Ah, the gift of youth. A good business will actively seek to employ bright young things who have bags of enthusiasm and bundles of ideas but a different generation brings a different attitude to the workplace.
Millennials – those born between the mid 1980s and early 2000s – are graduating from university, completing apprenticeships and infiltrating the workplace. They are brilliant assets - with their firm grasp of communications and digital media - but keeping them loyal and motivated is the scourge of the modern employer.
And did you know within the Millennials category is a super sensitive subdivision – Generation Snowflake? Known for their strong ethics, moral compass and addiction to wifi, a snowflake can shape your business for the better but they may be harder to please than average Millennials.
While keeping your fridge stocked with avocadoes will always make a Millennials’ day, how your office functions will go further in getting the best from your younger workforce. Here’s how Millennials see the workplace: warning - you might need an office refurbishment to keep up!
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They won’t know what a ‘conventional office’ is
If they’re coming straight from university, their exposure to office environments may be limited to what they see in the news headlines – Google-style workplaces with swings, slides and roof-top running tracks. Although it’s not possible for every office to incorporate such facets, rows of flat pack desks, beige filing cabinets and strip lighting is unlikely to inspire. Consider instead a themed office with bespoke office furniture in vibrant colours.
They want to collaborate & decentralize
Boardrooms, formal meetings and private offices? They still have their (diminishing) place but new attitudes to work include spontaneous hook ups, brainstorming in relaxed environments and impromptu gatherings in communal areas. Not keen? The good news is there are some brilliant half-way houses in the shape of pods and pop-up meeting rooms that incorporate workstations, office seating and inspiring designs.
They’ll want to take technology with them
Gone are the days when cumbersome PC towers, fixed monitors and tangles of cables characterized the office. Laptops, mobile phones and wireless devices are in our Millennials’ armory. As a result, office desk requirements are changing. Smaller, sleeker interior office design – even sit/stand desks and bars to perch at - will hit the right note and free space. This might allow you to revise your office layout design or even take a smaller, cheaper premise.
More portable technology also feeds the Millennials’ desire to be mobile. You’ll have a workforce that expects to flit around the office according to their mood or project. Provide a number of different, stimulating environments with good wifi, charging/USB points and you’ll be rewarded with greater productivity.
Get in touch today for ideas on how to attract and retain a new generation of workers.
