Generation Y and the Workplace Annual Report 2010 - Haworth

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Collaborative Working Environment
Focus:
What collaborative environment would you prefer to have?
Overview:
The synergy and cooperation within teams and individuals in the workforce tends to highlight the overall
collaborative environment. Whilst some prefer to have formal meeting rooms at work, others prefer
informal, break-out areas and a desk-sharing system. Some may prefer team workspaces and on-demand
meeting rooms (i.e. room booking systems). Social networking feeds into this as well. But it is important
to understand why people go to the office and what the purpose is of collaboration in the working
environment. We know from previous studies on ways of working (Flexible Working Survey 2009, www.
globalworkplaceinnovation.com) that nearly ¾ of individuals that have a flexible working pattern, go to
the office primarily to meet and collaborate. Collaborative working environments are therefore extremely
important. Collaborative working environments are therefore extremely important.
Results
The Generation Y is a social and collaborative workforce. Their relation to space is visible and open.
They are far more comfortable in large and open environments and feel comfortable in at least 10 sqm:
small and confined spaces do not appeal to them as much.
The way we communicate at work and with colleagues has dramatically changed over the last five years
and the concept of the network is far more embedded in Generation Y than previous generations. The
Generation Y people are social animals and are at ease about communicating remotely and using web
2.0 technologies. A very large majority of the Generation Y (73%) favour informal breakout spaces and
ad hoc meeting spaces rather formal meeting rooms to collaborate.
Figure 42: Collaborative Environment: Gen Y
18-25 yrs old, all countries
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Access to collaborative working environment
in the 21st century workplace is clearly
unavoidable. When most workplaces only
dedicate at the most, 30% of their space to
meeting rooms and 70% of the space to desks,
the reverse balance seems to be the answer to
satisfy the younger generation at work. 25%
of people in workplaces want to use formal
meeting rooms while 41% are more attracted
to dedicated team workspaces and 32%
prefer to have access to breakout spaces. The
preferences are shifting towards the use of
informal spaces, rather than formal.
Figure 43: Access to collaborative spaces, 18-25 years old, per country
Copyright © 2010, Johnson Controls. Confidential. All Rights Reserved.
Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
Everything depends on the
culture of the company. The
policies of the company should
be to encourage employees
to work in teams, to think
about their colleagues before
themselves.
Jaydeep, 1983
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