Most offices are dominated by the millennial and Gen Z workforce today. The millennial generation is the generation that witnessed the transition from traditional offices to modern offices. It's the generation that changed how we look at workplaces and is responsible for all the out-of-the-box office layouts and designs we see today.
The millennial generation's contribution to developing modern offices can't be overlooked. But we can't also overlook that Gen Z has started to take its place in the corporate world and its ideas and concepts are a step ahead of the modern millennials.
Gen Z has got a different vision when it comes to how they want their offices to be. This is the generation that grew up amidst the technological (r)evolution, and it knows how to use technology to make things easier and simpler for themselves.
For a company to attract the right candidates, it's important that it works on its office design first. We're no more living in an era where employers used to give weightage to experience. While experience still matters, exposure matters more today, and Gen Z brings with them the right exposure, ideas, and concepts that can ensure a company's success today.
Being an employer, you need people from Gen Z to flourish and stand above the competition. It's not about the revenue only. It's the overall ideology of your business and the layout and design of your office that will help you stand out! And for this reason, you've got to revamp the design and aesthetics of your office so that you attract and retain the right talent.
How is Gen Z Different from Millennial Generation?
The millennial generation makes the most of the workforce in most workplaces today, but it will soon change as Gen-Z enters the picture. Most employers are trying to turn a blind eye to the importance of hiring younger workers, but it won't be long before they understand how much they need younger, fresher minds on board.
With multiple generations working at the same workplace, one may wonder what difference a generation change really makes. How is Gen Z different from the millennial generation, and why does it matter to employers?
A common misconception that most people have is that people from Gen Z are non-serious about their careers. They're more aggressive but pragmatic and risk-aversive. Above all, they're more inclined to stable jobs that pay well.
Well, sorry to break it to you, but Gen Z is anything but that! And this is what makes them different from the millennials.
People from the millennial generation would continue with their jobs that they find boring and monotonous simply because they pay well. However, Gen-Zers would leave a high-paying, boring job for a relatively lower-paying job that catches their interest.
This younger generation is more self-centered. They want to do things that make them happy, and they want to work on their terms. They're smart, witty, and creative, and that's just what companies need to match the pace of growing competition.
For this reason, employers have to work on their office design to make it more suitable and attractive to Gen Z because they know these youngsters wouldn't think twice before leaving their jobs simply because 'they don't like it there!'
What Aesthetics Does Gen Z Want in Offices?
To design an office that would attract and suit the youth from Gen Z, you would first need to know what these young individuals want in their offices. Once you do know, you'll be able to revamp and upgrade the aesthetics of your office more effectively.
These young professionals are extremely conscious about aesthetics because they enjoy showing off their life. They want to work in offices that would give them plenty of Instagram-worthy pictures. They want to work in offices that would make their social circle idealize their fancy work life. Anything that's ordinary is a turn-off for this generation. So you really got to up your aesthetics game!
Open and Bright Offices
Gen Z is more into the aesthetics of the workplace than the older millennial generation. They don't want to work in offices that have got cubicles. Traditional offices that feature the cubicle layout make the office look dull, boring, and congested, and the younger workforce doesn't want to work in an office that takes their light away!
One of the most important features that they look for in offices is the layout. They prefer to work in open offices that encourage collaboration and networking. Individuals of Gen Z are full of life and energy and want to work in places that let them work together with their coworkers as a team. They prefer to work in a light environment where they can work and share a laugh at the same time.
So, the first change in the name of improving aesthetics that Gen Z wants in offices today is an open and spacious office layout that enables them to work and have fun at the same time!
Attractive Furniture
Another aesthetic feature that Gen Z wants in offices is cooler-looking furniture. They don't want to work in offices with the typical gray metal or brown wooden furniture. Instead, they want to work in offices that have got cool and attractive equipment.
What will attract Gen Z and also help you retain them for long is ergonomic furniture and office equipment like sit-to-stand workstations, ergonomic swiveling chairs, and monitor riser stands like the FlexiSpot Monitor Riser Stand, under-desk treadmills, and anything that would make them go 'Woah! That’s cool!'
Picture-Worthy Spots
Gone are the days when the employees would be glued to their workstations all day long. Today, the employees prefer to work in offices that offer them a bit of flexibility and relaxation. This is the reason why so many companies have started to incorporate game rooms and relaxing rooms in their premises.
However, Gen Z is a bit extra in everything. They do not just want features that could enhance their experience at work, but they also want features that would make them a social catch! They've grown up in the era of Facebook and Instagram, and they want to invest their time and energy into things that would make their social profiles strong and attractive. And when an individual is spending 8 to 9 hours of their day at their offices, they most definitely would want their office to be flaunt-worthy! And that's exactly what you got to give them.
Make sure your office has plenty of cool picture-worthy spots where these young professionals can take pictures. It could be a fancy wall with cool wallpaper, a photo wall, or a blackboard wall on which employees can scribble anything on the go. You could also ensure there's well-furnished and a well-decorated terrace or rooftop where Gen Z can make cool Snapchat stories and have their friends see what a cool office they work in!
Attractive Lunch Halls
Another aesthetic feature that Gen Z wants in offices is attractive lunch halls. Even if their work doesn't allow them to socialize much during work, they won't miss the opportunity to make the most of their lunch break. And that's when they'll take pictures, post stories on Instagram and Snapchat, and take time to relax before returning to work.
Gen Z doesn't want to work in offices where the lunch halls are gray and boring because that's how they make us feel, right?
So, if you want to make your office a catch for Gen Z, ensure you work on your lunch area's aesthetics. Incorporate colorful, funky, and comfortable furniture (couches preferably). Work on the lighting and make sure the lunch hall has the vibes of cool cafes. Getting the vibe right is the key here!
Cool Lighting
We've seen a lot of young people clicking pictures of the ceilings of places they go to. Fancy lights attract them. Typical, flat ceiling lights are a thing of the past. Gen Z now wants their offices to be well-lit. And they not only want lots of lights in their office, but they also want these lights to be pretty. As we said earlier, Gen Z is after the vibe, and that's exactly what your objective must be.
Bottom Line
Gen Z would happily work for a start-up company with super cool office space but would show reluctance if they have to work in a well-established company with a mediocre-looking office. That's how important aesthetics are for these young individuals.
As much as this might frustrate the employers, they're aware of the fact that they need input from these fresh minds to stay ahead of the competition, and for this reason, an increasing number of employers are seen investing in improving the aesthetics of their workplaces.
