How to Design an Eco-Friendly Workplace for Millennials

Let's face it, there are three main things that millennials value the most when it comes to working in an office environment. You may be surprised that salary and benefits are not the top priorities - although very important. This generation values: the freedom to collaborate, community, and access to the best in technology. However, there is one thing you don't want to miss the mark on: workspace design.

If the majority of your employees are millennials, the way your office is set up will either pass or fail, in their eyes. Here are a few eco-friendly office design tips for this generation.

Millennials Prefer Non-Traditional Workspaces

Today's advanced technology allows the new generation of workers to work from anywhere there is an Internet connection. They can work from home, the office or cafe. If your employees spend the majority of their work time at the office, your office design must be accommodating.

Then and Now...

In the 20th Century workplace setting, workers valued their privacy. Millennials want their privacy too, they just prefer a more laid back work environment.

In a millennial office culture, you will see fewer cubicles and more open office spaces. They value flexibility. Even the American Dream of having a private office, with a view, and an oversized desk has changed. In popular movies of the past, Wall Street, Working Girl and Boiler Room, you saw corporate American workers in private offices, leaning against their desks, dressed in power suits, making phone calls to clients. Today, you're more than likely to see younger workers dressed comfortably in business casual attire, while working on stand up desks.

Today's modern office space is designed in a more diverse, eco-friendly manner. So, whether we like it or not, the office walls and cubicle walls are eventually coming down in many offices across the country. However, if you are glad to see them go, don't celebrate just yet.

Some companies are incorporating a mixture of both office design styles (open office spaces and cubicles). The reason cubicles get to stay is because there are many workers who love the idea of having some form of isolation for concentration every now and then.

Interior Decor is Important

Interior designers suggest getting rid of the mundane and focus on updating their office space to accommodate their employees and not just their own taste. An office should display a balance between open office space design and interior decor. Try using paint colors that will boost a person’s mood. Believe it or not, the colors you choose can have a positive or negative effect on a person’s mood. So, don’t be shy with colors - go for the bold. Choosing the right colors can help increase productivity greatly.

Technology that Counts

If your office demographics are mostly millennials, you will want to make sure you have the right kind of technology available to them. Here are a few ideas to choose from: personal laptops, netbooks, Smartphones, tablets, smart boards, dual monitors, wireless mice and wireless headsets.

The good news is you don’t have to spend a fortune in setting up an office space that accommodates millennial workers. You can start small and build your way up. For example, you can start off with upgrading your office furnishings by replacing your old traditional desks and chairs with stand up desks and ergonomic chairs that promote good physical health, safety and well-being.