I recently hosted a panel discussion at the Shard on workplace design.
One theme that sparked much debate was how business leaders can best accommodate the different generations working for them. Workplace design is now a key tool for attracting top young talent and retaining the more experienced employees who will lead your business into the future. How do you keep everyone happy?
My message to business leaders is clear: if you do nothing you will please no one. In today’s world, top businesses need effective, attractive workplaces. Failing to invest in a space that works for your employees means you will lose them. Technology means we all know what other business are doing. Failing to innovate in your office says a lot about you as a company. Candidates will have an impression before an interview even begins. Leaders must recognise this and adapt to the new reality.
Some people believe the answer is to mimic a pioneer, such as Google. Yet the enthusiastic applause at our event was telling when one panellist suggested “you don’t need to be Google”. Most businesses don’t have Google’s workforce demographic, where the average age of an employee is under 30. What works for Google won’t work for you and could even alienate your employees and drive them elsewhere.
Many offices now have four generations of employee. Baby boomers sit in teams with millennials. Generations X and Y bicker over meeting room bookings. At the same canteen table, one employee thumbs a dog-eared copy of Property Week while another swipes through the same article on an iPad.
The C-suite should take inspiration from the home. For all the talk of technology, the domestication of offices is a crucial trend for today’s savvy business leaders accommodating a diverse staff. Specifically, it means creating spaces where people can have their own time for contemplation, as well as communal, collaborative space.
It also means ensuring employees’ broader needs are met. People work long hours and so their office is important to them. Build them a home away from home and they will reward you with energy, creativity and loyalty.
It is my firm belief that the basic essentials of a great workplace remain the same for everyone. If your workers have space, light and easy access to business and social amenities, it’s a great start. By all means take inspiration from others, but, ultimately, start with these principles and design something that works for you and your business.
James Goldsmith is leasing director at the Shard
No comments yet