By Jared Roumfort, Marketing Intern
The workplace has gone through many shifts over the years, with style, layout, design, and furniture having a lot to do with that. My name is Jared Roumfort and I am a 21-year-old college student at the University of Northern Iowa, currently interning in Marketing at The HON Company. While being here this summer, I have already learned a lot about the workplace and the different tendencies people have. Do you like to work independently in a private space? In an open floor plan with an interactive and engaging setting? Or maybe a mixture of both?
Being in my early twenties makes me part of the Generation Z class, just missing the Millennial Generation. However, many people in college are also Millennials, making us a diverse group. From my experience, people my age favor an engaging setting within an office, allowing them to perform tasks collaboratively rather than working independently. The workplace is gravitating towards this exact style – a responsive, hands-on approach towards everyday work that makes it easier for many people my age to perform. It is important to connect and build relationships within the workplace, allowing the bonds between coworkers to be strengthened and making it feel more comfortable and inviting for everyone. Along with that, I have seen many employees my age prefer furniture that connects with an open floor plan. To support these work styles, lightweight, mobile, and flexible furniture that is adaptable for any office is becoming the norm. Tables that have a multi-purpose function are what I believe younger employees are looking for in their office spaces. The ability to customize features, such as color, design, and material, is also extremely valued.