Office Depot Survey Reveals More Than a Third of Respondents Could Not Do Their Jobs With Their Original Home Office Setups

Company’s 1^st Annual Home Office Survey Explores The Evolution of Working From Home

Office Depot’s First Annual Home Office Survey revealed that having a dedicated office space when working from home is more important than ever. In the new survey of 2,000 people who work mostly or entirely remotely, over half (63%) now work primarily from a dedicated home office. Whereas prior to the pandemic, when respondents worked outside of the office, they reported working from a hotel (43%), a friend or family member’s home (36%) or a coffee shop (28%).

In terms of what prompted respondents’ decisions to set up home offices, most people did it to help make working easier or more efficient (63%) or because they needed a more comfortable or ergonomic workspace (52%), while 43% needed to remove distractions from their environment and another 37% needed more space to do their work. But not all respondents are comfortable with their current at-home workspace — most agree that it still needs improvement (68%).

And with more than three in four (77%) saying at least half of their time is spent in their home office compared to all the other rooms in their home, they are investing both time and money to make it as personalized and productive as possible. The average remote worker has spent about $1,700 of their own money on equipment or tools to work more comfortably from home, with 30% claiming they have “remodeled” their workspace at least three times since they first started working from home. Some respondents valued a dedicated home office space so much they even purchased a new house, as more than half (55%) of people who recently moved said they did so, at least in part, because they needed a better home office workspace.

The evolution of remote work is evident. Thirty-five percent said that if they had to use the same home office setup they had when they first started working remotely, they would not even be able to do their job today. Respondents said the most underrated products for having a productive and enjoyable work environment are an adjustable chair (24%), a spacious desk with storage (22%), organizational tools like planners or desk organizers (10%) and a laptop stand/riser (9%).

“Working from home has evolved from makeshift workspaces using countertops and barstools to more thought-out home office setups that rival even the best corporate office spaces,” said Kevin Moffitt, executive vice president of The ODP Corporation and president of Office Depot. “We want to continue to help our customers make their workspaces work best for them. These survey results are a helpful way to learn more about their preferences and pain points, so we can continue to identify new solutions to help them be successful.”

Office Depot also launched Imagine Success earlier this year, the company’s new brand platform, designed to fuel customers’ passions and help them achieve success. With inspirational videos and articles, informative studies, and helpful strategies all available on the company’s content hub, The Stepping Stone, plus curated shopping experiences for home office, small business, and education clients, Office Depot is on a mission to help customers unlock their full potential.

Click here for additional insights from the survey. To learn about innovative products and services, including ergonomic solutions, to help remote and hybrid workers succeed, visit officedepot.com and local Office Depot and OfficeMax stores.

Survey Methodology

This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 remote and hybrid employees who mainly work from home was commissioned by Office Depot between March 20 and March 23, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).

About Office Depot

Office Depot, LLC, an operating company of The ODP Corporation, is a leading specialty retailer providing innovative products and services delivered through a fully integrated omnichannel platform of Office Depot and OfficeMax retail stores and an award-winning online presence, OfficeDepot.com, to support the productivity and organization of its small business, home office and education clients. Office Depot is committed to enabling its clients’ success, strengthening local communities and providing equal opportunities for all. For more information, visit officedepot.com, download the Office Depot app on your iPhone or Android and follow @officedepot on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

Office Depot is a trademark of The Office Club, LLC. OfficeMax is a trademark of OMX, Inc. ODP and ODP Business Solutions are trademarks of ODP Business Solutions, LLC. Veyer is a trademark of Veyer, LLC. Varis is a trademark of Varis, Inc. Any other product or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

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