Nine practical changes companies can make to boost employee engagement

The modern office has transformed significantly in the past decade. As “job hopping” among millennials increases (in large part due to an increased desire for mentorship and strong company culture), the office has become one of the levers to try to keep people around, as well as to increase productivity and job satisfaction.

The tech industry is at the forefront of this transformation, likely because young companies are unhindered by the bureaucratic barriers that large, established companies face. Notably, tech companies are known to use their office space to maximize employee engagement, many using the techniques outlined below. The case for focusing on engagement is a strong one—a study by Gallup shows companies with an engaged staff earn 147 percent more per share than their peers.

In addition to increasing engagement, these adjustments also help companies put their best foot forward when recruiting. A well-coordinated and thoughtful workspace gets prospective employees excited about the chance to work for a company that focuses on the wellbeing of its staff. Even in some of the most expensive markets in the world like (New York, London, and San Francisco), small businesses are investing in their office space to attract and retain top talent.

You don’t have to be a tech company to adopt some of the meaningful tactics that have been proven to drive engagement, wellness, and satisfaction. Here's a list of practical changes businesses of all sizes can implement to make to the office somewhere employees want to work—and it doesn't have to mean swapping out your chairs for bean bags or having IPAs on tap!