Making use of the office to draw (and keep) talent

So, what makes an office talent attracting (and retaining)?

• Most employees say they would reject an offer if they did not find the office appealing.

• 89% want their office to include regenerative spaces for regular breaks to improve performance, whereas 74% would appreciate less background noise in their workspace.

• 73% claim their productivity is higher when given an opportunity to use flexible furniture arrangements. In general, people opt for a combination of private and cooperative workspaces.

• Natural light is the design aspect that workers value most in terms of their well-being. 87% of staff claim that the office should contribute to their well-being and health.

As for job interviews, candidates find first impressions important, too.

72% of job seekers choose whether to stay with the company within only 30 seconds on the basis of their first impression of the workplace. 81% claim they would reject a position if they had a feeling that the office is not a  place where they see themselves.

An unattractive interview space can scare off job applicants.

Almost 50% of employees say that the place where a job interview is held affects their decision to accept the job. Thus, the space where you run interviews has a profound impact on applicants’ willingness to join your team.

If your office is dull, it’s scaring off both prospective and present employees.

According to one survey, 43% of office workers are likely to turn down offers due to unattractive workplaces. 39% claimed that a drab office was one of the decisive factors to leave their earlier post.

It is also disturbing to note that according to a different survey, nearly a third of employees consider their workspace “dated” and “uninspired”.

Create a more cosy and attractive office: Tastefully bringing kawaii style to open-plan offices.

Individual workspaces are a key factor for job applicants.

Above 30% of employees would turn down an ideal job if the work environment did not meet their expectations. Also, roughly two-thirds would not stay in a company with low-quality workspaces – an idea that can be supported by a significant finding from a Robert Hall study which says that work environment is crucial for employee satisfaction.

These numbers are not surprising at all as almost all office professionals claim to perform much better in a well-designed work environment.

Current research on employee sentiment indicates that picking the right talent takes more than just measuring applicant’s credentials and background. We need to appreciate what drives that individual and what work environment they thrive in

– points out Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

So, what exactly do job hunters (and employees) expect from the office nowadays?

The following survey-based ideas provide tweaks, retrofits and improvements that can facilitate talent attraction and retention.

1.    Hushed spaces where they can recharge their batteries

For 89% of employees, their work is managed better when the office has dedicated spaces for periodic breaks. Cosy armchairs. Relaxing lounges with dim lights. Quiet pods used for naps (see: hushMeet). A terrace with comfortable benches, fragrant flowers, and shade. And so on.

Did you know that some of history’s greatest minds advocated naps? (Read more: The power of power nap.)

According to JLL’s 2022 Future of Work Survey, approximately 35% of companies are investing more and more in spaces specially designed for employees to relax and recharge, for example, patios or roof gardens. If you are willing to stay ahead of such proactive, purposeful companies competing for talent, make room for such regenerative spaces in both your financial plan and your workspace

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

Read more about the up-to-date topic of rest: Get more resilient by prioritising recovery.

2.    An acoustically well-designed office including call spaces like hushPhone

Savills’s 2021 OFFICE FiT survey studied how employees would like their offices to be upgraded. For 74% it would be less noise, and 72% claimed to have better acoustics at home. Focus on making the acoustics in the office better than at home, concentrating on call and video conference facilities to ease hybrid working.

Read: Quick, informative guide to workspace noise

3.    Flexibility

According to 71% of employees, it’s crucial that their company’s office design be flexible. 73% claim they are more productive when given an opportunity to use flexible furniture arrangements. Sit stand desks, modular benching, rolling whiteboards, mobile pods, and portable privacy screens all meet their expectations.

4.    A combination of individual and shared working spaces

According to Gensler’s U.S. WORKPLACE SURVEY 2022, 

the key factor that made employees come back to the office in 2022 was the willingness to focus on work. The second reason was the need for personal cooperation.

Another study WeWork’s “The future of work is hybrid” also confirms it; for employees, the most valuable aspect of working in the office is a possibility of independent and then cooperative work. So, to meet contemporary expectations, the office must combine both independent and cooperative work.

5.    Natural light

For 87% of employees, offices should have dedicated areas that contribute to their well-being. Interestingly, it’s natural light that people wish to have incorporated in the office design most when it comes to wellness. That’s comforting to know that 40% claim that a well-lit office space would make them stay with the company.

According to the Employee Experience survey from Future Workplace, employees consider natural light and views of the outside a major office perk. More significant than on-site cafes, fitness facilities, and even health- or childcare. That’s a meaningful perspective. And a promising one, as there are many different easy ways to generate more daylight in the workplace, either by decluttering spaces in front of skylights and introducing sheer window treatments, or locating workstations in close proximity to windows

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

Summing up, nowadays employees want a well-lit, flexible working space that contributes to their well-being.

Almost all employees think that the office is a reflection of whether their employers value them or not. But, only 37% say that their offices were designed by “taking people factor into account”. Fortunately, enhancements are a two-for-one project. They make you attract talent while improving the performance of your present employees.

• Most employees say they would reject an offer if they did not find the office appealing

• 89% want their office to include regenerative spaces for regular breaks to improve performance, whereas 74% would appreciate less background noise in their workspace.

• 73% claim their productivity is higher when given an opportunity to use flexible furniture arrangements. In general, people opt for a combination of private and cooperative workspaces.

• Natural light is the design aspect that workers value most in terms of their well-being. 87% of staff claim that the office ought to contribute to their well-being and health.

Attracting talents with office design – frequently asked questions

What should you do to attract new staff to your office?

Provide regenerative spaces in your office, for example, nap pods or patios. Try to minimise the noise by using soundproof space dividers or acoustic office booths. Offer flexible furniture arrangements such as modular breakout seating or sit stand desks. Enable natural light inside by decluttering space in front of windows and go for sheer window treatments. Opt for a combination of private and cooperative workspaces.

Is office design important in drawing new talent?

Definitely, yes. 72% of job hunters need roughly 30 seconds to decide if they want to be part of your organisation on the basis of their first impression of the workspace. 81% claim they would reject an offer if they did not find the office appealing.

What makes an office attractive to employees?

According to Gensler’s U.S. WORKPLACE SURVEY 2022 and WeWork’s “The future of work is hybrid” survey, what attracts employees most is, firstly, the possibility to concentrate on work and, secondly, personal collaboration.