respondents said conflict occurs over cleanliness and office temperatures.
  • The biggest source of this conflict? Fiery females and disruptive dudes fighting for their version of the ideal temperature. While more than 3 in 5 men (61%) prefer an office set at 70 or below, nearly 40% of women prefer 72 or higher.
  • More than 3 in 5 (61%) respondents change the temperature without permission and more than 2 in 3 (68%) persuade the person in charge to do it for them.

The Top 5 Bad Behaviors:

1. Demand a temperature that is too hot or too cold

2. Take the last cup of coffee without starting a new pot

3. “Forget” to clean the coffee pot

4. Leave dishes in the office sink

5. Leave food in the fridge until it goes bad

Other annoying colleague habits include “singing”, “getting too much time off,” “burping and snorting loudly,” and “stealing lunches.”

Workers feel no shame about speaking up either. 3 in 5 respondents have considered confronting, or have actually confronted, their colleagues about bad behavior.

Generations Clash Over Clean

The survey shows that unclean and uncomfortable offices can cost business owners young employees as millennials say said they’d quit their jobs and take pay cuts for a cleaner and more comfortable office setting. Not so for the older crowd.

  • More than ½ (55%) of Millennials say they would consider taking a little less pay for an office setting at the perfect temperature and cleanliness level. Only 1 in 4 Baby Boomers said the same.
  • When compared to Baby Boomers, twice as many Millennials said they’d quit a job because the office was messy and unclean. Nearly three times as many said they’d quit if the office temperature wasn’t set the way they like.

And regardless of age, more than half (51%) of American workers say their office is so unclean, they use a paper towel or handkerchief to open doors.

David Bosley, Executive Vice President of OpenWorks, a leading commercial cleaning and integrated facility services franchise, says his company commissioned the survey to highlight the importance of hiring an outside expert to help diffuse office conflicts over temperature and cleanliness.

“These survey responses prove just how important it is to maintain a clean and comfortable office environment,” said Bosley. “As a leading integrated facility services franchisor, we can create office environments built to the specific needs of employers and their employees. We look forward to helping business owners, executives and office managers from coast-to-coast stop these inner-office battles by making facility maintenance and cleanliness a top priority!”

*This online survey of 301 men and women was conducted by a third party and commissioned by OpenWorks.

*In order to qualify for the survey, participants were required to be full-time employees between the ages of 25-55 and a parent to at least one child between 6-18 years old.

*Survey participants have no affiliation with OpenWorks.

For more information on OpenWorks, please visit http://www.openworksweb.com.