It might seem obvious - create a better work space to hire and retain talent - but I'm still amazed at what some companies think a great workspace is.
Too often we hear boasts about so called "great perks" which either aren't so great or may have been great in the 90's, or shouts about "cool offices" that amount to old school desks, rat run spaces & a sofa in the kitchen with an old playstation that no longer works - and wasn't really very popular in the first place.
The article below has some great insight as to how Corporations are planning their workspaces around Europe, it's written for Regus, so bound to be some bias there, but the point they're making is certainly a valid one.
At PIE this comes at the top of our agenda, to create a space where people want to be, to be able to work collaboratively, have space to work in different ways
I'm not saying we've achieved it yet, of course there's only so much budget a smaller business can assign to this when there's growth to prioritise, however, that's just the point, to grow, we've got to attract the best people.
How can you gain a winning edge in talent attraction?
Other than providing competitive salaries & bonus, investing in a respectable, marketable & winning brand proposition, providing your people with the right tools & tech to do the job properly, having an instantly likeable, attractive office environment can have a HUGE impact on hiring the right talent.
The article encourages us to ask some questions...
- What hiring strategy do you have?
- Have you really considered the demographic profile of your next hires for 5 / 10 year plan?
- Where do they live?
- What are their expectations of work / life balance?
- What do they do outside of work?
- Do they need to be in the office 5 days a week?
- Is it 9-5?
- What facilities are considered perks in today's office - really? Or are those things just basic expectations these days?
- Does the basic décor appeal - is it inviting to the target demographic?
Does your office environment really stand you in the best stead to hire the type of people you need?
It’s taken decades for corporate property teams to learn lessonsthat many small, creative companies have known for years – motivational workspace attracts talent. Communications agency AB, moved to offices in Bermondsey two years ago, deliberately chose a building with open-plan space. The area has a trendy, bohemian feel, lots of eateries to take clients to and places to have a drink after work. It’s also commutable and accessible for staff. Chris Winning, Head of Client Services for AB, says: “Corporations have made up a lot of ground in terms of flexible working and how offices are organised. Smaller outfits that cannot offer staff the money they’d get in bigger companies have had to think flexibly.” The workplace of the future is agile, with open-plan activity-based spaces, seating options from hot-desks to sofas, separate areas for collaborative and private work.
Read the original article here