WORKERS in the South West are happiest with their work place location but least happy with their colleagues, a survey has found.

'What Workers Want', a report by Savills based on a survey carried out by YouGov, reveals the views of 4,570 UK employees in offices, shops and warehouses.

They found that 31% of all workers in the South-West identified their colleagues as the factor they would most like to change about their work place - the national average was 25%.

Only 36% noted their location as the factor they would most like to change.

The survey reports that aside from the more obvious demands such as salary and job security, workers are primarily concerned with workplace conditions.

In fact, 83% of workers in the South-West rate comfort of work area, lighting and temperature as factors of great significance in the working environment, taking precedence over location and facilities.

Length of commute was highlighted as particularly important for workers in the South-West, rated as important by 79% of respondents.

This ties in with the fact that the region also reported the largest proportion of respondents who walk to work (27%), which is also demonstrated in the finding that respondents had the shortest average commute of 23 minutes.

Marie Hickey, associate director of Savills research, said: "Companies are becoming more and more concerned with staff retention, introducing flexible working policies as well as paying more attention to onsite facilities such as gyms and crèches for example.

"Our research suggests that property fundamentals such as light and temperature are a primary concern, and investors and developers should factor these into their buying criteria."

1:04pm Monday 31st March 2008

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