Millennials make up the biggest sector of the workforce, so if you are hoping to attract forward-thinking, talented millennials, you need to pay close attention to your office design.
Open Plan Office Design
Twenty years’ ago, most modern offices consisted of a series of small, cramped cubicles. Employees typically spent their working day isolated, surrounded by screens. If they needed help or to brainstorm with a colleague, they had to leave their desk. It wasn’t exactly productive.
Today’s open plan office layouts are perfect for millennials. The flexibility and relaxed nature of an open plan office encourages collaboration and brainstorming, which is something millennials specialise in.
Break Out Areas
In an open plan office layout, it is easy for employees to chat between desks and hold casual meetings, but it makes sense to provide some breakout areas where employees can entertain visitors, spread out, and get away from their desks. Break out areas are also useful for remote workers in for the day.
Plants and Greenery
Plants don’t just look good from an aesthetic perspective – they also offer significant health and well-being benefits. Plants absorb harmful toxins from the environment and “clean” the atmosphere. Plants also absorb CO2 and add oxygen to the atmosphere, which is good for productivity. Lastly, research shows that offices with plenty of plants enjoy lower absentee rates, so add a few spider plants, or if you want to create the “wow” factor, install a living wall.
Communal Chill Out Space
Millennials appreciate chill-out spaces at work. Many of the larger tech companies, such as Google and Microsoft, take this to a whole new level with sleep pods and gaming rooms, but you don’t need to go this far to attract millennials. A communal lounge with comfy sofas, a kitchen area, and perhaps a TV on the wall is enough to provide a relaxing space away from the main work area where employees can chat, chill, and enjoy their lunch. If you have outdoor space, consider adding an outdoor seating area, too.
Ergonomic Furniture
Millennials are very interested in health and well-being. When they are not at work they can usually be found competing in triathlons, marathons, and other extreme sports. As such, it is important to provide ergonomic furniture to ensure your employees remain in the best of health.
Work-Life Balance
It is only in recent years that we have come to fully appreciate the benefits of a good work-life balance. Too much time at work speeds up the risk of stress and burnout. Caring employers understand this and so do millennials.
Millennials actively choose to work for companies that offer workplace perks such as on-site gyms, cafeterias, and nurseries. It helps hard working staff juggle their work and personal life more efficiently.
Coffee Machines
Don’t underestimate the lure of freshly ground artisan coffee in the workplace. Throw out your cheap instant coffee and invest in a top-of-the range coffee machine for your employees. It should prove to be a great hit with visitors, too!
Create a functional and aesthetically pleasing workplace and you will find it much easier to retain valuable staff. It’s the smart thing to do.
