What should offices have to attract and keep talent?

The current global situation presents an opportunity to reinvent the office concept from a simple workspace to a place that creates community and where people can feel a sense of belonging, flexibility and purpose. Companies know that workers increasingly value factors that directly influence their quality of life beyond salary or status, and that workspaces are a great opportunity for companies to retain and attract talent. This new approach to workspace restructuring is a competitive advantage, so today we present to you the office features most in demand by workers that should be implemented into the work environment:

Safety

Workers positively value the implementation of safety standards that help create safer and healthier workspaces. Some characteristics of these standards are compliance with safety protocols, air quality, cleanliness and disinfection of facilities, social distancing, the number of people sharing the same space, and protocols for visits and meetings.

Community

Two of the main reasons people want to return to the office are to connect with colleagues and to reconnect with their company or organization. Creating spaces that encourage teamwork and allow people to share experiences and concerns with their colleagues not only improves their well-being, but positively increases productivity, engagement and commitment.

Comfort

Before the pandemic, 40% of people said they needed to change their posture frequently due to physical discomfort. Now, many want to be able to work in different positions or postures, change their environment and have the ability to move throughout the day. In turn, they need a quiet, distraction-free environment for when they need to concentrate, while also having spaces to connect with their colleagues.

Flexibility

Related to the previous point, the current global situation has changed people's expectations of their work experience. The design and structures of different office spaces have also evolved. As the idea of a single table where people can keep all their things is disappearing, we are starting to see more flexible layouts, such as an area of tables where people can sit wherever they want, another area of offices or reserved spaces for private conversations, another room for informal meetings, etc. The idea is that workers can use these spaces when they need to and not be anchored to a table and chair.

There is no doubt that, nowadays, people and organizations have changed their expectations about work environments and are looking for new experiences and different ideas. At Colonial, we work to create unique spaces that put the user at the center of the space, not only adapting to their evolving needs, but also respecting the environment and providing the best possible locations to facilitate their movement.

New user demands in office buildings will undoubtedly arise, but we at Colonial will keep you up to date with all of the news.