The US Chamber of Commerce Foundation did a study on the Millennial generation, which is defined as those born between the early 1980s and 1999. This adds up to around 80 million men and women who have grown up with the ability to access the world without leaving home. Millennials are taking the workforce by storm and therefore knowing how to design your office for them to thrive can only help your company flourish as well.
By the end of 2015, 53 percent of the workforce will be Millennials – make sure your workspace is ready to keep these fresh faces in your office. Design a space for them to succeed.
Millennials have never known a time without technology and have spent their formative years texting, snapping, and FaceTiming. When designing your workspace, consider that technology is going to be more and more important as this generation continues to enter the workforce. Multitasking is something that is part of their daily routine like when I see children texting, playing a video game, doing homework, and watching television. Play to their strengths by offering dual monitor use and plenty of hook ups for additional technology.
Allow your workspace to mobile by having furniture that is lightweight and mobile ready. Having grown up working on team projects, Millennials need the freedom to be able to work in large groups when necessary. Outfit your office with areas that promote collaboration.
Make sure to keep it simple because Millennials prefer a light, airy, and modern workspace versus a dark and boring workspaces. Offices like Facebook exemplify the office for the Millennial probably because it was started by a Millennial (Mark Zuckerberg was born in 1984). There are private coves for those who need to work in silence, many different open floorplan seating options to choose from, and unique original artwork that inspires workers.
Do not forget the breakroom. Millennials take break time seriously. Complimentary coffee and healthy snacks are a great start but don’t forget about technology. Televisions, video game systems, and more are commonly found in Millennial driven companies like Google.
Since many companies choose to redesign their workspace every few years to keep up with technology and to brighten up a space, make sure to consider those Millennials that you might be hiring soon.
