By Jennifer Tetreault, VP of Solutions Delivery at SiteREADY
From the open office floor plan to afternoon in-office yoga, there’s no denying that the modern workplace has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. Millennials are the generation most commonly cited for spearheading the movement toward workplace flexibility, though it is undeniably a phenomenon that is permeating today’s workforce in its entirety and changing the way we all approach our work.
As employers compete to stay at the forefront of innovation, they are increasingly looking to attract the generation setting the trends in technology. How can your company make a strong pitch when recruiting millennials?
Let Everyone Think Like a Leader
Creating an environment that not only facilitates ingenuity, but also encourages employees to voice that ingenuity and be heard in doing so is essential in today’s workplace. Allowing staff to question processes and contribute to the direction of the company in a meaningful way boosts morale and creates a progressive culture. It’s time to move away from the notion that non-executive employees can’t speak up.
Recruit Like a Marketer
In today’s market, job seekers can be much more selective. Millennials in particular are taking advantage of social media to gain an understanding of a company’s culture, values and other differentiating factors without so much as walking through the door. Understanding social media and the culture being built around this platform enables companies to convey an image of something today’s talent pool would want to be a part of—whether it be an article on a new technology implemented in the workplace or fun photos from a company gathering.
“Not Your Father’s Workplace”
The aptly named “cubicle farm” that long dominated the image of what it meant to work in an office is not only a visual turnoff for today’s job seekers, but suggests rigidity across the organization. As technology consultants, SiteREADY draws on the latest trends and our in-house expertise to design modern, functional, technologically sound workspaces.
Design Your Workplace Like a Home
The open layout, now-buzz-term “collaborative workspace” was arguably the first step in transforming the prototypical office space. But just as we don’t spend our entire day in one area of the house when we’re at home, employees don’t want to spend 8 hours in the exact same spot, no matter how forward-thinking the space may be.
Whether spreading out floorplans across a high-top table or having the option to take a call in a private room, it is important for employers to take into consideration both the look and functionality of the space in enabling employees to work comfortably and productively. Features like hoteling suites can help create the fluidity between home and work that millennials are pioneering.
Invest in Technology
Millennials are almost synonymous with technology, which makes it no coincidence that technology is driving workplace culture as millennials continue to play larger and more visible roles within their companies. SiteREADY helps organizations of all sizes create technology-enabled workplaces that meet millennials’ collective demand for flexibility, productivity and autonomy. Learn more about our process for successful workplace technology integration.