It’s no secret that the millennial generation has had a profound impact on society and our office environments are definitely no exception. In fact, the office space may have seen one of the biggest transformations in recent years due to the influx of millennials joining the fray.
You may think that changing your workplace is a waste of time and money, but in the long run millennials will be your company’s future and if you don’t adopt some of the new trends, you may not end up with the diversity or the workforce you need to keep your organisation afloat.
Steve Bays, Managing Director comments, “We are undergoing a dramatic shift as millennials are starting to dictate/shape today’s workplaces. They set new standards when it comes to collaboration, wellbeing and flexibility in an office and the office furniture has to support this. Technical advances mean that most people can work from anywhere, so companies today must also take a new approach and adapt some sort of workplace flexibility in order to give their employees all the tools they need to work better and improve productivity and morale. After all, cubicles and strict hours are just not necessary anymore. Instead, new office design is based on engagement, building relationships, removing department silos and having fun at work.”
Flexible working is another thing that millennials tend to drift towards. 9 to 5 no longer works for everyone anymore; modern life has become too hectic. Providing employees with the opportunity to work from home or arrange their own work hours (although they may still have to work some core hours) will mean that they can work in a way that is more comfortable for them, thus making them more likely to be more productive.
As millennials are known to be a generation that doesn’t stay in one place for too long, offering training resources to staff may make them more willing to stay on as it shows that the company is invested in them and that there may be chances for career progression.
Company perks may have a distinct impact as well. These don’t have to be anything extravagant. Try providing fresh fruit or maybe a weekly pub outing (an outing would also help to build relationships between staff). Showing that you care about your employees physical and mental health will have a profoundly positive impact on your company culture — something that millennials are likely to heavily consider when applying and/or accepting jobs.
The last, but probably one of the most important things that millennials look for in a potential workplace, is the overall space. Simply having desks and chairs is no long suitable. In order for staff to work at their best, they need to have options of how and where to work. Break-out spaces, areas for easy collaboration, and quiet workstations are the most common spaces that are adopted. These areas can be decorated to make them modern or slightly wacky — whatever fits the image of your company.
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