The majority of office workers are de-motivated by the condition of their offices and working conditions, claims a new survey.

More than 3,000 office workers across the UK were questioned about how they felt about their working environment and a staggering 67 per cent described their office decor as drab, rundown or old fashioned.

At least half of those questioned claimed that an attractive office space would help them feel more motivated and that as a result of their poor surroundings their work is suffering.

Overall, 76 per cent of office workers said they would accept a new position if they thought the would have to work in a poorly decorated or grotty building.

“This survey shows that increasing productivity in a small business doesn't have to involve major alterations or upheaval, sometimes all that is required can be as easy as applying a new lick of paint or sprucing up the decor,” said Gordon Mowat CA of Aspire Management Services, leading business improvement specialists.

“At a time of economic recession when there is little enough to be cheerful about just having somewhere bright and cheerful to work can make a major difference to staff contentment and productivity. We recommend trying an ongoing programme of small improvements - it really works wonders.”

The survey by Recruitment Revolution found that women were more likely than men to litter their desks with dirty plates, fruit peel and sweet wrappers.

When asked about specific areas that are unpleasant, the kitchen was named the worst, followed by the common room and then the stationery cupboard.

11% say that their boss’s desk is the most unsightly part of the office!

Only 12 per cent admitted that their own desk is the messiest area which is perhaps not surprising considering that 49% of people eat at their desk every day.

Every single person surveyed said that they had food debris around their desk at the time of questioning.

The subject of grotty offices is so important to most workers that the survey found that 81 per cent would be prepared to clean or renovate it themselves and 59 per cent said they would do it for free.

“It’s been a tough year for employees with few receiving pay rises or bonuses and it seems to be adding insult to injury expecting people to work in shabby offices. What’s encouraging about our research is that staff are prepared to make the effort to spruce up their work place, so why not lead by example, roll up your sleeves and get cleaning to motivate your staff!,” said Anna Taylor, co-founder of RecruitmentRevolution.com.