Cater to the New Workforce with an Innovative Office Design

The year 2017 brings many elements of change to the world around us that all businesses must absorb and execute. As generation Z, those born between 1994 and 2010, are graduating this year and entering the workforce, the majority of the workforce will be made up of the two generations that grew up with the greatest access to innovation and technology (Gen Z and Millennials).

What does this mean for your business and office? This means that changes must be implemented to cater to these new generations and retain them as employees. As cultures evolve with each generation, so must the culture of companies. From salaries and benefits to work atmosphere and employee relationships, perception is everything to the new generations entering the workforce.

When looking at the corporate environment that your office currently portrays, it is not only important to ask yourself, “Does the current atmosphere provoke what I want my customers to feel?” but also, “Does the current atmosphere provoke what I want my employees to feel?”

Retain the incoming workforce by adhering to these current office design trends:

Brighten it Up

Creating vibrant offices is one effective way to recruit and retain talent. Mentioned in one of our previous blogs, The Psychology of Colors and Your Commercial Flooring, studies have shown that colors don’t just change our moods, but also profoundly impact productivity and interest levels. According to the 2016 Millennial Career Survey from the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), Google was ranked as the #2 company that millennials want to work for, saying Google is their ideal employer. Why? Besides the many perks that Google offers to their employees, the Google workspace is comprised of bright colors and futuristic design, spurring innovation, energy and creativity.

Flooring Tip: Carpeting Tiles offer extensive design flexibility, with vendors offering an ever-shifting mix of styles, colors, shapes, and patterns.

Enable Activity

Activity-based designs are the way to go. An office design that promotes comfort and exercise directly aligns with these new generations’ core values. Most Millennials and Gen Z employees admire energetic, flexible and collaborative work environments. An activity-based office design that is open, interactive, and encourages employees to stretch and move around will represent your company’s commitment to employee wellness and aptitude.

Flooring Tip: Resilient flooring: is an engineered product that is manufactured using various types of flexible, “bouncy” material such as  rubber and cushion-backed carpeting. This makes it flexible and comfortable for various types of performance.

Variation of Materials

Varied materials throughout the workplace generate an environment that is more diverse, inspiring and personalized. By mixing it up in the office, your employees will walk in to an atmosphere that is constantly encouraging creative thinking and hyper vigilance.

Flooring Tip: Introduce texture into the workplace with Wood or Bamboo flooring. These flooring options are not only eco-friendly, but they provide a low maintenance sustainable alternative that lasts a lifetime.

GO GREEN!

Incorporating greenery into your office design should be a top priority. The new generations entering the workforce specifically feel they have more at stake when it comes to matters of health and the environment than any other generation. In a survey conducted by Glass Packaging Institute, more Millennials and Gen Zs “were concerned about various aspects of the environment than any other age group, and were more apt to look for products that are eco-friendly”. Businesses who actively incorporate green changes within their facility are able to express their care for the earth, and thus, customers and employees respond positively.

Flooring Tip: Many eco-friendly flooring choices exist today and are becoming increasingly popular, including Bamboo, Concrete, Hardwood, Linoleum, Rubber and Wool.

Contact us today for more information about creating an innovative office space.

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