Interior Design is Affecting Your Company Culture
Millennials are moving in.
Actually, they’ve been in the workforce for a while, but they are no longer just working for companies – they are running them. As more than 3.6 million baby boomers retire this year, millennials are moving from entry-level assistants to decision-making directors rather quickly.
With a track record of job hopping every two years or so, it can be difficult to attract and retain the best talent, especially in a city like Nashville that has new businesses moving in every day.
One key to retaining top performers? Give them space. Here’s what to consider when making your office millennial-friendly.
Sustainability is a must.
The sustainability movement in architecture isn’t new. Since the mid-1990s, employees have called for more environmental responsibility from their employers with the U.S. Green Building Council being established in 1993 and the rise of LEED certifications following soon after. It’s not that millennials are demanding anything out of the ordinary but their emphasis on helping the planet goes beyond having a couple of recycling bins in the copy room. This generation is looking for companies with eco-friendly furniture made from responsibly-sourced materials, energy-saving bulbs and windows, and refurbished buildings rather than new constructions.
Accessibility is next.
Time to scrap the cubicles if you haven’t already. Millennials tend to work best in spaces that encourage collaboration and teamwork with their peers rather than singular cubes. Create a productive open office space with large communal tables and white boards then designate work zones and quiet areas rather than assigning desks to keep top performers happy. A separate social space is also a plus – an area to take a break from work and play a game, eat lunch, flip through a magazine before getting back to work. CEOs and upper management should work in these open areas too when possible. The extra level of accessibility to leadership keeps team members feeling connected and appreciated.
Make it an experience.
Millennials tend to value experiences over material things. Rather than clutter up your office with anything that looks modern and cool, take the time to select pieces that convey your company’s mission. At FH Design, we emphasize branding through design in all of our projects to ensure any visitor to the space has an impactful experience. Consider the color, shape, volume and placement of office décor to subtly convey messages about the company’s identity and culture. Millennials usually lean toward like clean, white walls and lines with splashes of color integrated throughout. Add unique touches like a standing desk to promote wellness or a suggestion jar for the next Happy Hour destination. The goal is to keep employees engaged and interacting while at work.
Regardless of the average age of the workforce, employees spend a lot of time in the office and it is up to you to make sure it’s enjoyable time.
Marjorie Feltus Hawkins is co-owner of FH Design, a Nashville-based interior architecture design firm that specializes in incorporating company brand identities into hospitality, healthcare, commercial and residential spaces across the country.
Originally published in the Nashville Business Journal” and hyperlinking to each article: http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2016/07/22/how-to-design-your-office-for-top-performing.html