Generation Y and the Workplace Annual Report 2010 - Haworth

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League table: Travel
The UK: a nation of Walkers
US and India: the car comes first
China: Public transport comes first
Choice of cars and priorities:
A closer look at the data about the choice of car
reveals generational differences:
The Generation Y, environmentally friendly,
is the most attracted to Hybrid cars
The Generation X, more mature and
experience, privileges Family cars
The plus 35 years old has the highest
demand for large vehicle
Figure 15: Choice of car per age group
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Recommendations:
Offer easy public access to the office
Encourage young employees to cycle to
work and plan for bike facilities on site
(safe parking spaces, showers)
Promote a green travel schemes
Across the three age groups we looked at, car
users want to carry with them in their car:
1. Mobile phone
2. Laptop
3. Satellite Navigation system
In terms of priorities when choosing a car,
differences emerge again and are as follow:
1. Safety
2. Design
3. Technology
Ways of working
Focus:
What way of working would you prefer to have?
What work pattern would you like to have?
Overview:
Flexible and mobile ways of working are becoming more common nowadays rather than the
conventional and stationary working pattern. With the younger generation entering the workforce,
demand for such a way of working is increasing. We know flexible working has significantly increased
over the past years. Employees are becoming more and more mobile in their way of work. It is crucial
to understand how mobile a workforce wants to be while on site and in their working environment.
With a high level of mobility on site, we are able to reconfigure the workspace and make it more agile,
introduce various work settings and styles and promote new ways of working.
Results:
The level of mobility (versus static) in the way of working also demonstrates that females are slightly
more in favour of a flexible way of working against males, while in the UK the demand is the highest for
the Generation Y, at 81%.
Figure 16: Pattern of Work: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old,
all countries
Copyright © 2010, Johnson Controls. Confidential. All Rights Reserved.
Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
Telecommuting would not be the
exception, but instead be the
norm. Leadership would be more
open-minded and allow employees
to contribute positively in
whatever way they can, rather
than restricting the ability and
creativity of talented people.
John 1970
The Generation Y are expecting their employer
to offer a flexible way of working. 58% of all the
respondents (against 56% for the Generation Y)
prefer to have a certain degree of flexibility in
their way of working: a flexible way of working
or ad hoc working hours against a conventional
working pattern.
We can observe a very wide gap between the level
of expectations and preferences for the US and
the UK. While more than 60% of the generation Y
prefers a flexible way of working, only less than
25% actually expect their employers to offer it.
The right to request flexible working is probably
unknown by this generation, while it may be a
legal right in countries like in Europe. In China, the
level of expectations is far higher than their level
of preferences, showing a demanding workforce.
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