**The Problem with Workspaces — And How to Solve It**
A new report from Cushman & Wakefield reveals that today’s workplace strategies are driven by three primary goals:
– Cost reduction and real estate optimization
– Improvement in in-office attendance
– Enhancement of employee experience and engagement
However, organizations often overemphasize the first two goals—cutting costs and boosting physical attendance—while underinvesting in employee experience. This imbalance, according to Cushman & Wakefield’s report titled *”Reimagining Workplaces,”* leads to continued low engagement and suboptimal office utilization. Alarmingly, only about 60% of employees believe the office effectively supports collaboration and connection.
**What’s Going Wrong?**
While these goals are sound in theory, internal missteps frequently prevent their realization. Company strategies often default to quick, tactical fixes centered on cost rather than aligning with long-term organizational goals. For example, when performance is measured through metrics such as in-office attendance, this outdated model reduces the workplace to little more than a tool for space management and cost efficiency.
This creates a cycle of reactive decisions focused on reducing real estate footprint and mandating attendance, rather than fostering well-being, engagement, and collaboration among employees.
Adding to the problem is a lack of strategic clarity. Many organizations adopt inconsistent or frequently shifting approaches, which again leads to short-term fixes like attendance policies or minor space cutbacks—moves that rarely support larger business objectives.
Moreover, workplace initiatives are often sidelined by overarching agendas in finance or operations, leaving them disconnected from true business priorities and undermining their potential impact.
**A Path Forward: Experience-Based Working**
Cushman & Wakefield recommends Experience-Based Working (EBW) as a corrective framework to steer organizations away from outdated models and toward a focus on employee experience. Unlike the commonly used Activity-Based Working (ABW), which focuses on task and space alignment, EBW centers on building a meaningful workplace experience.
EBW isn’t just a temporary fix—it becomes a guiding philosophy for workplace transformation. The framework encourages organizations to move beyond space efficiency metrics and reimagine the workplace as a driver of culture, connectivity, and value.
**Why It Matters**
Organizations that embrace EBW can build stronger cultures and achieve higher employee retention and engagement. According to the report, “When leaders shift their focus from mandates and cost-cutting to employee experience, they strengthen culture, unlock more effective use of space, and build long-term resilience.”
By prioritizing experience over attendance and cost, companies can finally realize the modern workplace’s full potential—not just as a space to work, but as a place to thrive.
