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Three Ways To Use Your Office Space To Retain and Attract The Best Employees

Do you know how your office space stacks up against your competitors? If you haven’t looked around recently you will be surprised. To be sure, those considering job alternatives are paying close attention.

Whether you occupy a portion of a building or an entire skyscraper, there are ways to use your office space to retain and attract employees. Below you will find three of the best.

  • Workplace design –Your workplace design plays a vital role in retaining and attracting employees.
    Some industries, such as law firms, use traditional designs that have been the standard for decades and focus on the private office as a symbol of status and success. However, due to the expectations and work styles from young attorneys, Gensler Architects predicts the private office will remain but in the future it will hold reconfigurable furniture and integrated technology that accommodates in person and virtual collaboration. Also, more gathering areas to support chance encounters as well as better space for smaller groups and work outside an office will be incorporated into the design.On the other hand, due to the nature of the industry, larger technology companies are eliminating most, if not all, of the enclosed offices and opting instead for an open plan with glass conference rooms, gathering areas to promote collaboration, and game rooms for fun and to encourage creativity. Due to the competition for talent, some designs even include a juice bar,  fully stocked refrigerator, or professional kitchen complete with a chef, all free to employees.
  • Building Amenities – Don’t have a professional kitchen in the budget? Don’t worry. Look for more building amenities. Some that have recently been completed or proposed in Pittsburgh are a cool new restaurant in the building or on the roof, a coffee bar by day and cocktail bar by night, and a no or low cost gym.  One landlord is even talking about a bowling alley or swimming pool at his building.  Stay tuned.  This is getting fun!
  • Energy Efficient & Healthy Work Environment – Last month I had the pleasure of touring PNC’s new headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh. From its ability to naturally ventilate without the use of fans, air conditioners or furnaces 42% of the year, to its
    carrie_tower_plaza
    The beacon in the
    lobby of PNC’s new
    headquarters, the
    greenest building in
    the world, changes
    in real time to
    indicate internal
    conditions. Each
    level represents a
    floor of the tower.

    water recycling and treatment systems which reduce its water consumption by 77 percent, to its automated blind and lighting system, it truly raises the bar for innovation in energy efficiency and a healthy work environment. Interestingly, at the end of the tour, our guide shared what was most important about PNC’s stunning new headquarters… its ability to retain employees and attract tomorrow’s leaders.

All information herein is from sources deemed reliable, but no warranty, expressed or implied, is made.