- Workplace design can play a crucial role in recruiting and retaining employees. A comfortable, functional, and flexible environment can be a decision-maker for new talent.
- 62% of workers do not have workplaces that prioritize both individual and group work.
- Ethosource provides modern and sustainable solutions by blending both used and new furniture to create spaces in which employees enjoy working
First impressions may be key when it comes to recruiting top talent to your company. But it’s everything you do after day one that helps you keep them. Offering an enticing salary, solid benefits packages, and generous PTO is on every employee’s wish list, but now more than ever so is workplace culture and design. In fact, 50% of employees would sacrifice their salary — as much as 29% of it — to work a job they enjoy (HRDive).
Imagine you’re a new employee walking into your office — How does it feel? Does it welcome creativity and collaboration? Does it make people comfortable and productive?
In this series, we’re talking about the role a work environment has in recruiting and retaining great talent, starting with why workplace design is at the top of their job search checklist.
Designing for the Employees You Have — and Really Want
Obviously, the workplace isn’t one-size-fits-all. So it’s super important to design a workplace that embraces versatility and offers more options for different work styles. 67% of recruiters say it’s now harder than ever to find talent (INC), so it’s time to start prioritizing your workplace design as a recruiting tool.
Let Your True Culture Shine
Great talent has a number of motivations when choosing a company to work for but aligning on important values is at the top of the list for most. And showing it says a lot more than explaining it in a brand statement. If employees don’t feel like your company culture reflects the mission you preach, they’ll pursue one that does.
Just like customers, employees are looking for brands that are authentic. And your workplace is a big part of your brand. It’s where culture cultivates and grows. It’s a physical space that brings your team together to collaborate and socialize. In order for them to produce work that you’re proud of, they need to be proud of whose name is on it. Your workplace speaks volumes about not only who you are as a company, but who you want to be for your employees.
Welcome to the 21st Century
Endless rows of cubicles and stuffy break rooms are a thing of the past — and they should stay there. Cutting back on square footage shouldn’t mean cutting corners. Employees are seeking more innovative office spaces that allow them to work in different ways. They want furniture that promotes better health, options to get outside for fresh air, and spaces that make both collaborating and distancing easy.
By embracing activity-based workspaces that promote flexible working, employees can be more productive and engaged, improving collaboration across teams and allowing creativity to come from more, sometimes unexpected, places.
If They’re Happy, then You’ll Know It
For many employees, the workplace is where they spend most of their time during the week. And for others who work in a hybrid capacity, the last thing you want is for them to dread their in-office days. You want this to be a place where their best work can happen.
Your workplace design has the power to influence a mood, affect personal health, and connect people — both in-person and remotely. An engaged employee is a happy employee, and nothing is more disengaging than a bland or unaccommodating work environment. Create spaces for social opportunities like lounges and cafes, invest in treadmill desks or ergonomic seating, and make sure your technology is conducive to remote collaboration and culture-building.
It may be a big undertaking to recruit new workers, but it’s even more costly to lose and replace them. Investing in office design can not only save recruitment costs but also help you keep your most valued employees.
The Millennials are Taking Over
Millennials currently make up 38% of the workforce (Gallup), and it’s only going to continue to increase. That means you need to be paying attention to the needs and priorities of this generation. And here’s a tip: they care about their workspaces.
Millennials want more personal, customizable office designs. They’re looking for functional, but not mechanic; somewhere that doesn’t make their work feel like just a “job.” This is a generation who grew up in a world where technology has fostered a need for instant gratification and a mentality of what’s the next best thing. As they constantly adapt, they want a workplace that can keep up.
Traditional layouts simply won’t do it for millennials. So tune in to Part Two of our series as we dive into what you can do to attract this important demographic.
Redesigning your office space is a process that takes time but putting in the work will only help you build the best team possible. And Ethosource can help make the process a lot easier. Contact us to discuss your workplace today.