Only hybrid offices will attract the younger generation of talents

 “Young talented employees work preferably in an office. But that office then has to be exceptional. Organisations need to let go of their outdated organisational structures, says Sam James, workplace consultant at Amos Beech “Only with a hybrid office employers can meet the specific needs of each employee.”

With rising employment and the upcoming farewell to a large group of baby boomers, the battle for top talent is erupted. The younger generation with a choice of potential employers looks specifically for what they percieve as being the right organisational culture, the degree of freedom and the working environment. In order to remain attractive as an employer, organisations are therefore going through large changes.

Battle for talent

“The current way of working is completely obsolete,” believes James. “Even at organisations that have embraced the new way of working, there is hardly ever freedom of choice. In practice, this means that you can only choose whether you work at home or in a boring office garden, nothing more. This can hardly be called ‘Agile Working‘. That is very limited and not at all what young people want. They are preferably in the office, according to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, but a one-size-fits-all approach with fixed workstations offers them far too little freedom. There is a task for companies.”

The employee in Power

The solution lies in a work place that gives the power to the employee: the hybrid office. This is an environment that offers the same benefits as a ‘standard’ office, such as the ability to work together, contact with colleagues and excellent technological facilities, and at the same time feels more like at home. The big difference is that the organisation does not determine where and how people should work, but just provide an environment where within employees enjoy freedom and choices of workplace. An Occupancy Measurement System will then come in handy as a planning tool and a data generating tool.  

James: “depending on the task or the time of day the need an employee has differenciates. If someone wants to focus, brainstorm or just need a different atmosphere, they all have this all in one place. Every day is different. Each activity is different. As an employer, it is your task to create the ideal conditions for. Only then do you stay interesting for top talent and keep your employees involved, productive and healthy. “

From standard to hybrid

On the basis of a floor design Amos Beech can see how organisations can transform a traditional space into a hybrid office that contributes to the emotional, cognitive and physical well being of employees. The large amount of fixed workstations, the large meeting rooms and the cafeteria make place for an ‘ecocsysteem of areas’.

Hybrid-office floor plan

James: “you have less fixed workstations and more places where people can work together. The canteen was originally only meant to eat, now it can be an informal hub as well. And although people like to be at the office because of the contact with colleagues, they also sometimes need privacy need to focus. Concentration areas are therefore indispensable. In addition to this the interior design scheme also plays a role, of course, the look: the use of natural materials, the right colours and various shapes making the Office more human. “