Today, it isn't unlikely to have three different generations toiling together in the same workplace. With varying work styles and mind-sets, Baby Boomers along with Generations X and Y are working side by side. To overcome these differences, managers are increasingly turning to design to accommodate their needs while also harnessing the potential for cross-generational interaction.
In the 1980s, Boomers had a need for things that were more
hierarchical and formal, and these are still needs that we have to address. As
we moved into the 1990s, there was a shift to more flexibility, defined
technology, and non-hierarchical spaces. In the 2000s, design became
transformative. There was leverage on humans and their interaction with space
so office designs provide spaces that are branded, mobile, and more interactive
with a sense of openness. As we look at the next generation coming into the
workplace, Collaborative and Agile design is the key.
By providing areas that people can personalize, younger
generations want to put their mark on the space whereas older employees are
used to the more corporate and formal feel.
Usually it often depends on the managerial style or direction that the
business allows. If you work for a startup, the freedom and the flexibility is
greater because you often have multigenerational teams. At its worst, if the
brand is established and has very little flexibility for mutigenerational types
of differentiation then it becomes a very standardised space.
We try to introduce environments that are collaborative,
flexible, and technology-driven. The challenge is to attract and retain workers
who are very used to spaces that shift, change, and transform. So companies who
want to better position themselves are going to provide that kind of
flexibility and agile working environment.
However there will always need to be some type of mix between environments
because of different personality types in the workplace. Regardless of age,
more introverted workers want the privacy to concentrate and complete their
work tasks whereas the extroverts are comfortable working in more open
environments.
We design a lot more open areas that have multiple
functions; there are still the tea points, sort of the central hub on every
floor, but by migrating these areas closer to the major exit of the floor, we
can help to promote collaboration within the generations. Work places are
becoming much more mobile and compact so offices won’t require all of the square
footage that they are utilizing today which will obviously save business’
overheads as well and producing more productive staff.
