In the past, the focus was on attracting, retaining and engaging clients but, as employers started to realize that their best ‘talent’ was leaving in favor of bigger and better things the focus started to shift. These days, interior office design is definitely targeted more towards keeping employees happy in the hopes that they will remain with the business well into the future.
- Spaces are allowed to reflect ‘me’
The bulk of employees currently filling our workplaces seem to be from generation Y, which is known for being very ‘me’ orientated. You need to allow them to emotionally connect with their workplaces by giving them the freedom to make space reflect them. Allow employees to keep personal items, such as photographs, on their desk, for example. - Spaces are ‘socially conscious’
This generation is also known for their commitment to protecting the environment. This means that they will often look at the environmental message of any business that they are thinking about applying it. You need to make sure that your work reflects some environmental values, such as using organic products and offering to recycle. - Organisational transparency
These days, employees not only want to feel as if they are part of the business – they want to know more about who they are working for. As this information is readily available thanks to the internet, it is important that you don’t try to hide anything. This can be helped by spreading your brand around the workplace, including your core value messages. - Support personal growth
Most employees of today are highly educated and want to continuously grow their knowledge and experiences. Your interior office design can foster this sort of personal growth by advertising the ways that you do this around the workplace. Perhaps you run a mentoring program or you will finance related courses of study to those who qualify. - Reflect a work/life balance
Unfortunately, many employees struggle to find a balance between their work and personal lives. You workplace should offer flexible spaces that don’t only relate to work, such as a gym or lounge where employees can go for a bit of downtime. You could even offer coaching to help employees strike the right sort of balance in their own life. - Match the type of work
There is far more to your workplace than ‘we’ and ‘I’ spaces – you need to provide areas that match the type of work that your employees do. If they work with complex documents they might need a concentration space, for example. If they work in teams or groups, on the other hand, they might need collaboration spaces or ‘think tank’ rooms. - Technology is a priority
These days, technology is not only a given of any workplace – it is often seen as being an extension of who we are. We almost always have at least one piece of technology with us (such as a smartphone or laptop) and we are continuously demanding connectivity. Workplaces need to reflect this technology-driven lifestyle with power points and so on.
Whilst it is one thing to attract the best ‘talent’ to your business, it is another to keep and engage them. By following the above tips for your interior office design, you can rest assured that your workplace will be everything your employees are looking for and more. You could also find that an increasing number of people are applying for positions with your business.
