What the hell is ‘Desk Engagement’, and why is it taking over Aussie offices?

Last year saw trends like ‘Quiet Quitting’, ‘Bare Minimum Monday’, and ‘Snail Girl Era’ sweep workplaces, none of which shone the light on how hardworking and passionate many Australian workers are.  

As a supplier of thousands of workplace products to businesses all around Australia, we conducted some independent research to try and understand how employees are working differently at home and in the office. We uncovered a range of insights that we feel are helpful for employers to continue to make the office an attractive place to be, and where teams can thrive.

‘Desk Engagement’ is defined as when an employee is happy working at their desk, on their own tasks, without engaging in wider company activities, much like they would in the work from home environment. Interestingly, the data found that this type of behaviour is on the rise among Australian employees with 37% of workers saying this is significantly more common since the pandemic, with the main reason being ‘people feel forced back into the office but would prefer to keep more of a work from home style of working (37%)’.

While most Australian companies have mandated that teams return to the physical office at least part-time, our research found many staff members say they wear headphones while at their desk (28%), email their colleagues next to them instead of speaking to them (28%). This insight shows that in addition to the office being a place to collaborate more and participate in more teamwork, there is still a need for quiet space and private work.

Many businesses still see the value in a hybrid work model, because it offers flexibility whilst still achieving productivity, collaboration and learning, which can assist in having a high-performing and engaged team. 

Making the office an enjoyable place to be while you are there is also important to have engaged employees, but ensuring your setup is conducive to this doesn’t need to be hard. A few simple examples to consider implementing are:

Speak to your team about what types of environments would benefit them

Some industries benefit more from quiet rooms, others from adding more open areas, and others from rooms specifically to collaborate. Find out what your employees are looking for, and start there. For example, employees might be wearing headphones because they struggle with the office noise post working from home, and instead of banning headphones think through how the business can offer quieter zones for team members who need this but still want to be included in wider company activities. 

Assess how these needs can be catered for and get creative

For example, due to the hybrid work model specific meeting rooms are no longer always necessary and used at capacity, and could instead be transformed into staff amenities. These new spaces can be used for multiple purposes, from meetings to offering privacy, or a place to take a wellness break. 

Begin with focusing on changes that suit the majority of employees

About 68% of workers state they want a more ergonomic setup, so refreshing the office with workstations, desks and chairs, and collaborative setups that incorporate ergonomic design will help to drive efficiency and productivity. 

While ‘Desk Engagement’ can be a positive in terms of productivity, it’s important that workplaces continue to focus on creating spaces that their team feels comfortable in and that are conducive to a strong and inclusive culture that employees want to be a part of. 

Amie Lyone is the co-CEO of COS.