Millennials make their mark

Steelcase’s latest Workplace survey explores the impact of multiple generations at work on workplace design and communication. For the first time in history there are four generations of people working side by side – with varying expectations of the organisation they work for, different ways of working and different attitudes about the workplace.

This creates a host of new challenges for architects, designers, human resource directors and facilities managers - including attracting and retaining younger members of staff and preserving the knowledge and experience that older generations possess.

Steelcase will be asking delegates at the British Council of Offices’ Annual Conference in New York this May (2nd – 4th) to consider the results of their latest Workplace Survey and how to leverage workspace design in order to promote positive working relations amongst multiple generations.

Some of the research findings which they will present include:

- Millennials (born 1978-1999) are three times more likely to work off-site or while travelling, compared to other office workers

- Formal meeting spaces are less important to Millennials than their older co-workers

- Millennials are less distracted by noise

- More than any other generation Millennials value natural daylight in the workplace

- Millennials are more likely to ask questions of their employers about air quality, efficient energy use and ‘green’ materials

Steelcase will be opening up its showroom overlooking Central Park and its resources and research findings on Generations at Work as part of the three-day ‘World Class Spaces for World Class Cities’ event.

Mandy Sutherland, Applied Research Consultant, from Steelcase, said “When it comes to face-face work, instant collaboration anywhere and everywhere is a hallmark of the Millennial generation and that has big implications for workplace design. For instance half as many Millennials as older workers say that the availability of meeting spaces has an impact on their work performance.

“And yet, when Millennials start with a new company the Number One thing they request is a mentor. One of the strategies that we have proposed is a ‘mentor pod’ where experienced people can go to work. By simply being there, it signals they’re available to counsel others.”

According to Steelcase most organisations today have a large number of Boomers (born 1946 -64), a smaller group of Generation Xs (born 1965–77), plus smaller numbers of Traditionalists (born before 1945) and Millennials (born 1978 – 1999). But the mix is shifting.

In order to attract and retain Millennials, architects and designers must cater to their preferences and provide the kinds of spaces they consider ideal:

- Fun, open, collaborative space
- Flexible, fluid space and workstations
- Personalised workstation design
- Visual displays
- Tech environment

Over 700 UK architects, designers, agents, facilities managers, property managers, fit out specialists, occupiers and planners are expected to arrive in New York for the BCO event, which will be opened by Daniel Doctoroff, the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding for the City of New York.