Collaborative spaces. Work/life balance. Shared values. Millennials bring their own set of expectations and priorities to the workplace. As the generation born between 1981 and 1996 continues to take over the workforce, evolving your office design to align with those values could be key to attracting and keeping employees.

In short, finding furniture for the office that makes them feel comfortable keeps millennials and Gen Z satisfied and positions employers for recruitment success.

Millennials account for more than a third of all US workers – the largest single generation in the US workforce today. Quickly on their heels are the Gen Z generation, which will soon become the fastest-growing generation in the workforce as more of its members, born between 1997 and 2013, reach employment age.

A 2022 Deloitte survey of the two generations found a good work/life balance, learning and development opportunities and a positive workplace culture were among the top reasons workers chose where to work. To create an environment that encourages them to stay, consider these ideas:

n  Flexibility – The desire to work from home remains strong among millennials and Gen Z. Consider offering a wide range of workspaces to mimic the flexibility of the work-from-home environment. A combination of open workstations, collaborative areas and private spaces – which can all be provided with the flexible Variant Collection by OfficeSource –  create multiple work zones to give employees flexibility throughout the workday.

n  Community – Collaboration and teamwork are important to millennials. Companies might not always have the capability to offer open office plans, but creating areas to foster community bonding and camaraderie can help. Consider social spaces where employees can gather. A comfortable lounge seating area, like the customizable Integrate Collection by OfficeSource, gives employees space to gather without the feeling of being “at work.”

n  Sustainability – Employees want to work for companies that share their values. Environmental issues are one of the most important social concerns among millennials. Using eco-friendly materials, sustainable landscaping, energy-efficient lighting or natural light whenever possible and aligning with companies committed to the environment, like OfficeSource, shows employees you support the causes important to them.

Embracing the connected and collaborative workspaces favored by millennials could not only help attract – and retain – top talent from the next generation, but also create a positive impact on the productivity of your current workforce.

Contact us at 1.800.388.8202 to learn more about millennial and Gen Z furniture for the office.