One of the most important factors of employee retention is the working environment. The main driver behind this, is the office a company provides for its team and the amenities that go along with it. An office space is not just where people work and produce work, it is somewhere that provides individuals with a sense of purpose, fosters relationships, while motivating employees to achieve their respective goals.
COVID has redefined the working environment we once knew. Companies have embraced “flexible” or “hybrid” working environments as the way forward.
More than a third of Australian workers told a PwC survey they prefer a mix of in-person and remote working. Put simply, people got a taste of working from home, loved it but missed their colleagues and the coffee near their Sydney CBD office. As a result, companies are presented with the challenge of fostering collaboration and team bonding an office space provides while still providing the WFH flexibility.
Gone are the days, of cubicles, and partitioned desk spaces, and now teams’ welcome collaboration space and break out areas so they can get together and solve a problem or build a strategy but the difference being they are now given the space to do so.
Another priority is to create space where staff can gain privacy to make the important phone call either work related or personal. See below, small pod spaces and meeting rooms, which are a great way to break up the space and give the privacy that is needed.
To increase the attractiveness for employees coming into the office, companies need to build up amenities that will attract their people to come to work and enjoy their office space. Take end-of-trip facilities for example employees can take advantage of when they arrive at the office and leave after work.
It creates the flexibility of being able to ride or run to work with the ease of being able to shower and prepare for the day before walking into the office. In turn, assisting in promoting work life balance as individuals can incorporate the various activities they enjoy into their day to day.
Now they can shower, change, and leave some clothes as well. This gives them the freedom to bike to work, schedule yoga sessions any time of the day (knowing they can freshen up at the office after). The office is not just a place of work now but a convenient “halfway stop” for other things.
Location is not just about a business being in the right place for its clients but also its employees. Securing a Sydney office for lease means being close to supermarkets, great coffee shops, gyms, restaurants, shops and great bars and restaurants to socialise on a Friday after work. The convenience of having all of these within walking distance is what employees are looking for right now in their workplace. Sure, it might be great working at home but if your office is right in the heart of Sydney CBD, that makes it a great place to not only work work but shop, dine and more.
Office location is also an attractive come-on for top talent. It is not just for existing teams but for new people that businesses need to develop and grow. The new normal is here to stay and companies need to adjust and adapt to create flexible and attractive places to work. An office in a central location with amenities in Sydney is a key factor to attract highly driven competitive individuals.
Staff enjoy being apart of the process when it comes to the design of their office space. Creating bright, green spaces where staff can add their little slice to the design will make a big difference. If you’re looking to fit out your office and freshen it up, share the designs with your team before a decision is made. Also, create spaces, like blackboard paint or decals of quotes of staff, or funny or inspirational quotes, so they feel a part of the space and gain enjoyment out of it. Bring some natural green life to your office space. It has been proven to increase employee productivity and mood, while creating an aesthetic environment.
Are you looking for a bigger office space, or maybe one that has great collaboration options? Feel free to reach out to our leasing team to find out about the properties on offer in the Sydney CBD and fringe. LEASING & SALES ENQUIRIES 1300 458 800 or info@tgc.com.au.
