Nearly half of office workers surveyed cited their own birthdays, when asked to rank their top choice for company-sponsored holiday among several days typically included among “floater” days. The choice far outpaced all other options, including Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day. Here are the complete rankings based on the December 2007 survey:
Own birthday: 46%
Veterans’ Day: 14%
Presidents’ Day: 10%
Election Day: 10%
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: 8%
Halloween: 6%
Valentine’s Day: 2%
Columbus Day: 2%
St. Patrick’s Day: 2%

The holiday question was part of a broader survey designed to gauge the impact of office building conditions and ergonomics on worker attitudes, productivity and motivation. Those results were released in late January and are available at www.blumbergcapitalpartners.com, along with data on the holiday question. Some of the top-line results of the full survey:
One in three workers surveyed said they have either accepted or left a job due to “the condition of the building and/or the amenities offered.”
Nearly half said their office buildings and office environments are either “bland,” “dumpy,” or “stodgy.”
The top office malady cited by workers: extreme office temperatures due to poor air ventilation and heating and air-conditioning systems, followed by outdated décor, unexplained odors or foul/unclean air, rodents/insects, theft/crime, and leaky ceilings and windows.
About a quarter of the respondents said the cleanliness of their buildings is either “marginal” or “appalling.”
One in three workers said they’re concerned about getting sick or injured from unhealthy or unsafe building conditions.
Fully 80% of workers said the condition of their office buildings affects how they perceive their employers.
The vast majority (69%) confirmed that the condition of their office buildings affects their own individual productivity and motivation.

“The survey uniquely illustrates just how much of an impact office environments have on worker attitudes and overall economic productivity,” said Philip Blumberg, chairman and CEO of Blumberg Capital Partners, which owns and manages several Class A office buildings in the U.S. “We added the holiday question because it’s an issue that our tenant companies often struggle with – designating specific days most appropriate as company holidays. While the roster includes some rather offbeat choices, it does show how much value employees place on their own birthdays.”

The survey was commissioned by Blumberg Capital Partners and conducted by Fleishman-Hillard Research to highlight office workers' attitudes and opinions about various aspects of their office buildings. The findings are based on a national online survey of 500 adults who spend the majority of their workday in one office building. The poll was conducted in December 2007 and has a margin of error due to sampling of no more than plus or minus five percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The sample comprised 209 males and 291 females. Demographics were also collected for income level, job type, age, region, education and type of office building.

For complete results, visit www.blumbergcapitalpartners.com.

Founded in 1979 by Philip Blumberg, Blumberg Capital Partners specializes in U.S. commercial real estate, including acquisitions and divestments, market research, due diligence, and the management and leasing of commercial properties. Its investment portfolios have comprised some $500 million in commercial real estate assets. Blumberg Office Properties is a member of the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries. For more information, visit www.blumbergcapitalpartners.com.

Blumberg Office Properties in 2006 consolidated its national real estate portfolio, selling office towers in Coral Gables, Fla., and Miami. Blumberg Capital Partners recently announced intentions to start a media and entertainment investment fund in 2008, to augment its commercial real estate ventures.