For today’s employers, talent competition is fierce. As the national unemployment rate continues to hover around 4%, employers are getting creative to acquire talent. One of the largest changes occurring in the business community is employers are now utilizing their workplace as a tool to recruit and retain skilled employees.
What Do Employees Want?
Avoiding small demographic and regional differences, the majority of western employees have similar needs in the workplace. According to several studies, the modern worker wants flexibility, a work/life balance, fair pay, potential for career development, communication, and friendly colleagues.
However, besides deeper needs, most employees crave similar amenities in the modern office. When you read about the lavish amenities some employers offer, it might feel as if you need an enormous budget to compete for top talent. Yet, small improvements to the workspace make a huge difference for employees. We will discuss the surprisingly 10 simple workplace amenities that increase employee happiness and productivity.
1. Natural Light
In a survey of 1,614 North American workers, over 50% surveyed said they considered natural light and outdoor views to be the most important office perk. Access to natural light is proven to improve employee happiness, work satisfaction, work performance, and organizational commitment. Data shows that employees that lack natural light are more likely to be tired. Furthermore, studies show that prolonged use of computer and phone screens fuels a craving for a visual break such as glance outside. As a result, a greater number of workspaces are adapting, improving light and window access for more of their employees.
2. Functional Chairs and Desks
As workspace technology continues to evolve, chairs and desks have followed suit. Given the amount of time that employees spend in their chairs, functional office furniture should be a priority. Ergonomics dramatically increase comfort, productivity, and workplace health. Additionally, as standing desks increase in popularity and affordability, altering an office to improve health is becoming significantly more affordable.
3. Restroom Privacy
One of the most vulnerable places for many employees is the restroom. As employees typically use the washroom several times throughout the workday, improvements to restroom facilities are an effective way to improve the quality of work life. Thus, a common request made by employees is for additional safety and privacy in bathroom facilities. This can be accomplished using dividing walls, improving ventilation, and achieving additional acoustic and physical privacy. These changes take additional space and money but result in major happiness improvements for employees.
4. Alternative Communal Spaces
Since most employees spend more hours at work than in a state of relaxation, brief break periods during the workday are a significant perk. Furthermore, allowing employees space to relax or take a phone call isn’t just a benefit but a corporate productivity hack. Providing space to pause during the day improves employee productivity and satisfaction.
5. On-Site-Fitness Facilities
Adding health and fitness programs into a workspace provides major employee and employer benefits. On-site fitness facilities are shown to increase productivity, enhance morale, and reduce absenteeism in the workplace. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention found employers benefit from a healthier labor force since workers are less likely to call in sick. Moreover, Crain’s Chicago uses on-site fitness facilities as a major indicator of a business’s recruiting potential. Therefore, providing health and fitness facilities on-site is way for businesses to become a desired and productive workplace for employees.
6. Nearby Food and Refreshments
Nearby food options near an office are a must-have feature of the modern workplace. For the highest caliber workspaces, employers are putting dining options in the building to improve employee happiness and productivity. However, for workspaces unable to accommodate in-building dining, employers and landlords are incorporating food trucks, popup catering, and fresh food delivery. For those working in class A office spaces, 85% of employees surveyed required tea, coffee, and vending as the minimum amenity for most premium workspaces. With a diversity of options and price ranges for in-office coffee bars, providing coffee in the workspace is necessary to fuel up the office for the workday.
7. Green Space
Outdoor spaces offer today’s workforce a break from the sterile and cramped life of the modern office. To attract and retain top talent, some offices also establish outdoor workspaces on their corporate campuses. Time outside allows workers to escape the daily grind and promotes relaxation in the workplace. Studies show outdoor space helps to foster co-working and collaborative brainstorming as well as improves recruitment, retention, and satisfaction. Most important for productivity, access to outdoor spaces allows workers to recharge throughout the day and has a remarkable effect on workforce health outcomes. Moreover, for the corporate bottom line, clean air and sunlight are proven to increase employee performance, curb sleep deprivation and reduce short-term sick leave.
8. Multiple Transportation Options
The modern commute is sometimes multimodal. Responding to the marketplace, the most desired workspaces are commuter friendly. Transportation options help tenants recruit and maintain talent in various ways. Buildings should have access to some form of public transportation. Accordingly, with more workers biking to work, employers looking to recruit millennials should provide bike racks and showers to support greener forms of transportation.
9. General Cleanliness
Although this should be basic, in many work environments, cleanliness is not prioritized. A commercial property management team should work hard to maintain germ-free and fresh-smelling office space. Especially in offices where food is stored, prepared, and eaten, lackadaisical maintenance staff can often leave quite a mess. The first thing employees notice is an unclean space, as a result working hard to keep a building clean is a simple way to impress.
10. Diverse Workspaces
The move towards more open office environments creates a necessity for diverse spaces. Because of the pervasiveness of exposed spaces in an open floorplan office, workers also need private and smaller collaborative spaces to concentrate. Consequently, by creating functional diverse workspaces, employees will be happier and more productive.