A survey by Free Office Finder discovered that out of its 1,500 + participants, 33% of those who were millennials prioritised office environment over salary, location, benefits and flexible working hours. What these finding show is that different generations prioritise different qualities within their working life. Nick Riesel, a founder of Free Office Finder, commented that:
“Millennials are put down a lot in the press for what may seem like outlandish demands to others, but is there anything wrong with demanding that employers provide their staff with a nice office when this can be a win, win for employers and employees alike. Some of the demands, which may or may not be exaggerated such as games rooms, safe spaces, gourmet kitchens and Instagramable spaces are a bit far-fetched, but with companies such as Google & Red Bull creating quirky offices which cost millions to put together anything is possible no matter what your budget, you just need the imagination.”
And furthermore, “You can, however, create a great working environment for your employees without too much extra cost. Companies can look at offices which are close to transport links and amenities, have light and airy spaces, look at adding standing desks or flexible hot desks for their staff or add comfortable break rooms and kitchens to their existing spaces.”
What were the survey results?
Whilst benefit packages and decent salaries have always remained one of the most attractive qualities for a job, the millennials in this Free Office Finder survey revealed that this is not the case for the millennial generation (aged between 23 and 38 years old). In the survey, Free Office Finder asked participants to rate the importance of qualities they look for in a job.
The results for millennials in the survey were as follows:
Millennials
- Office environment – 33%
- Salary – 24%
- Location – 23%
- Flexible working – 11%
- Benefits – 9%
For Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Z, 28% valued salary the most, 25% location, 19% benefits, 15% flexible working, and 13% office environment. Interestingly, office environment was ranked as one of the lowest priorities for all age categories included in the study other than millennials.
Millennials have been claimed to prefer office environment in part to promote their mental health and overall wellbeing, all spilling into their work productivity. Working in an open spaced environment with a nice amount of natural light and greenery can help to improve mental health and wellbeing. What is interesting to note that in the survey, millennials were the only age category to prioritise this factor.
Leave a Comment