Is savvy office design the key to attracting younger talent?

Getting the design of your office right is essential for a variety of reasons. For example, a well-planned workspace can help to enhance your company’s brand image and it can play a significant role in maximising employee productivity. It can also have a big impact on your success in terms of attracting and retaining the best personnel - including young workers. Here, we put the spotlight on a recent study highlighting the importance of office design when it comes to appealing to young employees, and we offer tips to help you get your workspace spot on. Poor office design putting millennials off According to research commissioned by shared office space provider Mindspace, in association with research organisation One Poll, employers are finding it difficult to attract and retain millennials because they aren’t getting the design of their offices right. More than one in five 18 to 24-year-olds polled (21 per cent) said they have turned down a potential employer as a result of the poor design of their work environments or the lack of amenities on offer. Some young workers have even left jobs because of their dislike of their offices. Of those surveyed, 16 per cent revealed they have quit roles because of poor office design. The quality of a work environment seems to be a more important consideration for young workers than their older counterparts. The study found that whereas 34 per cent of millennials would be prepared to commute for up to an hour each way in order to get to an office they considered to be perfect, only 22 per cent of 45 to 54-year-olds would travel this far for their ideal workspace. The poll also discovered that 31 per cent of millennials find their offices uninspiring and boring, and even more worryingly, a fifth suggested that they feel stressed in their workplaces, while 24 per cent said they feel tired. Priorities The research found that while many employees have access to features like free tea and coffee, a kitchen and meeting rooms, what office workers most want in order to raise levels of morale is increased natural light, improved interior lighting and air conditioning. They also want breakout areas, more spaces for private work and creative brainstorming areas. Another key finding was that nearly one in five office workers (19 per cent) don’t feel that their work environment encourages them to collaborate. ‘The future of the workforce’ Responding to the findings, chief executive officer and co-founder of Mindspace Dan Zakai said: “Millennials are the future of the workforce and will constitute over 50 per cent of the working population in the next few years. It’s insightful to see that so many graduates and young workers are turning their back on potential employers because of the poor design of their office.” He added that while young workers still value a decent salary and good workplace culture, employers need to place a greater emphasis on office aesthetics and on providing a more collaborative workspace if they’re to attract and retain the most talented young workers. Office design tips to increase your company’s appeal It’s clear that workers, particularly younger ones, place a high value on having a well-designed office. So, if you’re to succeed in reaching out to the most talented employees, you’ll need to nail your office design. There’s no one-size-fits all solution to creating an appealing workspace, but the following suggestions should help you to design a space that your personnel enjoy using. Greater flexibility Flexibility is the big watch word in office design circles these days. Rather than expecting their staff members to spend the vast majority of their working days at the same desks, employers are increasingly switching onto the benefits of giving them greater autonomy in terms of where and how they get on with their tasks. For example, by creating quiet zones where people can work in peace and enjoy greater privacy, you can ensure your personnel have somewhere to go when they want to get away from the noise and distraction of your main office space. You might also want to create informal areas where people can go for impromptu meetings with colleagues without disturbing those who wish to work quietly. Allowing employees to move around the office in this way creates a more fluid, dynamic space and may help you to improve productivity and lower stress levels. The fun factor To help your workers let off steam when they’re on breaks during the working day, why not incorporate a games area into your office? Something as simple as introducing a ping-pong table or a games console to your staff room could help to lighten the mood and give your staff a quick and effective way to de-stress. This can also foster a stronger sense of team spirit among your personnel. Promoting worker health The health risks associated with being too sedentary are now well known, so a rising number of employers are taking steps to encourage their employees to be more active during the working day. To demonstrate that you take the wellbeing of your staff members seriously, you could provide them with adjustable height desks or, if you have the space to do so, you may even want to designate part of your workspace as a gym complete with equipment such as exercise bikes and treadmills. Setting the mood You’ll need to think carefully about the general décor of your office too. For example, the colour scheme should reflect your business’ brand and also be attractive and pleasant for people to work in. Consider including plenty of plants too. Lots of greenery is known to enhance people’s mood and can even improve air quality. Following office design advice like this should help you to attract workers of all ages. It could also play a role in boosting morale and making your employees more productive.