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FOR THE WORKPLACE NOW INCLUDE:
Workforce expectations:
The most talented young
candidates want to work for digital companies in
the digital economy. Whether this is a new start-
up or an established business transforming itself,
the candidate’s expectations include flexibility,
formal and informal collaboration, learning,
choice, work-life balance and the opportunity to
“make their mark.” They will gravitate towards
organisations whose workspace, culture and
technology provision align to these expectations.
A survey amongst graduates that investigated
not only why they joined companies but also why
they turned down other companies discovered:
• The most important attributes of an organisation
according to graduate talent globally were:
a) Professional training and development
b) Creative and dynamic working environment
c) Leaders who support my development
• Millennials want to match their career choice
with their lives and values and so are:
a) Looking to make a difference
b) Expecting to be able to contribute their ideas
c) Want to enjoy themselves
• A significant degree of transition between sectors;
switching between technology, the big four
consultancies and investment banking.
2
Workplace perception:
The traditional workplace
no longer appeals, with research in Paris amongst
business school graduates indicating that 93% of
graduates don’t want to work in such a space. Home
working or public spaces would be their preferred
working environment, again indicating a drive
towards choice and flexibility over corporate culture.
However the pull of the city centre is still strong,
with 87% wanting to work in urban cores, as is the
desire for collaboration and hunger for quick learning
from others in the organisation. For this reason a
physical workspace is still key, but one which acts
as a hub for interaction, designed accordingly, and
used in combination with more flexible work and
location options. Within these spaces businesses
should look to provide non-traditional yet well-
connected workspace, supported with high quality
and intuitive technology, to accommodate the
range of workstyles that their future workforce
aspires to. Now we see even highly traditional
occupiers such as legal firms recognising that their
inflexible single-office models inhibit knowledge
sharing, and that more collaborative hybrid spaces
would meet the demands of their incoming hires
and their clients’ expectations of innovation.
3
*“Engagement and the Global Workplace”
report,
Steelcase, 2016
Engagement and wellbeing:
Mounting research shows
that providing employees with choice over when,
where and how they work is the most important
factor in driving satisfaction and engagement of staff
when it comes down to the workplace. With recent
research showing 1/3 of the average workforce is
disengaged*, the recognition that the workplace can
make a significant impact on this is now influencing
the way in which space is viewed as a business tool.
Organisations are asking how to encourage staff back
into the office to take advantage of ad-hoc meetings
and unscheduled collaboration. Wellbeing; covering
physical and emotional fitness and work life balance
should recognise and provide spaces for all work
styles and personality types, in a balanced distribution
of facilities. This can transform the workplace culture,
improve performance, innovation and accelerate
productivity, as well as benefitting the bottom line.
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