Post 80s: China - Steelcase

Post-80’s: China
©2011 Steelcase Inc.
WorkSpace Futures

workspace futures
Table of Contents
Introduction..................................................................................... 2
Our Process.................................................................................... 4
Phase 1: Understand...................................................................... 6
Phase 1: Understand — Key Findings.......................................... 13
Phase 2: Observe.......................................................................... 14
Phase 2: Observe — Key Findings............................................... 19
Phase 3: Synthesize...................................................................... 20
Key Shifts...................................................................................... 21
Design Principles.......................................................................... 27
Special Concepts.......................................................................... 28
In Closing...................................................................................... 36
The Team....................................................................................... 37
Notes/Bibliography....................................................................... 38
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introduction
Introduction
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introduction
Why study China?
Steelcase’s WorkSpace Futures conducted a study of Gen Y in
the US, in an effort to understand its impact on the workplace.
Upon completion of that research, we began to wonder whether
the insights we had uncovered here would also apply around
the world. China and India immediately became likely candidates
for further research, due to the sizes of their respective Gen Y
populations.
China & India have a combined population of 2.5 billion = 1/3
of the global population
In the US, Gen Y represents 70 million people between the
ages of 10 and 30. India’s Gen Y population is 426 million of the
same age; China’s equivalent population is 218 million, ranging
from age 20 to 30. In addition, China and India have emerged
as the second and fourth largest economies, respectively, in the
world, representing an enormous opportunity for Steelcase and
our customers.
The graph below shows the Gen Y population for each country
measured against the total population of that country.
We learned from our US research that generations are defined
by the key memories their members share, so we assumed that
the Chinese and Indian Gen Y populations would exhibit different
characteristics than their US counterparts, but we didn’t know
what those characteristics would be.
What role would culture play in determining this generation’s
values? What roles would politics and the economy play?
What about technology? How would these areas influence this
generation’s feelings about work and workplace – and what might
that workplace look like in 20 years?
Steelcase WorkSpace Futures conducted a six month study
of the Generation Y demographic in China starting in October
of 2009. This group is referred to as Post-80’s within China,
representing individuals born between 1980-1990. In establishing
our research in China, we employed as much as possible the
same methodologies used in the US study. We discovered,
however, that certain research approaches weren’t possible due
to culturally-accepted norms of behavior. For example, due to the
inherent inhibitions against standing out in front of a crowd, we
found it nearly impossible to conduct group workshops, and had
to rely almost entirely on personal interviews. In addition, we were
not allowed to take photographs inside any of the companies.
Our interview subjects represented a select population, being
urban, educated, and employed primarily at multinational
corporations. Although we attempted to gain access to numerous
Chinese companies, in addition to multinationals, we ultimately
found only one Chinese company willing to invite us in and grant
access to its employees. We believe this was due primarily to
the lack of exposure to this type of research, a situation which
we hope to resolve through a strategic roll-out of the findings
throughout greater China. We believe the findings contained in
this book will be beneficial to our Chinese colleagues as well as
those in the US.
WorkSpace Futures Explorations
June 2010
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introduction
Research Methods
Our process
Our Research Process
At WorkSpace Futures, we follow a rigorous six-stage, human-centered design research
process. We borrow heavily from techniques in ethnography and cultural anthropology.
Through the research process, we have built a rich qualitative description of Post-80’s
in order to provide a meaningful context for our key research questions.
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introduction
UNDERSTAND
Learning from subject experts regarding trends, business
impacts and new techniques and technologies.
OBSERVE
Collecting information firsthand through asking open ended
questions, observing people and processes, and engaging
participants in co-creation activities to uncover new patterns
of behaviors.
SYNTHESIZE
Recognizing patterns and anomalies from both secondary
research and observation, allowing us to develop insights
and new concepts.
REALIZE
Ideating solutions, through sketches, floor plans and strategies.
This becomes the mode of communication for sharing our
research findings.
PROTOTYPE
Converting solutions into prototypes enables us to elicit feedback
from real users as we develop concepts from the Realize phase.
This allows us to document evidence of progress and refine
solution prototypes for higher chances of success.
(Gen Y in Asia has not yet reached this stage of exploration.)
MEASURE
Developing meaningful measures for testing prototypes allows us
to validate our solutions against identified user needs, for product
design as well as space applications. Measurement activities
can include pre- and post-occupancy surveys, time-lapse video
observation, simulation exercises with users, and IRB-approved
experiments with users.
(Gen Y in Asia has not yet reached this stage of exploration.)
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understand
Understand
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understand
The big picture
Understanding: Four categories
The following pages are intended to provide
a more detailed backdrop about Post-80’s
in China through the filters of Culture, Politics,
Economics, and Technology.
Culture
China’s culture is a rich and complicated blend of ancient
traditional customs, 20th century Communist political
structure and modern international influences. Traditional
Chinese culture is represented by the Han majority, which makes
up approximately 92% of the population of China. There are,
however, 55 minority groups within China, with varying histories
of interaction and/or inclusion in the majority culture. 1
While customs may vary from group to group, the basis for the
majority Chinese culture is based on Confucian, Taoist and
Buddhist philosophies, mixed with local beliefs. According to
Confucian teachings, society is based on adherence to five key
relationships, or bonds: ruler-subject, father-son, husband-wife,
elder brother-younger brother, and elder friend-younger friend.
Inherent in these relationships is the notion of strict expectations
of attitude for each role. Confucius believed that lawlessness
in society was caused by people trying to conform to laws
without understanding their rationale. Instead, he taught that by
internalizing expected behaviors, people would be governed by
their desire to avoid shame and embarrassment. Society would
then function smoothly without the need for coercion. 2
Chinese culture developed in relative isolation, surrounded
by smaller, tributary populations whose societies shared the
same Confucian/Taoist/Buddhist ethos. Despite the fact that
Europeans began visiting China in the 1500s for trading purposes,
it remained largely immune to Western influences until the early
1800s, due to the imperial government’s policy of restricting
European traders to specific port cities. 3
divisions between rural and urban populations, and hierarchy of
managers over producers to impose control over the populace.
This changed with the Cultural Revolution, which outlawed
the practice of religion in any form, and denigrated traditional
Confucian morality, replacing both with a cult of personality
around Mao Zedong. The Cultural Revolution came to an end with
Mao’s death in 1976; traditional Chinese culture was eventually
revived and is now flourishing. 4
The traditional reliance on “guanxi,” or relationships, still governs
much of the business practices in China, in addition to personal
relationships. More than simply describing relationships, ”guanxi”
expresses the obligations inherent in these relationships; most
Chinese have a network of contacts upon which they can call
when they need something to be done or through which they can
exert influence on behalf of others. 5
Since the economic reforms of 1978, Chinese society has
been increasingly exposed to outside cultural influences,
particularly those of the West. Modern Chinese are watching
popular television dramas from South Korea, listening to various
pop artists from Taiwan and Hong Kong, watching American
movies, and reading Japanese fashion magazines. The younger
generations are hanging out at nightclubs and bars late into
the night. There is a growing enthusiasm for high-end branded
products, slang is starting to incorporate more and more English
words, and the tech savvy Chinese flock to get the latest models
of cell phones, computers, and Apple products. 6
After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949,
traditional Chinese culture was tolerated, and even leveraged, as
the Communist government used existing notions of authority,
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understand
Politics
Sixty years ago, following a Civil War with the Kuomintang,
Mao Zedong’s Communist forces emerged victorious and
declared the People’s Republic of China on October 1,
1949. Mao set about overhauling the land ownership system
and setting up a Soviet-style centrally controlled economy. In a
bid to transform China from an agrarian economy to a modern
industrialized communist state, Mao implemented the Great Leap
Forward which was then followed by the Cultural Revolution. 7
These two social programs turned society upside down and
nearly brought China to the brink of collapse. By the time Mao
died in 1976, China was a poor totalitarian government with
very few outside ties to the world. Deng Xiaoping succeeded,
and in 1978 he brought about massive economic reforms by
shedding central planning, opening up to the world, and creating
a market economy. Since that time, China has revived itself as an
economic powerhouse and formidable player on the world stage. 8
The People’s Republic of China celebrated its 60th birthday
in 2009. The celebration on October 1st was marked by an
impressive array of festivities, chief among them being the
biggest military review ever showcased by China. The elaborate
ceremony was a precisely-choreographed event shown on
national television and viewed by the world. The procession
included a stream of floats accompanied by more than 100,000
people, a dozen fighter jets, hundreds of tanks, artillery, and
trucks carrying long-range nuclear missiles. The parade was
visible evidence to the world of China’s expanding global might
and its emergence into the international arena. 9
Displays like those surrounding China’s 60th Anniversary are part
of what has made the Post 80’s crowd an optimistic group who
are patriotic and loyal to their country. The Post 80’s generation
of China has grown up under a relatively politically stable and
economically prosperous time. Educated young Chinese are
the biggest beneficiaries of the market reforms implemented in
the 1970’s by Deng. The reforms have resulted in the economy
growing at double digit rates for as long as they can remember
and have brought China more peace and prosperity than at any
time in the past thousand years. 10
Economics
Since Deng Xiaoping introduced market reforms in 1978,
China has transformed itself from a centrally planned
economy closed to foreign trade to a market economy
that is not only open to foreign trade, but has become a
major player in international markets. 11 The country recently
surpassed Germany as the largest exporter in the world, and
is predicted to become the largest economy by the end of the
century. 12 Despite fears for Hong Kong’s economy after its return
to China in 1997, the island has remained one of the world’s
largest trading centers, and continues to be ranked as the world’s
freest economy. 13 In addition, the port of Hong Kong is rated as
one of the top three busiest in the world for container traffic. 14
With the rise of China’s economy, room for personal choice
has expanded, particularly for Post-70’s and Post-80’s.
In just 30 years of market reforms, the Chinese people have
experienced a major upgrade of their living standards. Four
hundred million people have been lifted out of poverty since
1979. With decentralization and lifting of the travel ban, millions
of rural residents have migrated to the cities, expanding the
urban population to 46% in 2009. 15 Reforms have also resulted
in more opportunities for higher education at home and abroad.
With wages going up, the Chinese are taking advantage of their
new buying power. Ten million people now own private cars;
the country had 747 million mobile phone subscribers in 2009. 16
An endless variety of choices in food, clothing, and other
consumer goods means Chinese consumers have a strong
sense of optimism about their country’s economy, even after
the recession of 2008. 17
The original attraction to China for foreign companies was
cheap manufacturing labor, but today there is growing emphasis
on the technology sector, IT, R&D, and service industries,
allowing employers to take advantage of highly-educated
graduates. In 2009, however, China saw the beginning of a
job shortage among new graduates, which has begun to put
enormous strain on the youngest members of the Post-80’s
generation. 18 The optimism for which this generation is so
famous may be facing its first challenge.
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understand
Technology
The rapid economic development in China is basis
for the continuous growth in the size of the internet
user population. The increased investment in infrastructure
facilities, the encouragement of household appliances in the
countryside policy, and the launch of the 3G network have
prompted this growth of internet users in China. As of December
2009, there were 384 million users – more than the entire
population of the US! Much of the increased internet activity is
happening in the home (83.2% of users on the Mainland, 96%
in Hong Kong), but use of the internet at work is also increasing,
as users take advantage of the ability to access information
previously unavailable. 19
While the West was watching Google’s battle with the Chinese
government in 2009, Chinese consumers were going about
their business undisturbed. The Chinese internet firm Baidu
already dominated the Chinese search engine market, and other
companies such as Tencent and Sohu were ready to take over
the 25% market share owned forfeited by Google. As of the third
quarter of 2010, Baidu owned almost 73% of the market share,
while Google had dropped to just under 25%. 23
These numbers hide the real story, however: the rise of mobile
internet use. With the deep penetration of 3G networks by all
major telecom operators, the number of Chinese mobile users
accounts for 60.8% of all internet users. These 233 million users
are accessing the internet for online financial transactions, such
as bill payments, listening to music, playing games, or shopping.
Of this group, rural users account for 27.8% of mobile internet
access, thanks to the availability of G3. 20
Apple products are becoming increasingly popular, and the
brand is viewed as an aspirational one, similar to BMW. A Morgan
Stanley survey in 2009 found that more high-income consumers
in China intend to purchase an iPhone than their counterparts in
the US. 21 Mobile use isn’t the only area in which China’s numbers
dwarf those in the US. China has many more developers of
online games and services than the US. Seventy million Chinese
consumers play at least an hour of online games a month. Unlike
most western gaming firms, Chinese firms offer a la carte options,
which opens up the market to purchasers with smaller incomes.
And they’re not just playing games, they’re also buying $5 billion
worth of virtual goods, five times the volume in the U.S. 22
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understand
Generations
Traditionals:
1928-45
Lost Generation:
1946-64
Post-70’s:
1965-79
Post-80’s:
1980-90
Who are the Generations in China?
Modern generations in China are usually defined by decades.
For example, the US equivalent of Gen Y is referred as the
Post-80’s generation in China. Nicknamed the “Little Emperors,”
The Post-80’s child has often been indulged as the only child
in families with two parents and four grandparents.
During our research, the majority of individuals interviewed
were from Post-80’s and Post-70’s generations. Due to the early
retirement age in China, as well as educational constraints on
workers from previous decades, there are currently far fewer
older workers in the workplace than in the US.
Gen Xers in China are referred to as the Post-70’s generation.
Growing up during the post-Mao Era, this generation grew
up during the period of Economic Reforms and Openness.
The Post-70’s generation was also the first generation to come
of age in a consumer society and enjoy more personal rights
and freedoms than the previous generations in China.
Baby Boomers are known as the Lost Generation in China due
to the political policies in place while they were growing up. The
1960s and 1970s were the years during the Cultural Revolution.
Under Mao’s socialist orthodoxy, both traditional Chinese and
Western culture were repressed, social institutions collapsed,
schools were abolished, public transportation came to a nearly
complete halt, temples and churches were vandalized, and
“liberal bourgeoisie” and intellectuals purged. This generation
grew up with the belief that loyalty to the state and institutions
would be rewarded, questioning authority was unacceptable,
education was unnecessary, and anything “foreign” or “old
fashioned” was unwanted. After the death of Mao, the Cult of Mao
quickly collapsed, leaving many in this generation disillusioned
and ill-prepared to participate in the modern world.
The generation before the Lost Generation is known as the
Traditionals. This generation grew up during a tumultuous time
when the second Sino-Japanese War ended and civil war raged
between the Kuomintang and the Communist parties. In 1949, the
Nationalists lost the war, fleeing to Taiwan, and the Communist
party took power, establishing the People’s Republic of China.
Mao then initiated major economic reforms in a big push to
industrialize China.” It was a time of conflict and confusion as
traditional ways of life were uprooted in pursuit of modernization.
This generation learned that affiliating with the “right” people
was essential for survival, advice they undoubtedly offered to
their children.” 24
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understand
Generations: Memories Shared
To better understand the dynamics of how generations develop characteristics –
specifically the evolution of Post-80’s characteristics – we conducted a unique
timeline activity. We brought together people whose ages spanned three-generations.
We asked the participants to write down ten events that happened during their
lifetimes, that impacted society. Note: The colors indicate which generations wrote
down a particular event. The age ranges of the individuals who participated in this
exercise are listed below.
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understand
Key Characteristics
Key characteristics of
the post-80’s generation
a Eager to learn
a Confident
a Like to communicate
a Open-minded
a Energetic
a Tech-savvy
a Looking for forward progress
a Trendy
a Self-centered
a Active
a Optimistic
a Willing to take risks
a Can’t endure hardship
a Dependent on parents
a Creative
a Educated
a More active virtually than face-to-face
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Key Findings
Characteristics & Resulting Behaviors.
Like to communicate, Energetic, Active, More active
virtually than Face-to-face, Tech-savvy
Want to be asked for their opinion
Want to be active participants in the process,
not just come to work to perform a task
Open-minded, Looking for forward progress, Self-centered,
Creative, Educated, Forward-thinking
Always looking to grow through “Exploration”
(travel, TV, talking to others, classes, Internet)
Looking forward to the future
Comfortable communicating via phone, email, IM
Working long-distance with global colleagues is no problem
Compared to previous generations,
this one is considered selfish
Still retain many traditional Chinese values towards family,
but it’s mixed now with the desire to fulfill one’s own dreams
Eager to learn, Confident, Trendy, Optimistic, Willing to take
risks, Can’t endure hardship, Dependent on parents
Confident they can do anything they are asked to do
Often need mentoring, but aren’t afraid to try something
new on their own if the culture supports it
Follow latest trends and brands, so will gravitate towards
“cool” companies
Any opportunity is a learning opportunity
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observe
Observe
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observe
Beijing
Consulting
Chemical R&D
Fuzhou
Xiamen
Guangzhou
Hong Kong
Macao
Shanghai
Wenzhou
Technology
Pharmaceutical
Creative
Manufacturing
Services
Sites Visited
In conducting our three-pronged observation research, the WSF
team travelled to four cities across China, as shown below.
The companies studied were all Multi-National Companies (MNC)
with the exception of one Chinese-owned company.
Company type
# Participants
...........................................................................................................
Consulting 11
Chemical A&D 4
Technology 8
Pharmaceutica 6
Creative 30
Manufacturing 14
Services 7
...........................................................................................................
TOTAL 80
What We Heard
Workplace Values: China
a Good reputation
a Friendly environment
a Relaxed environment
a Personal office
a Personalization
a Happiness
a Culture of equality & support
a Work-life balance
a Learning
a Social events at work
In establishing our research in China, we employed as much
as possible the same methodologies used in the US study. As
mentioned earlier, however, we discovered that certain research
approaches weren’t possible due to culturally-accepted norms
of behavior. For example, due to the inherent inhibitions against
standing out in front of a crowd, we found it nearly impossible
to conduct group workshops, and had to rely almost entirely
on personal interviews. In addition, we were not allowed to take
photographs inside any of the companies. Because of the latter
restriction, the Observe section of this document will be less
about what we saw and more about what we heard.
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observe
What we heard
About Workspace
About Communication
“Not enough space, can’t organize
things the way I want... it’s inconvenient,
not efficient, I waste a lot of time looking
for things.”
“My team sits close together... easy to
communicate, but there’s no privacy.”
“We spend a lot of time communicating
with people, more focused on relationships
instead of just working hard like our parents.”
“I couldn’t live without my mobile... it lets
me communicate with my friends.”
About Recognition & Reward
About Learning
“I want to be rewarded by being
given additional opportunities.”
“Give me room to grow...
reward my hard work.”
“I want to work somewhere
where I can hone my skills.”
“My best experience at work was when
I got to learn about tax regulations –
I added to my career knowledge.”
“My laptop provides information
I can’t get anywhere else.”
About Office Culture
About Work-Life Balance
“Make the internal network
more transparent.”
“If I notice something I can improve,
I’ll tell my manager.”
“I have less time for my personal life.”
“I need to work to have a good life, and can’t
work well without a good life – they depend
on each other.”
“The whole team goes out for dinner…
we talk and play games.”
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observe
Engage
Participatory design — Collage making:
Participatory design activities are used to gain deeper insights
from participants and engage them at both intellectual and
emotional levels.
Traditionally, when we ask questions, participants tend to
respond intellectually – thinking it through with a response that
provides explicit information. Observing participants’ behaviors
and interactions leads to discoveries at a deeper level, which
helps to understand unspoken, unarticulated and implicit needs.
In participatory design activities, another level of information is
revealed as participants create or make things. The social nature
of this particular aspect of our research allows an individual’s
personality, as well as deep feelings, to be reflected in the work
he or she creates.
The tool used was called Expression, proprietary software
designed and created by WorkSpace Futures. The tool is intuitive
and easy to use with a photo and word gallery from which
subjects choose key words and images.
For this research, we employed an activity called collaging.
We asked each participant to create two collages describing:
1. Their current work environment
2. Their ideal work environment, by choosing photos
and words from the galleries.
There were no restrictions on the number of photos or words that
they could choose. They could also move, resize and group the
chosen photos and words as they desired. After the collages were
created, participants were asked to explain the thinking behind
their choices.
Current Work Environment
“Piled paper = lots of work, work is routine, can’t live without
computer at work, so many emails. Worked here 1.5 yrs, already
on my 3rd manager. Many changes, trying new things is fun for
me. So many people on my global marketing team, so many
emails. We work in cubicles. Career path.”
Ideal Work Environment
“Work-life balance, not such routine work. Linked more directly
to customers, more leisure, more informal areas. More sharing
with colleagues, more fun. Motivation, other than monetary,
i.e. holidays, team building events. Change. Computer is the
foundation of work process. Growth in terms of business &
personal development.”
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observe
Engage
When we compared collages created by Post-80’s and
Post-70’s, we noticed a few differences. While Post-80’s
were more universal in their choices for Current and Ideal
environments, Post-70’s didn’t share one common image in
describing the Current work environment, and only one common
image for the Ideal. Differences could be the result of images
being chosen by Western researchers, therefore losing some
context for Chinese participants. Post-80’s, with more exposure
and understanding of Western trends, may also be better able
to understand the meaning of images. Post-70’s, on the other
hand, may have a more difficult time ascribing the intended
meaning to the images, leading to so many individual choices.
Post-80’s : Current
Post-80’s : Ideal
Top Word Choices : Routine, Freedom, Fun
Top Word Choices : Fun, Shared
Top Image Choices :
Top Image Choices :
Post-70’s : Current
Post-70’s : Ideal
Top Word Choice : Professional, Teams
Top Image Choices :
Top Word Choices : Creativity, Flexible,
Inspiring, Teams
Top Image Choices :
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observe
Key Findings
What We Learned
Work
• Overtime is expected, though not welcomed
• Individuals work to contribute to the greater goal
• Teams are department-based, not project-based
• Innovation is beginning to be part of the expectation
• New opportunities are considered equally important
as promotion
• Anything new is an opportunity – travel, training, new projects
Work-Life
• They are more focused on individual needs
• Socialization with friends is often more important
than with family
• They desire clear boundaries between work & life
• They want work hours to be set so they know when
they can expect to go home
• They feel guilt for not spending enough time with parents
Worker
• Individuals value feeling a sense of accomplishment
• Employees want to know how they are contributing
to the greater picture
• There’s a new sense of competitiveness
• They’re more globally aware
• They’re socially-networked
• They feel responsible for the company’s image & success
Work Environment
• Pantry spaces are essential informal gathering places
• They desire to have a variety of spaces for work & relaxation
• They want adequate space for each person
• Individual privacy is hard to find
• Location is important — commuting time is a factor
• Storage tends to be digital, but need some paper files,
and space for worktools
• Relationships are an important part of work and life
• Growth is most important goal at work
• Learning happens everywhere – work is no exception
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Synthesize
Synthesize
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Synthesize
Key Shifts
1 2 3 4 5 6
Harmony
Identity
Harmony was and is the basis of social behavior in China. This isn’t conformity. Rather, individuals have
learned to adjust their identities to blend with the society around them – as members of a group, rather
than as individuals. Now, young people are starting to create their own identities based purely on their
own interests. This can be partially attributed to this being a generation of single children. Though this
can create conflict with traditional values – seeing this new behavior as selfish – Post-80’s still maintain
strong values of familial responsibility, creating a new blend of modern and traditional.
Harmony
• Harmony is goal of society
• Individuals learn to blend themselves into
the whole, rather than trying to stand out
Identity
• Desire for increasing individuality
• Growing interest in following one’s own desires
• Desire to fulfill society’s expectations
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Synthesize
Key Shifts
1 2 3 4 5 6
Teamwork
Collaboration
The second shift is from Teamwork to Collaboration and this is very closely tied with the previous shift.
In the US, we talk about office work moving from I to We. Collaboration depends on the willingness and
ability of individuals to express their ideas and opinions, and to debate options before reaching a shared
point of view. In China, society is moving from We to I, as individuals begin to express their own identities.
Collaboration will become easier, as people become more comfortable with expressing differing
opinions and working constructively through conflict.
teamwork
• Teams are department-based,
not project-based
• Focused on completing the assigned task
as a group
• Hierarchy rules – leader dictates assignment
and process
collaboration
• Teams are project-based
• Focused on pooling ideas to generate
new ideas as a group
• Team is encouraged to contribute
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Synthesize
Key Shifts
1 2 3 4 5 6
Job Security
Growth
In the past, job security was highly-desired and having a job for life was often more important than what
that job was. People were dependent on pensions from their companies or the government, for support
after retirement, or they took another job to continue to earn income. Now, continuous learning is
more important than job security. Young people expect to be independent, to be able to take care of
themselves and their families after retirement. This new generation is also becoming more entrepreneurial
due to increased competition for limited jobs and the global economic crisis.
Job Security
• Assurance of steady income is most
important thing
• Dependent on others for after
retirement support
• Willing to trade potential opportunities
for job security
Growth
• Continuous learning and fair compensation
are more important than security
• Becoming independent and taking care
of self and family
• Expect employers to provide opportunities
and guidance
• Not afraid to leave a job and pursue
better opportunities
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Synthesize
Key Shifts
1 2 3 4 5 6
Supporting
the Work
Supporting
the Worker
The fourth shift from Supporting the Work to Supporting the Worker means thinking about the person
instead of the task. Companies used to think only about employees when they were at work doing their
jobs. Now, employees expect to get more out of the work experience. They want to be able to socialize
with colleagues and to be able to do overtime at home. The new generation is looking for a variety of
spaces to be provided – for different kinds of work as well as informal breaks.
Supporting the Work
• People come to work to do the work only
• Employer provides workspace and tools
• Overtime has to be performed at work
Supporting the Worker
• People expect opportunities to socialize at work
(meals are a social occasion in Chinese culture)
• Employer provides a variety of spaces
for work and relaxation
• Overtime may be performed at home
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Synthesize
Key Shifts
1 2 3 4 5 6
Worker
Explorer
This generation is all about learning and exploring. Instead of applying for whatever job may be available,
they are applying to companies that seem to offer the most opportunities for growth. They want to
develop their own career path, and aren’t afraid to change jobs to do it. Instead of just performing the
tasks assigned, they want to help their companies be better – and perform better – by going beyond
what is expected.
worker
• People apply for job being offered
• Individuals follow a traditional career
path, or one predetermined for them
• Employees help the company be profitable
by doing the expected work
explorer
• People apply where they see opportunities
to explore
• Individuals want to develop their own
career path (with career guidance)
• Employees help the company compete
by looking for better ways of doing things
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Synthesize
Key Shifts
1 2 3 4 5 6
Work &
Life
Working &
Living
Work used to be about going to an office and performing your assigned tasks and Life was about going
home to be with family. The two were kept quite separate and work took priority. Expectations for
some greater work-life balance were low because exposure to other alternative, was low. Today, work
represents so much more. “Working” implies an active role in the company, contributing to new ideas,
new processes, and new ways of working. “Living” means a more active, broader scope to life –
it reaches beyond family to include friends, traveling, and hobbies. Living means learning.
Work & Life
• Work is only about work at workplace,
and Life is only about family outside the work
• Work comes first
• Limited awareness means lower expectations
Working & Living
• Work is more than just work, and Life
is more than family
• Work and Life equally important
• Global awareness means higher expectations
• Work hard, play hard
Previous Generations
a Harmony
a Teamwork
a Job Security
a Supporting the Work
a Worker
a Work & Life
Post-80’s
a Identity
a Collaboration
a Growth
a Supporting the Worker
a Explorer
a Working & Living
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Synthesize
Design Principles:
The following design principles are intended to help designers
think about new ways to design work spaces in China, in order
to leverage the skills brought by the Post-80’s generation.
Instead of viewing this as a rule book telling them how to design,
we encourage our clients to use this as a checklist, to remind
them of key elements necessary to bring out the best of the
Post-80’s.
1
Design for Identity
• It’s about encouraging employees
to express their identity
2
Design for Collaboration
• It’s about allowing teams to be together
while maintaining individual privacy
• It’s about providing various
team settings
• It’s about fostering social interaction
as a team
• It’s about encouraging and allowing
people to share their points of view
3
Design for Growth
• It’s about providing environments
for learning
• It’s about actively helping employees
in their development
• It’s about being transparent
4
Design for the Worker
• It’s about taking care of the whole
person: mind, body, and spirit
• It’s about supporting work
in and outside the office
5
Design for the Explorer
• It’s about encouraging and training
for thinking outside the box
• It’s about enabling access
to information
• It’s about offering opportunities
6
Design for Working & Living
• It’s about supporting life beyond work
• It’s about adding fun to work and
work-life
He that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.
– Confucius
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27

ealize
Spatial Concepts
In the final phase of Realize, we conducted a design charette with
individuals representing the product marketing, design, research
and human resources departments.
Over a two-day work session, the team generated ideas –
sketches, strategies and policies – around the Key Shifts and
Design Principles identified in our research. These ideas served
as a provocative point of departure for new thinking on the next
phase of work-life environments, tools and behaviors.
1
Design for Identity
• Encourage employees to express their identity
28
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ealize
2
Design for Collaboration
• Foster social interaction as a team
• Provide various team settings
• Encourage & allow people to share
their points of view
• Allow teams to be together while
maintaining individual privacy
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ealize
3
Design for Growth
• Provide environments for learning
• Help employees in their development
• Be transparent
30
360.steelcase.com GenY °

ealize
4
Design for the Worker
• Support work inside and outside the office
• Take care of mind, body, and spirit
360.steelcase.com GenY °
31

ealize
5
Design for the Explorer
• Enable access to information
• Encourage thinking outside the box
• Offer new opportunities
32
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ealize
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33

ealize
6
Design for Working & Living
• Support life beyond work
• Add fun to work and work-life
34
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ealize
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35

in closing
In Closing
What We Learned
What are you doing differently to attract and retain
the best talent?
Are you adopting the technologies that Post-80’s
live with – and expect to use?
Are you leveraging Post-80’s behaviors to foster
collaboration and innovation?
Are you prepared for the changing nature of work –
and the worker of future?
In this document – and during the course of our research itself –
we have identified some striking behavior patterns with Post-80’s
in China that we believe will impact not only the future of the
Chinese workplace, but the American workplace, as well. Patterns
in culture, politics, economics and technology uncovered key shifts
that are bound to become more pronounced as this generation
fully assumes its place in the workforce. As with the initial Generation
Y work, the question is – what do we do now?
The Post-80’s generation embraces technology and are true
drivers in this huge global market. Similar to Generation Y in the
U.S., Post-80’s are considered creative, optimistic risk takers.
While sometimes seen as self-centered and dependent on their
parents for emotional and financial support, their eagerness to
learn and communicate promises a great deal of energy and
confidence.
We need to create innovative environments that support this
culture’s emerging workers and work styles. Environments that
are in tune with global market forces. And environments that truly
support international organizations in their efforts to engage and
support the talent of today and tomorrow.
Exploring. Growing. Striving toward an authentic balance of work
and life. This young Chinese generation is ready to take advantage
of the possibilities offered by the world of global work and make it
their own.
China and India, as stated earlier, make up one third of the Earth’s
population. Mere size alone makes China a formidable cultural
and economic force – a society literally bursting forth to become
citizens of the world. The younger generation is passionate about
much of modern culture, but we should remain mindful that this
doesn’t necessarily translate as a desire to become westernized.
36
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in closing
The Team
Core Members of the Research Team
Sponsors
Sara Armbruster
Steelcase WorkSpace Futures
& Corporate Strategy
Uli Gwinner
Steelcase Inc., Asia Pacific
Advisors
Jason Taper
Steelcase Inc., Greater China
Project Leads
Melanie Redman
Steelcase WorkSpace Futures
Sudhakar Lahade
Steelcase WorkSpace Futures
Design Research
Wenli Wang
Steelcase WorkSpace Futures, Shanghai
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge
the contributions of:
Vicky Fang
Tony Gu
Nelson Ji
Alex Liu
Lindsey Qu
Fred Rao
Thunder Ray
Barbara Young
Book Design and Editing
Tim Carpenter & Ryan Mitchell
Conduit Studios
360.steelcase.com GenY °
37

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Notes/Bibliography
38
360.steelcase.com GenY °

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