The current unemployment rate is at 3.6 percent, a record low since December 1969. With an abundance of opportunities available across the job market, a shift has occurred, placing job candidates in the power position of selecting their employer. To attract top talent, company purpose and culture remain key drivers in the job market, but must be articulated in the physical space as well.

Candidates are becoming increasingly savvy to the design elements and their benefits, or drawbacks, with the physical workspace. If a company’s mission statement includes wellness commitments but does not allow for natural light in the workplace, job candidates will take note. With this in mind, companies are urged to move beyond cultures centered around cold brew on tap, and instead design spaces and provide resources that are representative of the diverse job functions that reside and thrive in a given workplace. If a prospective job candidate asked your current employee about their work environment, would they respond positively? Creating a workplace that fosters innovation and creates a healthy environment for employees is crucial for attracting the best in the business.

Designing for Collaboration and Productivity

Today’s workforce expects companies to provide more than a cookie-cutter workspace and experience. The workplace should be as diverse as those that inhabit it, providing spaces and elements that fit the needs of the individual and their work habits. To bring in top talent for every position, employers need to consider that candidates at all levels want to spend time in a place that supports their needs throughout the entirety of their day. Each workday brings different responsibilities that require varied work strategies and different spaces to support them, including open collaboration spaces and quiet rooms, all dependent on the size of the team, the objectives, and individual preferences.

According to Sasaki, the workforce can often be divided into three workplace archetypes depending on collective needs and behaviors: Soloist-Style, Mixed-Style and Mobile Mixed-Style. The Soloist-Style employee prefers to spend the majority of their time at their desk; the Mixed-Style employee is in the office, but often not at their desk; and lastly, the Mobile Mixed-Style is found traveling for the majority of their week and doesn’t require a permanent workstation. While these three workstyles are not applicable to all companies, or even industries, it’s clear that workspaces must be outfitted to provide space for all types of employee to ensure productivity, happiness and wellness.