The second finding is closely connected to the previous and we need to consider it when we want to furnish or redesign an office.
14. 9. 2018
'How we work' is the comprehensive survey of the UK’s office population that evaluates the current approach to office design conducted by Senator. In part two, we look at a surprising and potentially problematic finding in our research.
Senator found that the greatest divide in working preferences exists between the older and younger generations, as the boundaries drawn by workers of different ages can vary depending on the sector and can transcend seniority levels. Older workers, though not necessarily senior in position, chose similar working preferences to heads of businesses, putting a higher value on privacy and ownership far more than those chosen by their younger counterparts.
With an ageing workforce and a sharp decline in the number of available professional roles for those aged 18 to 25, it might seem reasonable for suppliers and designers to prioritise the older end of a workforce. Indeed, with the younger age bracket making up just 12 percent of the overall office workforce, it could be the more practical, bankable route for businesses to take when commencing a redesign.
However, the correlation between seniority concerning both age and professional stature indicates that much of this preferred pattern is determined by attitudes towards territory and superiority. Younger generations typically embrace what is termed a “sharing economy” in which they are comfortable sharing desks, devices and the wider workspace, in what is most likely an extension of their not owning property or other material assets.
Though it might ruffle the feathers of an older workforce accustomed to having their own property outside and within work, the sharing economy remains the more cost efficient working model. This means the professed need for privacy and ownership could make it difficult to establish a balance against the cheaper option of shared desks and facilities.
That said, this research also highlights a deceptive design trend, as appealing to the “younger” model of work has been a prominent theme throughout the design world in recent years, despite the decline in available graduate jobs. Though the rise of creative industries in the UK has seen some ground breaking new takes on interior design, modern office elements such as open plan space, breakout areas and in office entertainment are proving to be a lower national priority than we might have anticipated.
What´s a solution? To the intelligent business owner, or office designers and suppliers, this should point towards a joint endeavour to create custom workplaces that adequately meet the needs of a multi generational workforce.
