Attracting new talent is one of the great challenges of our time. It’s becoming harder than ever to recruit and retain associates that do great work. The office of the past could look and feel the same for years and you didn’t have to worry about losing your staff. Today, I’m finding that in order for companies to be successful at drawing in and keeping top talent, they must distance themselves from traditional corporate America and focus on providing the best design and resources possible.
When we switch from home to the office, a stark difference between the two is no longer optimal. That’s not to say our offices need to look residential, but incorporating home-like features into workspaces can work wonders when it comes to helping people feel comfortable and be more productive. We used to take comfort in the ability to come to work and sit at our designated desk in a designated room. Today, the allure is in choosing the environment we work in every day, with the proper technology available to support our needs. In fact, commercial spaces today must be extremely supported by technology.
The Internet of Things (IoT) allows our devices to connect and exchange data, from our tablets and our smartphones to our watches and even our desks. Having this technology readily accessible and optimized is crucial. If the work for the day requires us to complete lots of heads-down work, a smaller and quieter space with plug-in capabilities is where we’ll want to be. If we need to collaborate or be creative, we might choose to sit in a café-like space complete with Wi-Fi or in a meeting room equipped with touchscreen technology or virtual reality. Being able to do our best work means working in the right environment with the right tools for the task at hand.
A decade ago, there were already more “things” connected to the internet than people. This number continues to grow rapidly and to stay competitive, businesses must keep up with the changing times. IoT allows us to connect with colleagues and clients in virtually any place and soon enough, by virtually any device. This opens up so many possibilities to connect and collaborate that didn’t exist before. Facilities that transform and prepare for the hyper-connected future are best positioned for success. Change can be hard but it’s necessary, and it can even be exciting and fun! Companies that adapt are going to attract. Make your space a great reason for people to want to come to work and do great things.
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