9-5 isn’t the same picture that it was 20 years ago. Our economy is changing rapidly, as is the environment we work in. In my short career, I’ve seen unique office perks vary from exclusive privileges at a hip New York ad agency to basic amenities given to the hard-working desk jockey. While it’s hard to quantify how much office culture effects the bottom line, it’s not difficult to understand that, these days, recruiting and retaining great talent is the name of the game.
A foosball table in the break room and some bean bag chairs in the hallway is always a sure sign that a company is taking a stab at creating a cool and unique work environment. This is something that I’ve grown to innately pick up on while being a part of the wellness puzzle. Here at LeanBox, we continuously have the chance to sit with a lot of folks responsible for workplace happiness. As a result, we’ve picked up on a few trends that are working across the board:
Open, open, open. Cubes are out. Clear glass borders, or no borders for that matter, are in. Today’s economic problems are complex and require teamwork and ‘outside the box’ thinking (no pun intended). Managers are no longer sitting in their corner office hitting a golf ball into a glass. They are in the mix, sleeves up, working as one with the group. It only makes sense that an open environment sets the tone for collaboration and community.
Wellness (For real this time):
We’ve heard employers talking about a push for wellness for decades. The rubber is finally starting to hit the road. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard that happy and healthy employees make for productive employees. From in-office yoga lunches to on-site eye exams, employers are putting more of an emphasis on getting their employees healthy.
Insurance providers are often a great place to start. Sometimes they’ll cover the cost of these services, and oftentimes steeply discount them. After all, they want you and your employees healthy too.
Ok, ok- I have a particular bias in this space. Obviously LeanBox is our shot at drastically improving the workplace food environment. With that being said, you would be surprised how much food is taken into consideration when it comes to employee satifsaction. A recent survey by Seamlessshowed that availability of lunch STRONGLY influences the acceptance of a job offer. Traditionally companies have been forced to choose between awful vending machines, massive and expensive cafeterias, or nothing. This is no longer the case. Hit me at shea@eatlean.com to learn more about how to solve your food woah’s. Trust me, it’s important.
I’ve always been genuinely intrigued by what motivates people. If you are the same way, check out Dan Pink’s Ted Talk on what drives people. If there is one thing that the current working generation shares in common it’s the desire to be a part of something greater then themselves. Bonuses, stock options, and PTO all have their place. But, today’s employees want to share in the advancement of a common goal. The best employers are creating a sense of community with events, cross disciplinary brainstorming sessions, and much more.
Take Google for example; the gold standard of office environments. Each employee is given the ability to spend 20% of their week on project based work of their choosing. If that doesn’t help you get in the ‘Google community spirit’ then I don’t know what will (well, maybe their in house barber or “take your dog to work” policy).
The bottom line is this: If you aren’t taking the time to create a positive work environment, chances are you will soon be a thing of the past. Everyone is competing for talent these days, so companies that care about employee happiness are inevitably going to win. Keep the foosball table, but know that great offices are always pushing the envelope on company culture.
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