Generation Y and the Workplace Annual Report 2010 - Haworth

Global WorkPlace Innovation
Generation Y and the Workplace
Annual Report 2010

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Global WorkPlace Innovation
Contents
LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................5
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...........................................7
KEY FINDINGS ....................................................10
INTRODUCTION .................................................13
WHAT IS OXYGENZ .............................................14
Research question .............................................14
WHO ARE THESE YOUNG UPSTARTS? ...................17
WORLD DEMOGRAPHICS .....................................22
WHO IS THE GENERATION Y IN USA ....................24
WHO IS THE GENERATION Y IN INDIA ..................26
WHO IS THE GENERATION Y IN CHINA ................28
WHO IS THE GENERATION Y IN UK ......................30
WHO IS THE GENERATION Y? ..............................32
Digital, Connected, Social ..................................32
Challenging .......................................................32
Scarce ................................................................33
Transformational ...............................................33
DIFFERENCES EMERGE ........................................34
Traditionals .......................................................36
Baby Boomers ....................................................36
Generation Y ......................................................37
Generation X ......................................................37
METHODOLOGY .................................................38
DESIGN APPROACH ............................................42
BRANDOCRACY ..................................................44
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OXYGENZ RESULTS .............................................46
Choice Of Company ...........................................48
Location .............................................................50
Travel ................................................................52
Ways Of Working ................................................55
Creativity & Productivity .....................................58
Behind Creativity & Productivity .........................60
Facilities Management........................................62
- Reception & Security ........................................62
- Catering ..........................................................64
Environment ......................................................66
Workplace ..........................................................71
- Style ................................................................71
- Lighting ...........................................................74
- Art @ Work ......................................................75
Emotional Engagement ......................................78
Workspace .........................................................80
Social Networking ..............................................84
Collaboration .....................................................86
Technology ........................................................90
How technology is transforming work ................92
CONCLUSION .....................................................94
India ..................................................................98
China .................................................................99
USA .................................................................100
UK ...................................................................101
WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR EMPLOYERS? 103
FOOTNOTES .....................................................106
KEY SPONSORS .................................................110
PARTNERS ........................................................113
AUTHORS .........................................................114
CONTACTS ......................................................117
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Global WorkPlace Innovation
List of Figures
Figure 1: Who are the Millennials, aka Generation Y? ................................................................................... 19
Figure 2: World Population in 2009 .............................................................................................................. 22
Figure 3: US – Demographic pyramid, 2009 ................................................................................................. 27
Figure 4: India – Demographic pyramid, 2009 ............................................................................................. 28
Figure 5: China – Demographic pyramid, 2009 ............................................................................................ 31
Figure 6: UK – Demographic pyramid, 2009 ................................................................................................ 32
Figure 7: Choice of Company: per age group, all countries ......................................................................... 48
Figure 8: Choice of Company for 18-25 yrs old ........................................................................................... 49
Figure 9: Choice of Company for 18-25 yrs old, key countries .................................................................... 49
Figure 10: Location of the office: per country, 18-25 years old .................................................................... 50
Figure 11: Location of the office: Generation Y vs. Generation Y ................................................................. 51
Figure 12: Mode of Transport: all ages, all countries ................................................................................... 52
Figure 13: Mode of Transport: per age group, all countries ......................................................................... 53
Figure 14: Mode of Transport: per country, 18-25 years old ........................................................................ 53
Figure 15: Choice of car per age group ........................................................................................................ 54
Figure 16: Pattern of Work: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old, all countries .......................................................... 55
Figure 17: Preferred Level of Mobility: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old .................................................. 56
Figure 18: Pattern of Work: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old, all countries .......................................................... 56
Figure 19: Flexible Working Pattern – preferred vs. expected: per age group, all countries ......................... 57
Figure 20: Flexible Working Pattern – preferred vs. expected: per country all countries for 18-25 yrs old ... 57
Figure 21: Creativity: per age group, all countries ....................................................................................... 58
Figure 22: Productivity: Generation Y, all countries ...................................................................................... 59
Figure 23: Reception Services: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old, all countries ..................................................... 62
Figure 24: Level of services across the industry sectors, the age groups, per country. ................................ 63
Figure 25: Food Facilities on site, Generation Y, all countries ...................................................................... 64
Figure 26: Social Facilities on site, Generation Y, all countries ..................................................................... 65
Figure 27: Environmental Workplace: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old, all countries .......................................... 66
Figure 28: Environmental requirements for the workplace – per age group, all countries ........................... 67
Figure 29a: Environmental requirements per industry sector, 18-25 years old, per countries ..................... 67
Figure 29b: Environmental requirements per industry sector, 18-25 years old, per industry sector ............ 68
Figure 30: Preferred style in the workplace per age group and country ....................................................... 72
Figure 31: Colours on the wall – 18-25 yrs old, all countries ....................................................................... 71
Figure 32: Style per gender - 18-25 years old .............................................................................................. 73
Figure 33: Finishes per gender – 18-25 years old ........................................................................................ 73
Figure 34: Preferred finishes in the workplace per age group and country .................................................. 74
Figure 35: Level of Lighting in the office ...................................................................................................... 75
Figure 36: Level of Art in the workplace - 18-25 yrs old, all countries .......................................................... 76
Figure 37: Preferences for Art in the workplace per industry sector, 18-25 years old, all countries ............. 77
Figure 38: Comfort with Space: all respondents – per country ..................................................................... 81
Figure 39: Level of comfort with space, sqm per person, 18-25 years old ................................................... 81
Figure 40: Individual workspace: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old, all countries ................................................. 82
Figure 41: Individual space preferred at work, 18-25 years old, per country ............................................... 82
Figure 42: Collaborative Environment: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old, all countries ......................................... 86
Figure 43: Access to collaborative spaces, 18-25 years old, per country ..................................................... 87
Figure 44: Choice of collaborative space: per age group ............................................................................. 88
Figure 45: Choice of collaborative space: per industry sector, all ages ........................................................ 89
Figure 46: The Smart Workplace 2030 – Johnson Controls © 2009 ......................................................92
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Global WorkPlace Innovation
Executive Summary
The advent of the Generation Y into the workplace is bringing new
changes that need to be addressed. The Generation Y is, perhaps,
the most digitally sophisticated generation we have ever seen.
They are looking for a sustainable environment offering a social
structure within both a physical and virtual environment.
The generation Y we studied, as we defined aged between 18 and 25, are techno-savvy and motivated
and they are bringing with them into the workplace a load of cultural diversity, habits and behaviours
inhibited in the way they act, work, communicate, exchange and relate to their environment, people and
their management.
This report identifies how important the workplace is in attracting, recruiting and retaining Generation
Y workers between the age of 18 to 25 years old and what factors contribute to talent management.
The report categorises the main factors that appeal to them and help enhance their full potential, under
seven categories: Real Estate, Facilities Management, Workplace, Workspace, New Ways of Working,
Information Technology and Human Resources.
The results prove that:
The Generation Y values sustainability. The
Generation Y is flexible, mobile, collaborative
and unconventional.
The Generation Y prioritises opportunities to
learn, work colleagues and corporate culture &
value when it comes to deciding for which job
to apply for.
The Generation Y prefers workplaces in an
urbanised location with access to social
and commercial facilities, good public
Infrastructure and the ability to use public
transport or drive to work.
The Generation Y prioritises collaboration
and interaction in the workplace and requires
particularly access to dedicated team spaces as
well as ample breakout spaces.
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The working environment of the Generation Y is
a place they emotionally engage with, a space
where they socialise in with other co workers
and a space which supports their health and
well being.
The Generation Y sees the workplace as a very
important factor and values it as a place of
learning and development.
The Generation Y privileges access to their
own desk rather than desk sharing or hot
desking (hoteling).
We must attach a great importance to diversity in
our workplaces and the factors that must be taken
into account when considering workplaces as a
likely strategic weapon in the battle to attract and
retain scarce young talent.
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Executive Summary Continued...
When it comes to Facilities Management (FM), the
preference of Generation Y suggests that FM is
not only about managing buildings, but about
supporting people. FM service delivery will need
to go further in the future to provide high quality
people focused services.
While the financial benefits of flexible working are
clear to business owners, work will have to be done
with Generation Y to help them to trade dedicated
desks and personalisation for mobility and team
oriented spaces. Mobile technology will be an
unavoidable support here.
The workplace can directly support and influence
the Generation Y through a workplace that enables
individuals and teams to collaborate and engage
with each other, and human resources policies
which actively promote flexible working and
alternative ways of working:
The workplace is important in attracting and
retaining the Generation Y
The type of workplace and its location
influences the choice of a company
The workspace allocation and technological
provisions contribute to productivity and
creativity
The working arrangements must be flexible
and adaptable to satisfy a work life balance
they demand
Global WorkPlace Innovation
The workplace must support both formal
and informal collaborative engagement and
interaction
The workplace contributes to the level of
emotional engagement of individuals with
their work
The factors contributing to talent attraction and
retention are expressed via:
Having the right workplace – location, access
Having the right workspace – design, layout,
furniture and colours and style
Having the right atmosphere – meeting and
social spaces for interaction and ambiance
Having the right technological platform –
technology provisions, mobile devices
We have yet to feel the full force of this global
trend. Will Generation Y continue to be such a
special generation, feted and wooed for their
talent, if the balance of power reverts to employers
as labour markets tighten? Is this new generation
of ‘aliens’ and ‘invaders’ really ready to transform
our workplace in mega complexes, social hubs
and high tech workspaces? Will employers be
ready and engage to support these changes?
It remains crucially important to understand what
things matter most to the 18 – 25 years old.
The data reveal a fascinating insight into this
new generation and how they are and behave
compared to previous one.
Having understood these needs:
Employers will find it near on impossible to
deliver on all theise demands
Success will be about compromising and
determining the essentialsdetermining the
essentials
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• Sustainable: 96% want
an environmentally aware
workplace
• Flexible: 56% prefer to work
flexibly and chose when to work
• Mobile: 79% prefer to be mobile
rather than static workers
• Unconventional: 40% of the
Generation Y would like to take
their car to go to work, 20%
by public transport and 18%
walking!
• Life Long Learning Experience:
The reasons for choosing a
company are:
1: Opportunities for Learning
2: Quality of Life
3: Work Colleagues
• Collaborative: 41% of the
Generation Y prefers to have
access to a team space and
32% prefers breakout spaces
rather than a conventional
meeting room
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Travel:
Key findings per category
The UK: a nation of walkers
The US and India: The car comes first
China: Public transport is a prime choice
Location:
China: The highest demand for rural settings
The UK: Back to the City and urban settings
India: Workplaces must be located in urban
setting to attract the younger generations
New Ways of Working:
The generation Y is a flexible workforce with a
high level of mobility
Young Women (18-25 years old) prefer more
flexibility than men
The 46-55 years old are the age group
preferring the most flexible working
The UK and the US Generation Y prefer to work
far more flexibly, while China and India expect
to work flexibly
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Creativity and Productivity:
Creativity and Productivity:
Creativity is all about having the right PEOPLE
around
Productivity is all about having the right
TECHNOLOGY around
The magic formula is: Technology + Ambiance
& Atmosphere + People = a creative and
productive workplace
FM support services:
The 18-25 years old are the most demanding
generation
India has the most demanding workforce
Media and Finance sectors are the most
demanding industry sectors
Women are more demanding than Men
Social Spaces:
For the Generation Y, the workplace is a social
construction and work is social:
Going to work is about meeting people and
socialising within the working community
The Generation Y is a sporty and social
generation: there is a high demand for sport
and social facilities on site.
Environment and Sustainability:
It is about looking for a green deal at work
Being Green – Working Green – Living Green:
The generation Y is an environmentally
friendly workforce
The older generations are far greener than the
younger generations
The Generation Y demonstrates a green
aspiration through their journey to and through
work: office location, mean of transport, ways
of working, green policies…
Workplace:
The Generation Y is an emotionally engaged
workforce:
Colours should be subtle and not too intense
The light should be natural rather than artificial,
calling for wide windows and openings
Finishes should be soft and made out of natural
and warm materials, rather than hard material
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Style:
Style matters and should be modern rather
than contemporary
Women are more attracted to modern interior
than Men
Men are more attracted to minimalist interiors
than Women
Art should be present in the office, but not too
much of it!
Workspace:
They need to identify to and feel they own their
workspace
The large majority still want to have their
own desk
Less than a 1/5th are happy to share a desk
Men are more comfortable in wider space
than women
Collaboration:
The Generation Y is team focused and places a
great importance on work with and amongst a
team:
The Art & Design industry is the most eager
to collaborate and Engineering industry is the
most team focused industry
China has the highest demand for breakout
spaces combined with the highest preference
for shared and hot desks
35-44 years old have the least requirement for
formal meeting rooms
Dr. Marie Puybaraud
Johnson Controls
Director Global WorkPlace Innovation
www.globalworkplaceinnovation.com
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Global WorkPlace Innovation
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Introduction
The Generation Y:
Like How They Work - Work
How They Like?
The newest and youngest members of work forces
all over the world are making their presence felt,
causing businesses to re-think their working
practices and adapt their working environment
to this breed of employees and managers.
Generation Y is perceived as invading the
workplace, arriving like unruly and energetic guests
at a stuffy country house party and shocking the
house guests who are already there. And they are
bringing outsize luggage in the form of multiple
digital technologies, their social networks, their
tech-savvy culture, new ways of contemplating
work, new managerial forms.
Who is this generation of “invaders” and
“transformers”? How will they or not modify our
working environment? What are they expecting
from their employer, their work in their workplace
and their way of working?
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What is...
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Global WorkPlace Innovation
OXYGENZ is a large-scale research
project, which will make a significant
contribution to companies’ knowledge
on how they might use their real estate
and facilities as strategic assets to
attract and retain scarce talent. We
must attach a great importance to
diversity in our workplaces and the
factors that must be taken into account
when considering workplace as a likely
strategic weapon in the battle to attract
and retain scarce young talent.
5,375
And from
various key
industry
sectors we
want to study:
respondents
including:
Businesses have to compete to attract, develop, deploy
and retain the services of skilled people. It is crucially
important to understand what matters to them. In
particular, we need to understand what things matter
most to Generation Y and the Generation X, the
youngest and newly entrants in the workplace.
This is exactly what Oxygenz seeks to find out.
Oxygenz is an international research project,
gathering rich data on Generation Y’s preferences
around ways of working and workspace design.
3,011(18 - 25-year-olds)
1,298 (26 - 35-year-olds)
396 (36 - 45-year-olds)
The worldwide survey includes special samples from:
US:1,217
India: 897 China: 660
690
Engineering
491
Information
Technology
{
625
551
UK:607
Media, Marketing
& Communication
Art & Design
Research Question:
Germany: 256
736
Finance
Generation Y and the Workplace is a research
project that seeks to understand the
importance the 18 to 25 years old attach to
their future workplace.
How important is the workplace in attracting,
recruiting and retaining Generation Y
workers and what factors contribute to
talent management per industry sector,
country and gender?

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A rising and powerful future workforce of the 21st century:
For the first time ever, in workplaces around the world,
we understand that four generations are working together.
Known as Generation Y (aged 15-29), they are the current
entrants into global workforce and estimated at:
1.7 billion worldwide,
representing 25.5% of the world population
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Who are these young upstarts?
The newest and youngest members of work
forces all over the world are making their
presence felt, causing many businesses to rethink
their working practices.
Baby Boomers, the post-world war II generation
associated with social change, are beginning to
retire in large numbers, taking their knowledge
and experience with them. There are not enough
of the new generation to replace this deficit, so
their knowledge and skills are in demand.
There is another major reason why the generation
Y is grabbing attention. Many commentators are
claiming that Generation Y, as these young people
are often called, are setting off a new wave of
social and business transformation.
For the purpose of this study, we decided to study
the Generation Y aged between eighteen and
twenty-five, although some people include those
born from 1980 onwards, putting the upper limit
at twenty-eight. In our view, there are at least six
reasons why we need to understand them and
how they relate to work. They are a remarkable
generation, and here is why...
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
The demographic data indicate that there
are not enough of them coming in to the
workforce.
They are transformational – they have grown in
a different world to their parents – surrounded
by modern technologies and a society of
consumerism.
They do things differently – modern
educational curricula have brought a wave of
transformation in their life.
They are challenging – this is the most
commonly agreed threat about this generation,
but yet it has not been proved.
They are techno-savvy – the 20th and 21st
centuries have brought and will continue to
bring the most terrifying and transformational
technological solutions to our world.
They are agile – multi-taskers – their agility
to do different things at the same time is well
known, but it does not mean it makes them
more efficient in the way they work.
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workplace divas…
energy…
innovation…
challenging…
intellectual challenge…
a new reality from work…
working flexibly…
full of contradictions…
conservatist…
non-conformist…
tech savvy…
value driven…
money grabbing…
Global WorkPlace Innovation
The Generation Y apparently believes they
can achieve anything. They have been called
‘workplace divas’ 1&6 , millenials, homo zappiens…
even Genys! But some say they even are ‘high
maintenance, high risk and high output’ 2&7 . They
are strongly team-focused, collaborative, and seek
meaning in work and opportunity to learn.
But also:
They are now under more financial threats
than the previous generations since the
2008 and 2009 crisis
They have grown up with green issues into
their society, but there is no evidence that it
is actually embedded in their culture
They are more urban focused, and even more
in the future with the growth of urbanisation
They quickly buy into new concepts and
ideas while new technologies become more
affordable, and invade our market at a fast pace
Here is an entire cohort secure
in the knowledge that their wellto-do
Boomer parents can bail
them out of financial difficulty.
If they don’t like their job they
can, and do, chuck it in and head
back to live with their parents.
The Impact of Digitalization – a
generation apart, KPMG International
Research Report, 2007.
The majority of the sources describe the
Generation Y as consumers, colleagues,
employees, managers, and technological
and social innovators. The sources explore
communication styles, values, motivations, and
characteristics, but not many studies focus on
the aspirations of this young generation about
their future working environment. Although they
bring energy and innovation to the workplace,
Demographics
No definitive agreement on birth
years; experts say somewhere
between 1978 and 1995; most
say 1981 to 1993
Children of Baby Boomers
Younger siblings of Gen Xers
Largest generation (75 million)
after the Boomers (80 million),
compared to the Gen Xers (40
million)
38% of millennials identify
themselves as “non-white”
Positioned in history to be the
next “Hero generation”
Figure 1: Who are the Millennials, aka Generation Y?
Source: Deloitte Consulting (2005). Who Are The Millennials, aka Generation Y?
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Tech-savvy
Connected…24/7
Self-confident
Optimistic
Hopeful
Independent
Comfortably self-reliant
Determined
Goal oriented
Success driven
Lifestyle centered
Diverse
Inclusive
Global, civic- and
community-minded
Pulling together
Service oriented
Entrepreneurial
the Generation Y is challenging to manage. They
appreciate clear direction, demand immediate
feedback on performance, expect to be consulted
and included in management decisions, and
demand constant intellectual challenge.
The Generation Y is demanding, as a right, a new
reality from work. They insist on working flexibly,
choosing when and where to work.
Millennials at work
Work well with friends and on
teams
Collaborative, resourceful,
innovative thinkers
Love a challenge
Seek to make a difference
Want to produce something
worthwhile
Desire to be a hero
Impatient
Comfortable with speed and
change
Thrive on flexibility and space to
explore
Partner well with mentors
Value guidance
Expect respect
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Although they bring energy and innovation to
the workplace, the Generation Y is challenging to
manage. They appreciate clear direction, demand
immediate feedback on performance, expect to be
consulted and included in management decisions,
and demand constant intellectual challenge.
However most employees would demand the same,
generation Y or not!
There are at least three reasons why we need to
understand Generation Y:
For a start, there are not enough of them. At
least that is the case in the US, UK and Europe.
As the Baby Boomers retire, there are millions
fewer young people to replace them.
What’s more, they are a highly educated
and skilled generation. Their already scarce
skills are even more in demand in today’s
globally networked, creative and knowledge
economies. Generation Y’s skills and potential
are crucial if economies are to move up the
value chain.
The next reason to understand them is the way
they use communication technologies, which
is creating both challenges and opportunities
in the workplace . Having grown up in the
Internet age, members of the Generation Y are
furious digital innovators.
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Manuel Castells, the renowned sociologist, and his
colleagues see the emergence of a new trend in
global youth culture, which they call ‘networked
sociability’. Digitally connected or face-to-face,
networked sociability is driving the Generation Y to
form peer groups that become the context for
their individual and collective behaviour 5 .
We know that the Generation Y is significant in
our society. What else do we know about them?
Why are they all that different from their older
colleagues? How do they relate to their future
working environment.
New technologies platforms like Web 2.0 have
been adopted by entire generations... the internet,
podcasting, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google,
MSN and SMS are continuously on the mind of
the Generation Y. But it also infiltrates other
older generations, not only the Generation Y.
The majority of the sources describe Generation Y
as consumers, colleagues, employees, managers,
and technological and social innovators. The sources
explore communication styles, values, motivations, and
characteristics, but not many focus on the aspirations for
their working environment.
The Generation Y are full of
contradictions, or at least what
is written about them is. They
think like entrepreneurs and value
relationships, are tech-savvy and
creative, and are environmentally
conscious and mobile 8 . They will in
the future place a high premium on
job security 9 and they apparently
currently job-hop. They are valuedriven
and money-grabbing (due
to being saddled with high student
loans) 10 . They are conservative 11 and
non-conformist 12 .
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World Demographics
As economies and businesses become more knowledge-intensive, knowledge and skills are at a
premium. The fact that there are not enough of them only makes their talents even more attractive.
Apparently there is a dearth of Generation Y entering the workforce in Western Europe 13 . In the UK, for
example, they are the smallest of the generations in the current total population. Increasing numbers of
them are highly educated and their talents, as in the rest of the world, are in demand.
Figure 2: World Population in 2009
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base 14
Worldwide In 2009, if we consider the wider definition of the generation Y (15-29 years old) and rely on
current statistical database of the US Census Bureau, the wider Generation Y represents 25.47% of the
world population, the wider Generation X (30 to 44) represents 21.32% of the population. The first of the
Baby Boomers (45-64 years old) represent 18.55% of the world population and are due to retire in large
numbers, starting in 2004, taking their knowledge and experience with them. Countries such as Canada,
Australia, and the United States could lose more than a third of their government employees by 2010 15 .
Worldwide, within the age group which we research, they are more males than females, especially
amongst the young generation (below 25 years old), while the older generation (above 50 years old) has
more females than males.
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Generations Population % Of World Population
Gen Y - 15-29 years old 1,723,911,077.00 25.47
Gen x - 30-44 year old 1,442,951,791.00 21.32
Baby Boomers - 5 - 64 years old 1,233,836,150.00 18.56
Traditionalists - 65-74 years old 316,330,067.00 4.67
The world population increased from 3 billion
in 1959 to 6 billion by 1999, a doubling that
occurred over 40 years. The Census Bureau’s
latest projections imply that population
growth will continue into the 21st century,
although more slowly. The world population
is projected to grow from 6 billion in 1999 to
9 billion by 2043, an increase of 50 percent
that is expected to require 44 years. The
world population growth rate rose from
about 1.5 percent per year from 1950-51 to
a peak of over 2 percent in the early 1960s
due to reductions in mortality. Growth rates
thereafter started to decline due to rising age
at marriage as well as increasing availability
and use of effective contraceptive methods.
Note that changes in population growth have
not always been steady. A dip in the growth
rate from1959-1960, for instance, was due to
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
the Great Leap Forward in China. During that
time, both natural disasters and decreased
agricultural output in the wake of massive
social reorganization caused China’s death rate
to rise sharply and its fertility rate to fall by
almost half.
In addition to growth rates, another way to
look at population growth is to consider annual
changes in the total population. The annual
increase in world population peaked at about
88 million in the late 1980s. The peak occurred
then, even though annual growth rates were
past their peak in the late 1960s, because the
world population was higher in the 1980s than
in the 1960s.’
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
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Who is the Generation Y?
Digital, Connected, Social
They have grown up with the Internet and mobile
communications. They are digitally, globally,
and constantly connected. They are driving how
mobile communication technologies are used,
initiating social behaviours that are transmitted
to other generations.
Generation Y are supposed to be able to
navigate vast amounts of data, use multiple
digital devices simultaneously and parallelprocess
multiple stimuli. They are networked,
collaborative and highly social, expecting to be
constantly connected to their social networks,
within and beyond company boundaries, and to
work within a sociable environment with other
people. Generation Y’s rapid take-up of digital
technologies, how they use them, and how they
prefer to work is challenging for business.
Generation Y’s rapid take-up of digital
technologies, how they use them, and how they
prefer to work is challenging for business 34 .
Challenging
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Part of the challenge is to manage practices.
The Generation Y is said to appreciate clear
direction, demand immediate feedback on
performance, expect to be consulted and included
in management decisions, and demand constant
intellectual challenge, opportunities for learning,
and meaningful work.
Part of the challenge is to manage attitudes. Older
managers might see technologies such as instant
messaging, text messaging, blogging, social
networking and multi-player games as a waste of
time and a distraction from work.
The Generation Y is demanding a new reality from
work. They want to work flexibly, choosing when
and where to work.
Scarce
In all countries around the world, there are not
enough of them.
This is true even in countries like the US, where
they are the largest generation since the Baby
Boomers - The post World War II generation
responsible for social change and unprecedented
wealth creation. The problem is that the first
of the Baby Boomers were due to retire in large
numbers starting in 2008, and are taking their
knowledge and experience with them. Countries
such as Canada, Australia, and the United States
could lose more than a third of their government
employees by 2010 35 .
In India, the Generation Y makes up more than
half of the population. Despite the large potential
workforce, not all are ‘employment ready’ and so
their talents are in short supply. There is a dearth
of them entering the workforce in Western Europe.
In the UK, for example, they are the smallest of
the generations in the current total population.
Increasing numbers of them are highly educated
and their talents, as in the rest of the world, are
in demand. Also, as economies and businesses
become more knowledge-intensive, knowledge
and skills are at a premium. The fact that there are
not enough of them only makes their talents even
more attractive than they already are.
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
Transformational
Wherever they are in the world and no matter
how large or small their numbers, the signs are
that they are setting off a new wave of social and
business transformation that will equal or surpass
what the Baby Boomers achieved.
This is because they have grown up with the
Internet and mobile communications and are
digitally, globally and constantly connected.
They are driving how mobile communication
technologies are used, and they are setting
behavioural trends that ripple through and
influence social behaviour in other generations.
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26
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Who is the Generation Y in the USA?
In all countries around the world, there are apparently too few of them. This is true even in countries like
the US, where they are the largest generation since the Baby Boomers - The post-World War II generation
responsible for social change and unprecedented wealth creation. According to the 2006 CIA World
Fact book, around 27% of the world’s population is below 15 years of age. Tammy Ericsson (http://
tammyerickson.com), writer about the Generation Y in the US, argues that Generation Y will dominate
the workforce for the next forty years and beyond.
In 2005 in the US, the Generation Y was the fastest-growing segment of the workforce — growing from
14% of the workforce to 21% over the past four years to nearly 32 million workers.
1 in 5 young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 is unemployed, compared with a 7 percent
unemployment rate for those over age 30. Twenty-somethings are also graduating from college with
more debt than their predecessors did and taking jobs that don’t always come with health insurance
(20). Some even said that America’s younger generation is in jeopardy.
Figure 3: USA – Demographic pyramid, 2009 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base
“Despite their shaky finances and breezy approach to workplace demands, the cohort’s strong affinity
for personal fame and wealth are likely to translate into serious financial clout over time, to the tune of
some $3.5 trillion by middle age. A penchant for instant gratification and customizable products, along
with demand for socially responsible corporate policies.”
The Adults of Generation Y in the U.S.: Hitting the Demographic, Lifestyle and Marketing Mark, 2008,
http://www.marketresearch.com
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28
Who is the Generation Y in India?
In India, they make up the more than half of the
population. Despite the large potential workforce,
not all are ‘employment ready’ and so their talents
are in short supply. The Generation Y in India is
a remarkable group that is ambitious, optimistic,
embraces change and have a clear sense of where
they are headed. Most are ‘entrepreneurial and
business savvy, as well as technologically capable
and connected 21 .
With about half of India’s one billion people under
the age of 25, Generation Y in India is the world’s
largest. Positioned in a time of exciting and rapid
economic growth in the country, they are keen to
participate in the country’s future and success. The
country’s recent parliament elections saw a huge
turnout of Generation Y population, demonstrating
their ambition to take the country forward.
Figure 4: India – Demographic pyramid, 2009 25
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Highly competitive, Generation Y is more than
ever before seeking higher education and landing
jobs in multi-national companies in areas such as
IT, back office operations, media, strategy and
management positions. With opportunities aplenty
in the current economy, they are also job-hopping,
something not seen in their parents’ generation.
“Gen Ys expect challenging work assignments,
accelerated career growth, socially responsible
workplaces, flexible work environments, freedom,
and collaboration and innovation from their jobs
and employers.”
R. Anish, Intel’s South Asia HR Director 22
Research indicates that as employees, the Generation Y ‘value work life balance more than any other
generation’ 23 . Level of engagement among Generation Y employees in India was found to be about the same as
the other generations, making them an exception compared to their cohorts around the world. While they are
willing to work in shifts to support global operations, they are averse to working long hours 24 .
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30
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Who is the Generation Y in China?
China’s Generation Y is composed of
approximately 200 million 15 to 25 year olds. Like
their peers around the world, they are a techsavvy,
ambitious, multi-tasking, better educated,
openminded,
individualist cohort that is seeing the
country transform from a communist government
into an emerging global capitalist market. They are
‘significantly more entrepreneurial and capitalistic
than their parent generation’ 26 .
The Generation Y has a large exposure to the
technological advances in China’s present day,
they are connected to the internet, mobile and
social networking websites. Heavily influenced by
Western culture, they generally know more about
Westerners than Westerners know about them.
Having grown up as a single child in the One- Child
policy era, China’s Generation Y is more inclined
toward a lifestyle devoted to freedom and personal
satisfaction rather than the more traditional “work
Figure http://www.publiclibraries.com/authors/mico14/chinageny/
5: China – Demographic pyramid, 2009 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base
http://www.gallup.com/poll/15934/Chinas-Gen-Bucks-Tradition.aspx
28
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hard and get rich” mentality 27 .
The Generation Y is no exception when it comes
to valuing work life balance, and working long
hours is not something they can adapt to.
Entrepreneurial by nature, they would rather start
their own business and work for themselves. In
the workplace Generation Y are regarded as ‘high
achievers, extremely adventurous, impressionable,
and consequently highly employable’(??). With
many graduating in Engineering and Sciences,
there is a high demand for them in multinational
companies.
The Generation Y’s spending habits are noteworthy.
As single children it appears they may be
pampered, as findings show they often consume
an astonishing 50% or more of family expenditure
in some major cities.
31

32
Who is the Generation Y in UK?
More 18 years olds would be available until 2012
to enter the workforce than would leave at 65.
The situation reverses in 2012, although the
gap between new replacements and numbers of
retirees shrinks in the following years to 2016 31 .
Of course the whole population is not available to
work. The Labour Market Overview for June 2009
indicates a working age employment rate of 73.3
%. Economic inactivity in 18 – 24 year olds has
increased as it has in other age groups except 50
to retirement, which has been the only age group
to experience a fall 32 .
Figure 6: UK – Demographic pyramid, 2009 33
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Apart from lack of employment opportunities
linked to the recession, economic inactivity among
the 18 – 24 year olds is attributed to a record high
of student numbers. As for the 50 to retirement
age group, many are remaining in work as long as
possible in the face of a pension crisis exacerbated
by the recent events in the financial sector.
The overall picture is complex but we can say that if young people continue accessing full-time
education, this diminishes the numbers of 18 -24 year olds in the workplace but is partially offset by the
older workers postponing retirement.
Something else is happening, apart from their insufficient numbers, to make them valuable.
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34
Differences Emerge
A poll of PwC new-starts in China, the US and the
UK before they joined the company, uncovers
some conservative attitudes. Perhaps the biggest
surprise is that an average of 75% of respondents
across all the countries expect to keep regular
hours, with a figure of 82.5% in the UK. The
conservatism continues when respondents were
asked how many jobs they expected to have over
their lifetimes, which was between two and five
reported by 74.4% in China, 80.4% in the US and
79.6% in the UK.
This is hardly the job-hopping behaviour suggested
in other research. In one survey, 34% said they
expected to stay in a job between one and two
years, with 57% saying two to three years. In
another survey, one in four said they would stay
less than four years. These two surveys paint a
picture of The Generation Y hungry for opportunity,
jumping ship in expectation of experiences that
resonate with their workplace priorities, such as
having fun, being socially connected, and having
the scope to learn and be developed.
Employers are having to feed this hunger to attract
the best of the Generation Y, branding themselves
and tempting the objects of their desire with
juicy morsels in the form of ‘employee value
propositions’ that align with The Generation Y’
ideal workplace attributes.
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Of course, the data you get depends on
the questions you ask. How accurate is our
understanding of Generation Y’s desired
workplace attributes?
None of the surveys we reviewed asked the
Generation Y what they think of their physical
work environment. This is consistent with the
themes reflected in the wider Generation Y
literature. The role of the physical environment
in attracting and retaining scarce skills, and in
influencing and mediating social interactions, is
not always addressed.
We know that workplace design matters in
nurturing innovation within organisations(37). We
also know that quality of place matters to people
when choosing where to live and work(38). People
look for social conditions and amenities that fit
their lifestyles.
If it is the case that the Generation Y has strong
ethical values, social tendencies, and is highly
collaborative, how much does the workplace
environment matter to the Generation Y? How
important are location, workplace design and
environmental considerations in deciding
where they want to work and who they want to
work for? What should employers do in their
workplaces and facilities to recruit, attract and
retain the Generation Y?
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35

36
Work Ethic / Values:
Veterans: 1922–1945
Hard work
Respect authority
Sacrifice
Duty before fun
Adhere to rules
Work is…: An obligation
Leadership Style:
Directive
Command-and-control
Communications:
Feedback &
Rewards:
Messages that
motivate:
Interactive Style: Individual Work & Family Life: T
Work Ethic / Values:
Baby Boomers: 1946–1964
Workaholics
Work efficiently
Crusading causes
Personal fulfillment
Desire quality
Question authority
Work is…: An exciting adventure
Leadership Style:
Interactive Style:
Traditionalists (The Veterans or Seniors)
Born between the wars, they are a generation of fighters, grounded in traditions,
who lived through and fought an unforgettable second world war. Their values and
belief is very different from their juniors. Work was a necessity, and they have a
strong belief into the company they work for and most of them had a job for life.
Offices were not the norm in their professional career.
Source: http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm:
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Formal
Written
No news is good news
Satisfaction in a job
well done
Your experience is
respected
The Baby Boomers
Born during or just after the war, they are the children of the post war. A group of
individuals who have seen the world dramatically change in last 50 years, through
an industrial revolution, the rise of communication and technologies. Offices were a
common working environment in their professional life and they lived through much
hierarchical presence in the office. They are still our leaders. They are struggling to
embrace new ways of working.
Consensual
Collegial
Team player
Loves meetings
Communications: In person
Feedback &
Rewards:
Messages that
motivate:
Work & Family Life:
Don’t appreciate it
Money
Title recognition
You are valued
You are needed
No balance
Work to live
The Generation X
The children of the Baby Boomers, born in the late 60s and 70s, they are the one who
mostly transformed the office as we know it today, and our relation to work, They
occupy today major senior management positions. Offices are a commodity for them,
an environment they have seen changing over the last twenty years and not always into
the right direction in their mind. This is a generation not always at ease in open offices.
Work Ethic / Values:
Work is…:
Leadership Style:
Work Ethic / Values:
Work is…:
Leadership Style:
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Generation X: 1965–1980
Eliminate the task
Self-reliance
Want structure and
direction
Skeptical
A difficult challenge
A contract
Everyone is the same
Challenge others
Ask why
Generation Y: 1981–2000
What’s next
Multitasking
Tenacity
Entrepreneurial
Tolerant
Goal oriented
A means to an end
Fulfillment
The young leaders
century
Communications:
Feedback &
Rewards:
Messages that
motivate:
Communications:
Feedback &
Rewards:
Messages that
motivate:
Direct
Immediate
Interactive Style: Entrepreneur Work & Family Life: Balance
Source: http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm:
The Generation Y (The Millenials)
Born around the 80s onwards, they are a generation who has grown in opulence
compared to other generations. They are the children of a generation who has greatly
benefited from the industrial revolution of the 70s where their wealth and standard
have dramatically increased and changed their way of life. This generation has been
greatly exposed to modern environments (in their days at school and university)
and within their personal life, they have a good standard of living. Open space
environment is not a surprise, they have only known this type of environment.
Email
Voice mail
Interactive Style: Participative Work & Family Life: Balance
Source: http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm: Source: http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm:
Sorry to interrupt, but
how am I doing?
Freedom = best reward
Do it your way
Forget the rules
Whenever I want it, at
the push of a button
Meaningful work
Working with other
bright, creative people
37

38
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Methodology
There is a growing realisation, in all areas of life,
that the future is not fixed. The workplace plays a
critical part in the success of any organisation and
has been well researched and now understood. The
notion that the future can be ‘shaped’ or ‘created’
has gained currency over the past decade, and is
increasingly the basis upon which organisations
of all kinds make their plans. At Johnson Controls
we have already explored this issue across three
major studies on the workplace of 2030 (www.
globalworkplaceinnovation.com), to understand
where is the workplace going and evolving. And
we know it is crucial to understand and take into
account multi generational issues at work.
The methodology behind Oxygenz was defined
to target a specific group of individuals, using an
unusual and innovative data collection method,
never used prior to this study. Our targets were:
Primarily the young generation, between
18 and 25 years old: using technology on a
daily basis, social networking applications,
interactive games, web 2.0 platforms,
mobile technologies…
Multi generations at work: the focus was
not only on the Generation Y but also other
older generations to run a comparative
study across age groups
Across several regions: we needed to
communicate with individuals from a wide
cultural background and targeted Europe,
Middle East, Africa, Asia and Americas
Across different industry sectors: media,
art & design, engineering, finance, the built
environment, manufacturing, life science
and petroleum
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Oxygenz was design and launched within one year
of the initial idea, developing a new methodology
for the data collection, engaging multiple talents
and skills from a team of researchers, designers,
programmers, graphics and gamers. The
programming behind Oxygenz has never been
used in this context before and demonstrated a
wealth of innovation throughout the design phase.
The project was developed in several phases:
1. February 2007: Design a questionnaire
around workplace, using the day in the
life of worker as the main stream and
using a storyboard
2. July 2007: Design a prototype to test the
methodology and mean of collection of
the data: using interactive images and key
definitions as a mean of collection
3. August 2007: Assess the feasibility of
the project using this methodology and
the efficiency and effectiveness of the
interactive design solutions
4. September 2007: Select appropriate
images with the research team, review the
questions and test the methodology and
research questions
5. October 2007: Re design the solution to
integrate all questions and work around
the brand of the project
6. December 2007: Test the solution with a
core group of users and review and amend
7. January 2008: Complete the final solution
8. February 2008: launch the project across
the three targeted regions: Europe, Asia, US
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40
Methodology Continued
The research team:
Name Role Title & Organisation
Dr. Marie Puybaraud, PhD
Simon Russell
Adrian Clews
Amber Pimm-Jones
Andrew Garner
Nick Cooper
Robin Clarke
Oxygenz Project Leader and
Manager
Senior Researcher
Project Manager for the Design
of Oxygenz
Designer
DTP and Graphic Designer
Programmer
Programmer and Designer
Graphic Designer and Brand
Kate North Project Adviser
Dr. Jay Brand
Project Adviser on behalf of our
research sponsor and partner,
Haworth
Dr. Anne Marie McEwan Senior Researcher and adviser
Eline Leussink
Dashboard Development
Data analyst
Malavika Kamath Researcher for Asia
Lewis Beck Data analyst
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Director Global WorkPlace
Innovation
Johnson Controls
Director of Communication
iDEA
Design and Programming Team
iDEA
Vice President Business
Development, eWork
(previously Director of Ideation
for HAWORTH)
Cognitive Psychologist
HAWORTH
CEO,
The Smart Work Company
Senior Consultant
Johnson Controls
Communication Manager
Johnson Controls
Director of Workplace
Johnson Controls
The first data analysis using both our reporting tool and the statistical package analysis SPSS, was
carried out in July 2008 after a monthly monitoring of the results to assess the reliability of the data and
correct any errors or omissions. The number of respondents has grown steadily in one year and a half
from the time of the launch to the global data analysis carried out from July 2009 to September 2009.
Total
All
18-25
years
old
Country
studies:
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
UK % US % China % India %
All=5375 607 11.3 1217 22.6 660 12.3 897 16.7
18-25
years old
286 47.1 539 44.3 489 74 718 80
Male 305 50.25 570 46 205 31 613 68
Female 302 49.75 647 54 455 69 284 32
Male 126 44 239 44.3 136 27.8 495 69
Female 160 56 300 55.7 350 72.2 223 31
Studying 159 55.6 420 77.9 330 67 539 75
The respondents were targeted via a communication campaign:
Organising launch with our Academic partners in Europe (UK, Germany and The Netherlands),
Asia (China and India), the US and South Africa
Advertising the Oxygenz survey on Social Networks: Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, Hyves
Promoting Oxygenz across our industry and research community via public speeches and presentations
Publishing regular articles on the project in the media and press
Engaging our employees via internal communications
In 12 months of actively promoting the website, we attracted tens of thousands of visitors to our website
www.oxygenz.com and collected more than 5,300 respondents completed on line surveys:
45.7% are female and 54.3% of males respondents
More than 3,000 respondents are within our targeted age group of 18 to 25 years old in 2009
More than 1000 respondents fit within the generation X age group of 26 to 45 years old in 2009
The database is robust, providing a wide range of participants across our targeted regions and a
significant number of respondents within our targeted age group, the 18 to 25 years old in 2009. The
dataset also enables to run comparative analysis across age groups (18-25 years old against 26-35 years
old…), and across industry sectors and countries, where we have a relevant data sample to study.
To date Oxygenz is the largest data sample of respondents across multi regions and industry sectors
addressing and sharing their aspirations about the way they would like to work and what are their
preferences in the workplace.
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Global WorkPlace Innovation
Design Approach
More than a questionnaire, Oxygenz offers a
unique approach to gather information using an
advanced on-line tool:
It is interactive and engaging by using a
combination of on-line solutions
It uses images and words as a way to
communicate and ask the question
It is educational and enables the users to
discover what work and the workplace are about
The Generation Y is, perhaps, the most digitally
sophisticated generation we have ever seen. Studies
now tell us that more than 80 percent of teenagers
have Internet access, and a recent study further
predicts that current 10-17-year olds will spend
one-third of their lives (23 years) on the Internet.
They truly are the children of what was once called
the ‘microchip revolution’.
As such, they have grown up with computers and
using them is second nature. In tests, it has been
found that, generally, their hand-eye coordination
skills are extremely well developed. The
Generation Y, especially in the US, are also the
Nintendo Generation – they grew up with video
games, with the bright colours, bells and whistles
of interactive entertainment.
In the video game space, the Generation Y is
beginning to expect the easy manipulation of
digital environments, by customizing characters
(avatars) and directly affecting the digital worlds in
which those characters exist. The Generation Y is
most likely to be an early adopter.
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44
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Brandocracy
When iDEA was approached to produce an online
survey we had a very open brief: design the survey
to be mainly image-based, work around the
journey of the respondent to and through work.
iDEA worked with their predominantly
Generation Y design team to produce an
engaging interactive experience, one that
provided as well as collected information.
The Generation Y is not only web savvy but also
has an unwritten set of rules on how and when
to share personal information. Taking this into
account, our early recommendations were to
create a stand-alone non-corporate brand and
invite participates through viral campaigning.
The main survey has been designed using
Flash to enable the user to interact and travel
through the survey in more of an online gaming
/ learning style than that of a traditional tick box
questionnaire. Whilst still maintaining a structured
backend database to allow for dynamic online
survey interrogation, the survey projects a lighthearted
quirky style to encouraging users to
engage with the project.
The Generation Y
don’t just adapt to new
ways of doing things in
the digital realm, they
internalize them and
make them their own.
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
As many from our target audience are unfamiliar
with Workplace terminology and may have never
experienced an office environment, much of the
questioning has been formatted to illustrate the
terminology used.
The survey experience visually builds the user’s
perfect office as they progress through the survey.
At the end of the survey, they are presented with
their office profile in a format they can share with
friends on their own social network site.
We agreed, to a certain extent, to hide the corporate
brand and develop the Oxygenz identity. In
addition to the main survey, a Facebook game and
several social group applications were developed.
Supportive gorilla campaigning added to the non
corporate brand image with world landmark stickers
being shared on Facebook and Flickr.
By linking and sharing related collateral to these
social sites, we introduced an element of brand
comfort and familiarity. It was essential to create a
network of Oxygenzers and maintain their level of
engagement throughout the period of the study.
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46
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Oxygenz Results
This report presents the global results of
Oxygenz across a sample of 5,375 respondents
from across the world.
We seek to understand the importance the 18 to 25
years old ( who fit within the Generation Y group)
attach to their future workplace and how different
or not they are from their elders, particularly the
Generation X, Baby Boomers and Traditionalists.
In this report we aim to understand how important
is the workplace in attracting, recruiting and
retaining Generation Y workers and what factors
contribute to talent management per industry
sector, country and region?
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
And specifically:
What are the Generation Y’s
preferences about their future
workplace?
What workspace design will
they prefer?
What technologies will they
want to use?
How will they prefer to get to
and from work?
What other facilities will they
prefer to have on site?
How important are
sustainability initiatives in
their choice of employer?
How important is having a
choice of when and where
to work?
How will the workplace
contribute to their job
satisfaction?
47

48
Focus
Choice of Company
What are the top three most important factors
in your choice of company?
Overview
People are most likely attracted to a company where values are clearly communicated. It seems that
Generation Y members in particular are ‘ready to engage in companies that provide the environments
in which they thrive’. The reason why people choose a company varies from one age group to another.
Opportunities for learning are a very important factor. Besides, looking for a good quality of life when
deciding to accept a position, is also one of the top three priorities for all age groups.
Results
We know people are most likely attracted to a company where values are clearly communicated. It seems
Generation Y members in particular are ‘ready to engage in companies that provide the environments in
which they can grow and evolve. Those environments will include the physical space. Workplace design
is likely to become a strategic weapon in the battle to attract and retain scarce young talent in today’s
increasingly competitive global economy.
Top 1
18-25yrs 26-35yrs 36-45yrs 46-55yrs 56-65yrs
Opportunities
for learning
Top 2 Quality of Life
Top 3
Work
colleagues
Opportunities
for learning
Work
colleagues
Quality of Life
Meaningful
work
Quality of Life Compensation
The reason why they chose a company varies also from one age group to another.
Opportunities for Learning is a very important factor of choice, both for male and female between 18
and 25 years old. Looking for a good quality of life when deciding to accept a position, is also one of
the top three priority for all age groups.
Physical space can play a substantial role in choosing a company. Workplace design is likely to become
a strategic weapon in the battle to attract and retain scarce young talent in today’s increasingly
competitive global economy. Of all respondents, work colleagues, opportunities for learning and quality
of life are considered to be amongst the most important factors.
Global WorkPlace Innovation
The alignment of company value
and culture and individual value
and meanings is the key to
develop a sustainable career
and design a progressive
individual development path.
Tony, 1981
Meaningful
work
Meaningful
work
Compensation Quality of Life
Corporate
Values
Corporate
Values
Figure 8: Choice of Company for 18-25 yrs old
The Western Generation Y from the UK and the US favour their colleagues and having a meaningful
work, while the Eastern Generation Y from China and India focus on the opportunities for learning first.
Across the board, both male and female respondents from the Generation Y are looking for a learning
experience first.
Top 1 Meaningful
work
Top 2
Top 3
USA UK India China Male - All Female - All
Quality of
Life
Work
colleagues
Work
colleagues
Opportunities
for Learning
Opportunities
for Learning
Quality of Life Compensation
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
Opportunities
for Learning
Quality of Life Advancement
& Promotion
Figure 7: Choice of Company: per age group, all countries Figure 9: Choice of Company for 18-25 yrs old, key countries
Recommendations:
Corporate
Values
Opportunities
for Learning
Quality of Life
Corporate
Values
Opportunities
for Learning
Work
colleagues
Meaningful
work
Human Resources must consider the workplace as a recruitment factor
Employers must not neglect the impact of their workplace to attract, recruit and retain talent
The way of working is tightly linked to the way people prefer to live
The Generation Y privileges colleagues relationships rather than financial compensations
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50
Location
Focus:
Where would you prefer your office to be located?
Overview:
Location often plays a major role in people’s decisions about what company to work for. Being situated
in an urban location or a major city could be a motivator for people to come to work everyday. Others
may prefer working in a more rural, greener environment. However, it is important to note that those
preferring urban locations, find, easily accessible public transportation, or good public infrastructure
and access for driving, cycling or even walking to work, very significant in their choice of employer.
Results:
The location of the office and how employees can reach it, plays a very important part in our decision
to commute to and from work. Most of employees work a fair distance from work, and it is not
uncommon to hear employees spending at least one hour of their day time if not more to reach their
office. The demand from the Generation Y is for an urban to slightly urban location, with easy access
to a transport infrastructure – access by road or by public transport and good access by walking
to work. With offices predominantly located in urban areas, in cities or in suburban areas, a more
sustainable way of working is possible, as reliance on public transport is high. More than 70% prefer
an urban to slightly urban location. India has the highest demand for office spaces in urban areas and
the lowest for rural locations. The preferences between the Generation Y and the Generation X do not
differ so much and are very compatible. The results highlight a need to consideroffices in urban areas
and close to major infrastructures.
Figure 10: Location of the office: per country, 18-25 years old
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Location should be near my
Home. My workplace should be
an ideal Space to interact,
share , brainstorm and play
with ideas.
Aisha, 1980
More than 70% prefer an urban to slightly urban location. India has the highest demand for office spaces
in urban areas and the lowest for rural locations. The preferences between the Generation Y and the
Generation X do not differ so much and are very compatible. The results highlight a need to consider
offices in urban arenas and close to major infrastructures.
Figure 11: Location of the office: Generation Y vs. Generation X
League table: Location
India has the most Generation Y demanding an urban setting
The UK has the highest proportion of Generation Y preferring a rural setting
Recommendations:
A city location in an urban landscape is preferred
Easy access via public transport is crucial to force employees to drop their cars
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52
Focus
Travel
How would you prefer to travel to and from work?
Overview
Travelling to and from work can be a hassle. Whether people take public transport, drive, and cycle or
even walk to work. It is important as an employer to consider this issue when one wants to understand
people’s behaviours and attitudes towards work. In fact, travel can influence the decision about where
to open new offices, but can also influence recruitment rates and attraction. Although there seems
to be an on-going trend of walking to work, congestions are still major influences to those using
public and private transportations. To overcome such a challenge, certain countries and organisations
encourage travel schemes like car sharing, cycle to work, public transport subsidiaries. The Netherlands
is notorious for cycling and in the Dutch culture cycling is widely spread and accepted. However not
all countries have the luxury to permit their citizens to cycle to work in safe conditions. Urban living
and cycling are in perfect harmony and an office city / urban location is completely accepted, if not
preferred. But how does it defer from a country to another one?
Results:
With the increase of the cost of energy and petrol, employers are seriously questioning where a new
office needs to be opened and how it will influence their recruitment rates. Recent discussion around
carbon taxing is forcing governments and corporates to review their travel policies and start to
encourage a greener behaviour in relation to transport.
Figure 12: Mode of Transport: all ages, all countries
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Walking is in demand and across the sample,
17% would prefer to walk to work. For the
older generation, the traditionalists, walking
is the top choice (36%). Car is still a favourite
and on average 40% would prefer to travel
to work by car. Even if 42% would choose
a hybrid car, it remains in high demand. In
countries like India, 47% would prefer a car
against 22% in China. It is very reassuring
to see that overall public transport is still a
favourite, in second place: between 17 and
19% of the respondents would choose it.
Figure 13: Mode of Transport: per age group, all countries
In certain countries (China, India, The Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom) major capitals have
made a lot of efforts to promote cycling as a safe mode of transport. Across our sample of respondents,
14% prefer cycling to work. The younger generations privilege using their car as a mode of transport,
against the older generation walking to work. The UK is on the lead table as a nation of walkers,
while the US and India lead the unenvironmentally friendly league for using cars as the main mode of
transport for 18-25 years old. China on the other hand, privileges public transport.
Figure 14: Mode of Transport: per country, 18-25 years old
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League table: Travel
The UK: a nation of Walkers
US and India: the car comes first
China: Public transport comes first
Choice of cars and priorities:
A closer look at the data about the choice of car
reveals generational differences:
The Generation Y, environmentally friendly,
is the most attracted to Hybrid cars
The Generation X, more mature and
experience, privileges Family cars
The plus 35 years old has the highest
demand for large vehicle
Figure 15: Choice of car per age group
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Recommendations:
Offer easy public access to the office
Encourage young employees to cycle to
work and plan for bike facilities on site
(safe parking spaces, showers)
Promote a green travel schemes
Across the three age groups we looked at, car
users want to carry with them in their car:
1. Mobile phone
2. Laptop
3. Satellite Navigation system
In terms of priorities when choosing a car,
differences emerge again and are as follow:
1. Safety
2. Design
3. Technology
Ways of working
Focus:
What way of working would you prefer to have?
What work pattern would you like to have?
Overview:
Flexible and mobile ways of working are becoming more common nowadays rather than the
conventional and stationary working pattern. With the younger generation entering the workforce,
demand for such a way of working is increasing. We know flexible working has significantly increased
over the past years. Employees are becoming more and more mobile in their way of work. It is crucial
to understand how mobile a workforce wants to be while on site and in their working environment.
With a high level of mobility on site, we are able to reconfigure the workspace and make it more agile,
introduce various work settings and styles and promote new ways of working.
Results:
The level of mobility (versus static) in the way of working also demonstrates that females are slightly
more in favour of a flexible way of working against males, while in the UK the demand is the highest for
the Generation Y, at 81%.
Figure 16: Pattern of Work: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old,
all countries
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
Telecommuting would not be the
exception, but instead be the
norm. Leadership would be more
open-minded and allow employees
to contribute positively in
whatever way they can, rather
than restricting the ability and
creativity of talented people.
John 1970
The Generation Y are expecting their employer
to offer a flexible way of working. 58% of all the
respondents (against 56% for the Generation Y)
prefer to have a certain degree of flexibility in
their way of working: a flexible way of working
or ad hoc working hours against a conventional
working pattern.
We can observe a very wide gap between the level
of expectations and preferences for the US and
the UK. While more than 60% of the generation Y
prefers a flexible way of working, only less than
25% actually expect their employers to offer it.
The right to request flexible working is probably
unknown by this generation, while it may be a
legal right in countries like in Europe. In China, the
level of expectations is far higher than their level
of preferences, showing a demanding workforce.
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Figure 17: Preferred Level of Mobility: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old
But still 44% are actually expecting to have to follow a conventional working pattern (8-6, 9-5, 7-3) rather
than embracing a flexible working pattern.
Figure 18: Pattern of Work: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old, all countries
Global WorkPlace Innovation
The older you get and the more you
prefer and expect flexible working
in your ways of working. Overall
79% of 18-25yrs old want to be
mobile rather than static workers
(flexible or ad-hoc working pattern).
It is also interesting to note how
much China privileged conventional
working hours as a preference:
43% of the respondents prefer a
conventional working pattern.
Figure 19: Flexible Working Pattern – preferred vs. expected: per age group, all countries
Figure 20: Flexible Working Pattern – preferred vs. expected: per country all countries for 18-25 yrs old
League table: Flexible Working
Women prefer more flexibility than men
The UK and the US Generation Y prefer to
work the most flexibly while China and
India expect to work flexibly.
The 45-54 years old group are the age
group with the highest preferences for a
flexible way of working
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Recommendation:
Flexible Working should be the norm
for the Generation Y as it is a flexible
workforce with a high level of mobility
Raise awareness on new ways of working
and actively promote flexible working
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Focus
Top
1
Top
2
Top
3
Creativity & Productivity
What are the top three factors which would enhance your productivity and your creativity?
Overview
Factors ranging from technology, the surrounding atmosphere to the network of people around and
colleagues, affect productivity and creativity levels. However, technology seems to be the key factor for
productivity as employees find it easier and more effective to work when equipped with the right IT to help
get the job done. Similar to productivity, the people around an employee, the ambiance and atmosphere
and technologies help enhance creativity. Having enough space to be creative and brainstorm ideas as well
as interaction with people, are important to Generation Y employees. The results around Productivity and
Creativity are striking and have been consistent throughout the survey.
Productivity is triggered by three factors:
1. The people around the workplace
2. The ambiance and atmosphere within the workplace
3. The technology we are provided with
While Creativity is triggered by the same three factors, but not in the same priority:
1. The technology we are given to carry out our work
2. The ambiance and atmosphere around us
3. The people we work with
Creativity
People
Around
Ambiance
& Atmosphere
Technology
in
office
18-25yrs 26-35yrs 36-45yrs 46-55yrs 56-65yrs
Productivity
Technology
in
office
People
around
Ambiance
& Atmosphere
Creativity
People
Around
Ambiance
& Atmosphere
Technology
in
office
Productivity
Technology
in
office
People
around
Ambiance
& Atmosphere
Creativity
People
Around
Ambiance
& Atmosphere
Technology
in the
office
Figure 21: Creativity and Productivity: per age group, all countries
Productivity
Technology
in
office
People
around
Ambiance
& Atmosphere
The results demonstrate indirectly the importance of the physical environment in which we work, the
technological support provided and how interacting with other people is crucial to trigger our productivity
and creativity. Other factors contributing to increasing our productivity and creativity range from the company
culture, the workspace provided, Includeing access to private spaces, the attachment we place to working with
a team and access to knowledge. Chosing where and how to work is also a major factor for the Generation Y.
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Creativity
People
Around
Ambiance
& Atmosphere
Technology
in the
office
Productivity
Technology
in
office
People
Around
Ambiance
& Atmosphere
Creativity
Ambiance
& Atmosphere
People
Around
Technology
in the
office
Productivity
Technology
in
office
People
Around
Ambiance
& Atmosphere
Creativity:
the production and use of
unusual and creative ideas
Productivity:
the rate of which we
work, produce goods and
output to our company
Figure 22: Productivity: Generation Y, all countries
Recommendations
Privilege team work to boost creativity
Provide a wide range of workspace to support productivity
Provide the right technological support to employees to support productivity
Create a working environment with an ambiance and atmosphere which
promote interaction and team working
Technology + Ambiance & Atmosphere +
People around = Creativity and Productivity
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Photographer: Oriane Pesquier
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Behind Creativity & Productivity
Results:
One of the least understood implications of
the shift from an industrial to a service-based
design and knowledge economy is that the
physical workplace is becoming a key resource
in leveraging conversations, social learning,
collaboration and contemplation. Architects,
facilities managers, and furniture suppliers are
leading the charge in recognising that workplace
design influences performance. Strategic HR is
beginning to understand the role of the workplace
and workplace design in new ways of working 39 .
We all know from personal experience that
the quality of air and lighting in a workplace
can influence productivity. As the need for
effectiveness in complex social interactions
replaces the efficiency demands of routine
work, the psycho-social aspects of the working
environment become significant in influencing
productivity. Layout of primary spaces,
provision of common areas, and meeting and
learning spaces mediate our ability to interact
with colleagues in a visually and emotionally
stimulating environment 40&41 .
Measuring productivity is notoriously challenging.
Isolating the contribution of workplace design
characteristics from other elements of productivity
is not easy. There are suggestions that ‘knowledge
and understanding of productivity and workplace
design is its infancy’. Even so, there is accumulating
evidence that workplace design impacts positively
on workforce performance 42 .
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What is productivity and how does it differ from
performance? There is twenty years of research on
high-performance work systems centred around
organisational structures, systems and processes,
which all function together to create environments
that energise workforce competence 33&34 . This is
consistent with CEO responses in recent global
surveys. They said that business model innovation,
creating organisational capabilities to engage
in strategic partnerships and collaboration, and
availability of talented people are top priorities for
them in these difficult business conditions 45 .
The physical workplace is now a crucial additional
component to the high-performance work mix.
Environments for generating human capital are
created by job design, support for continuous
learning, challenging and meaningful work, and fair
reward. We have already noted that workplace design
can shape and influence work flows through layout
and spaces for different work modes. Organisational
sub-cultures can be so deeply engrained that colocation
does not prevent silo behaviour. Job design,
specifying joint responsibilities across cultural
boundaries, can be used to augment workplace
design to encourage collaboration.
According to the respondents, creativity in the
workplace is triggered mostly by the individuals
around you and your surrounding area, the
workplace and its ambiance and atmosphere. The
technology support is also nowadays essential and
becomes the third most important ingredient in
the recipe of creativity at work.
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Focus
Facilities Management Support Services
What reception services would you prefer to have?
What food facilities would you prefer to have in your workplace?
What social facilities would you prefer to have at work?
Overview
Employees always prefer having on-site facilities ranging from a reception to catering services and even
access to a range of social facilities, such as shops and gymnasiums. Demand and expectations for such
services in the workplace seem to be increasing with time and more real estate developers are offering
a wider range of facilities on site. Efforts to meet such a demand may in turn yield a sense of belonging
and possibly cohesion between employees and the workplace. However the cost of operating this type of
facilities in prime location, could be extravagant, and few property owners can actually offer it. Instead
the proximity of the workplace to a wide range of social facilities is often favoured.
The results:
Reception and Secruity
We have seen new workplace models offering a wide choice of facilities on site, with the objective
to recreate a sense of community and belonging to the space. This ‘streetscape’ concepts are more
common and increasing in demand particularly where security and access is an issue. 79% of The
Generation Y prefers at least a 5 Star service in the workplace (reception services and security guard)
with 37% a concierge type of service (54% in India).
Figure 23: Reception Services: Generation Y 18-25 yrs
old, all countries
The Generation Y preferences in particular are
very high compared to the rest of the sample,
with requirements for 5 stars to 7 stars services,
requesting a high level of reception services as far
as dedicated concierge services on-site. It follows
the Generation X requirements, but to a higher
service level.
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Figure 24: Level of services across the industry sectors, the age groups, per country.
The demand from females and males are equally very high, with male percentages higher than female.
We can observe some differences per industry sector, with the Finance and Media sectors having
higher requirements.
League table: Support Services
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When a campus is too big
it’s a waste of resources as
employees are not motivated to
use facilities if they are not
easily reachable.... Don’t forget
to right size the ‘perfect
workplace’…
Galith, 1984
India is the most demanding
country
The 18 to 25 yrs old are the
most demanding age group
The Finance Industry and
Media, Communication &
Marketing Industry are the
most demanding industry
sectors
Male employees are more
demanding than female
employees
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Catering and Social Facilities
Access to on-site catering services is also very broad, ranging from conventional staff restaurant /
canteen to snack bars and coffee shops on-site. Access to social space is also a preference: from shops
on site, which reflect a demand for multi-functional and mixed use facilities, to various type of venues
like bars, clubs and sport facilities.
Despite the fact we spend roughly 30% of our time working, preparing for work or thinking about
work, we also spend a considerable amount of time eating and drinking (actually 5 %) Eating is a very
important part of the day and some organisations are taking it very seriously by offering outstanding
catering services, healthy food options and generous subsidises. The 18-25 years old prefer coffee
shops (22%), snack facilities (18%) and kitchen facilities (18%).
Figure 25: Food Facilities on site, Generation Y, all countries
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Vending machines are clearly not a priority
(13%) in their world and they rather scroll
down the corridor and grab a coffee in
the coffee shop rather than attempting
to communicate with a machine. Neither
restaurant (14%) nor Refectory (14%) are a
favourite option. But the most striking result
is that the generation Y massively rejects
having no catering provisions on site, will only
2% of the 18-25 years old choosing not to
have any catering facilities on site.
The workplace becomes more than just a place to work: it is social structure. Equally 29% of the
Generation Y would like to have a gym on site and as well as communal facilities, demonstrating that the
workplace is more than a place to work, but also a place to socialise. The evidences demonstrate that
the younger generation is far more willing to engage with their workplace than older generation and use
the space a social playground.
Figure 26: Social Facilities on site, Generation Y, all countries
Recommendations
Access to social space is a preference; from shops on-site which reflects a demand for multi-functional
and mixed use facilities, to various types of venues like bars, clubs and sport facilities.
Privilege a high level of on site support services: on site reception and support desks
On-site facilities management services should be of high standard: finishes, cleaning, security
Access to social space and venues on-site should be considered
The presence of sport facilities on site or close by is recommended
A collection of shops and local amenities is preferable on site or withiin close proximity
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Focus
Environmental issues
How green would you like your workplace to be?
Overview
Environmental awareness is growing with time as more and more people are working towards becoming
environmentally friendly in the way they work and live. The green issue is also high on the corporate
agenda and more organisations are setting carbon footprint reduction targets and making their facilities
BREAM or LEED compliant. Enhancing a more sustainable way of working and a ‘greener’ workplace
environment is favoured by many Generation Y respondents. Walking to work, recycling, on-site wind
farms, relying on natural light rather than artificial are among many ways of working in a ‘greener’
workplace environment. However, achieving a green way of working and operating your facilities require
involvement of the users, the employees, and a transformation of the culture within an organisation.
The results:
We know the Generation Y will be the generation to carry the load of years of environmental damages
and neglect. They are embracing sustainability and the Generation Z, the generation that will follow
Generation Y, are even more modeled around the concept of sustainability. The results reflect this
new way of living with 96% of the 18-25 years old aspire to work in a greener office against 98% of the
26-35years old. Actually the 26-35 years old are far more focused on environmental issues than the 18-
25 years old with 67% who want their workplace to be environmentally friendly, i.e. well above regulatory
compliance, against 57% for the 18-25 years old.
The results reflect this new way of living and that the Generation Y aspires to work in a greener office.
They are eager to embrace an environmental way of working and see evidence of a green workplace.
Their preferences for an environmentally focused working environment are very strong; not only in the
physical aspects of the workplace, but also in their way of working: flexible working, travel patterns etc.
Figure 27: Environmental Workplace: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old, all countries
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Environmentally
Compliant
Compliant with environmental
legislation Compliance maintained
by resources required and
integrated into workplace
management where appropriate
Annually assess compliance.
Environmentally friendly
LEED or BREEAM assessed (including BREEAM In-use self
assessment tool) Incorporate environmental considerations into any
workplace changes/procurement Actively engage and educate staff in
how to be environmentally friendly in the workplace Certified or align
with ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems Compliant with
environmental legislation Set environmental improvement targets and
programmes to achieve these Monitor environmental performance of
the workplace and look for continuous improvement options.
Figure 28: Environmental requirements for the workplace – per age group, all countries
Figure 29a: Environmental requirements for the workplace – 18-25 years old, per countries
These two young generations are eager to embrace an environmental way of working and employers
must adopt a green office environment to attract and retain these young employees.
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Environmentally aware
Encourage staff to have an
environmental awareness Seeking
LEED or BREEAM assessment
Compliant with environmental
legislation Monitor the environmental
performance of the workplace Have
some environmental management
programmes in place to minimise impact.
But they are not the only generation calling for green employers. The older generations are even
greener, with a mere 2% of our 26-35 years old looking for barely compliant employers.
67

Figure 29b: Environmental requirements for the workplace per industry sector, 18-25 years old
If we look closely to the 18-25 years group per country, we can notice some differences, but overall, the
generation Y is expecting a green deal from their employer and evidence of environmental solutions
within their working environment. However we can notice that, compared to the average global sample,
a significantly high percentage of Chinese 18-25 years old (7% against 4% for the global result) are
actually only expecting their employer to be compliant with the environmental legislation and not go
beyond minimum compliance.
Green policies in the workplace do matter and we can observe some differences per industry sector.
The Art & Design industry is more sensitive to green issues at work compared to the Media, Marketing
& Communications Industry and Engineering Industry, with 99% of the respondents in this industry and
between the ages of 18-25 years old who want obvious evidence of green policies in the workplace.
Finance is the industry sector the most looking for employers above environmental compliance, while
the Media and Engineering sectors want workplace which exhibit greener policies than others.
What are we looking for in the workplace?
70.3% want to have recycling bins
47.4% want a water saving devices
52.7% want stand by devices on all electrical equipment
71.6% want to share printers in the office
47% want solar panels on site
Preferences for an environmentally focused working environment are very strong; not only in the
physical aspects of the workplace, but also in their way of working: flexible working, travel patterns etc,
as we noticed earlier.
Recommendations
Employers must go beyond minimum environmental compliance
Evidence of green solutions in the workplace are required
Employers must embrace green policies in the day-to-day organisational activities
The older generations are even more focused on having a environmentally workplace than the
younger generation
All generations are looking for a green deal at work
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70
Workplace
Focus:
What type of design would you prefer to have?
What colours would you prefer to have in the workspace?
What kind of flooring would you prefer in your workspace?
What level of lighting works best for you?
How much art work would you prefer to see within your working environment?
Overview:
The role of design in the workplace can influence employees’ attitude and behaviour and well being within
their working environment. Subtle colours, wooden floors and natural lighting are often favoured in their
workspace. The psychology of the working environment can have major influences on your well-being in
the workplace. Over the years, we have seen that good designs can have a great impact on workplace wellbeing
and the emotional engagement that employees have with their working environment.
Results:
Style:
This young generation is an emotionally engaged workforce. They aspire to work in a bright, light and
open working environment. 59% tend to prefer a modern to minimalist workplace interior with subtle,
clinical and relaxing colours. Only 12% would like to see vibrant colours in their working environment,
and only 9% prefer a classic style. The Chinese 18-25 years old are more attracted by minimalist
environments compared to the other countries we studied. The interior they aspire to work in is also
subtle and even clinical. The UK 18-25 years old is the only group which requires more vibrant colours in
the workplace.
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A crisp, clean, private when
necessary - both visual and
noise distractions must be
able to be shut out entirely.
Brightness of work space must
be as controllable as the noise.
Moxie, 1992
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Figure 30: Preferred style in the workplace per age group and country
Figure 31: Colours on the wall – 18-25 yrs old, all countries
Overall, the generation Y tends to prefer subtle, relaxing and
clinical colours on the wall, contrary to common belief that this
generation is extravagant in their style.
Global WorkPlace Innovation
We can observe greater variations of
choice per gender as 54% of female
would like a modern interior against
39% of male. It is also interesting to
see that 17% of men would prefer
a minimalist working environment
against only 7% of women. Women
have also a tendency to prefer more
natural finished than men.
No matter how much time and
effort you put into making the
quality of the surroundings,
it’s the mood created by
the workers which make the
workplace. A happy workforce
is a better one!
Alex, 1988
Figure 32: Style per gender - 18-25 years old
The style they aspire to see in their office is modern and contemporary rather than minimalist and
classic. These results are actually comparable to other age group and a general trend across the data
sample we collected.
Figure 33: Finishes per gender – 18-25 years old
The level of finishes is something we notice very easily when entering any workplace and clearly
it matters to the generation Y. They prefer more natural and soft finishes and do not aspire to see
industrial, cold rough finishes like tiles, concrete or the old vinyl type of floors. The Chinese are the
most attracted to hard surfaces like tiles, but by only 11% of the 18-25 years old. The Indian Generation
Y is keen on soft finishes like carpets with 35% preferring it against only 28% of the UK 18-25 years old.
60% of the US 18 to 25 years old prefer natural finishes like wood against 40% of the Chinese.
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Figure 34: Preferred finishes in the workplace per age group and country
82% of the genration Y prefers to have natural floor finishes like wood and carpet, offering a soft touch
and feel on their environment.
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Lighting
As 61% prefer a natural and/or artificial lighting and 33% a half artificial/half natural lighting in their
office, it is evident that the layout of the workplace must be careful designed to respond to these needs.
We all know from personal experience that the quality of air and lighting in a workplace can influence
productivity and well being. As the need for effectiveness in complex social interactions replace the
efficiency demands of routine work, the psycho-social aspects of the working environment become
significant in influencing productivity. Layout of primary spaces, provision of common areas as well as
meeting and learning spaces mediate our ability to interact with colleagues in a visually and emotionally
stimulating environment 46&47 .
Figure 35: Level of Lighting in the office
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Art @ work
The question of Art in the workplace is very controversial as not everybody appreciates nor likes Art.
Often Art is an exhibition of wealth and the common understanding is that if an organisation can afford
to invest into Art, then it is a wealthy organisation. Although the reality of corporate investment into Art
is somehow very different:
Art could be a stable financial investment and a demonstration of an organisation capital investment
Art is often used to promote local talent and support local communities
Art is a symbol to promote a company culture, tradition and values
Art is decorative as designer furniture are
Art is inviting employees to explore new horizons
Art gives an identity to a space
It is also argued that Artwork can provide a well-needed distraction to prevent excessive concentration
on a computer monitor and if the workforce is in a creative industry, then displaying art can provide
inspiration, trigger creativity and impact on productivity.
So how does this question of Art matters to the Generation Y? Is Art an important element in our
working environment?
Overall, across our sample of respondents, 59% agreed that a little presence of Art in the office is
enough. Only 8% prefer a lot of Art in the office, with 3% actually having no particular attraction to Art in
the workplace.
Figure 36: Level of Art in the workplace - 18-25 yrs old,
all countries
Particularly, the Art & Design sector leads the way with 23% of their respondent preferring a lot of Art in
their workplace, against only 3% in the financial sector but still being the sector with the highest demand
for Art in the Workplace with the Media, Marketing and Communication Sector.
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Recommendations:
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
Exactly the same answers applied to the Generation X. These
results demonstrate that the Generation Y does not differ from
the overall global sample and overall Art has a little importance
in the workplace. However if we breakdown the answers per
industry sector, we can start to observe major differences.
Figure 37: Preferences for Art in the workplace per industry sector, 18-25 years old, all countries
Preferences in terms of the look and feel of the working environment are also interesting.
Natural finishes are a preference across the sample of respondents and the majority privileged
natural features
Offer a modern, open and light working environment
Privilege natural fittings and lighting around the working environment
Consider Art in the working environment
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Global WorkPlace Innovation
Photographer: Oriane Pesquier
Emotional Engagement
Emotional engagements is elusive and no
wonder since it encompasses strength of feeling
towards work, our colleagues and our physical
surroundings, all of which interact in non-simple
ways. Achieving emotional engagement is the
holy grail of workplace design in the emerging
innovation age, where knowledge is created and
shared through networks. Understanding how
people work and socialise in networks, and how
their workplace environments help or hinder them,
is now fundamental and urgent.
Emotional engagement is an outcome of the
strength of feeling we have towards work, our
colleagues and our physical surroundings, all of
which interact in non-simple ways. It is influenced
by having the opportunity, desire and the right
sort of environments, which allow us to connect
with work and each other 49 . Achieving emotional
engagement is the holy grail of workplace design
in the emerging innovation age, where knowledge
is created and shared through networks.
Understanding how people work and socialise in
networks, and how their workplace environments
help or hinder them, is now fundamental and urgent.
An overwhelming amount has been written about
how to influence intrinsic motivation, a close
relative of emotional engagement, by focusing on
combinations of social relationships, technology,
job design and business processes. The role
of the workplace is rarely considered. That is
changing rapidly. The workplace is taking centrestage
as people come together to socialise,
collaborate and learn. We also need space for
isolation and contemplation.
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“Engagement is about creating
opportunities for employees to connect
with their colleagues, managers
and wider organisation. It is also
about creating an environment where
employees are motivated to want to
connect with their work and really
care about doing a good job.” 48
Enterprises are fragmenting into eco-systems
of partnerships and nomadic work-on-the-go is
normal. Consequently workplaces are themselves
transforming, kaleidoscope-like, into patterns
of distributed and virtual configurations. The
plethora of public spaces available through wifi
allows permanently connected knowledge workers
choice in where they work based on what mood
they are in, what they have to do and who they
have to be with. This self-determination satisfies
their emotional needs.
“It is becoming commonplace for a cafe to be
full of people ... more engaged with their in-box
than with the people touching their elbows. These
places are physically inhabited but psychologically
evacuated ”
The Economist 50 .
It is conceivable that there might come a day when
offices are no longer considered necessary and
knowledge workers, like armies of freelancers
currently do, take responsibility for sourcing
their own workspaces. For the moment though,
the provision of appropriate workplaces remains
largely with employers. Observations from hybrid
‘third places’, public spaces and workspaces away
from the office environment, show that emotional
engagement is about much more than the physical
workplace. It is no longer enough that people
are co-located; they are more often interested in
what’s happening on their digital devices than
the people sitting next to them. Space can be
physically inhabited but psychologically evacuated 51 .
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Focus
Workspace
What individual workspace would you prefer to have?
Would you like to personalise your desk?
What size of workspace would you feel comfortable with?
Overview
Within the working environment all employees would like to have their own desk. People feel that by
having a desk it provides them with a sense of status and a form of identity. The tendency in Europe
is to have one desk per person. In recent years, organisations have introduced clean desk policies and
are encouraging their employees to depersonalise their space. But our emotional engagement in the
workplace often means that this sense of belonging within the space is often link to our perception of
individual space. Emotional engagement is an outcome of the strength of feeling we have towards work,
our colleagues and our physical surroundings, all of which interact in complex ways. It is influenced
by having the opportunity, the desire and the right sort of environments, which allows us to connect
with work and each other. Understanding how people work and socialise in networks, and how their
workplace environments help or hinder them, is now fundamental. The role of the workplace is rarely
considered, but that is changing rapidly. The workplace is taking centre-stage as people come together
to socialise, collaborate and learn. Simultaneously, we also need space for isolation and contemplation.
Results:
Global WorkPlace Innovation
The environment should
be harmonious providing
opportunities to learn, to
collaborate and help the employee
to achieve maximum productivity
as well as providing a good
opportunity for his or her own
growth and their goals.
Nitin, 1988
The physical workplace is an asset with quantifiable business impact and top-performing companies
design their workplaces to support collaborating, learning, socialising and focusing This includes
primary workspaces, common areas, meeting areas and training areas . Although essential, this is
not enough. Job design, where joint responsibilities are allocated across cultural boundaries, is also
essential. A whole system approach ,
integrating strategic IT, HR and workplace
design, is essential to enable emotional
engagement in the workplace 51 .
Figure 38: Comfort with Space: all respondents – per country
The level of comfort with space varies widely depending on the country, the culture and age groups.
Overall, we can observe that the majority of people are comfortable in a measure of space of 10 to 16
square meters (107 to 170 square feet), which is a normal and fairly standard average. We could have
expected much higher figures and measures of scale, on the basis than the perception of more space is
always wanted.
Again, here amongst the generation Y, women feel more comfortable in a larger space than men.
Figure 39: Level of comfort with space, sqm per person, 18-25 years old
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Quality over Quantity
(of space, and amenities).
Efficient workspaces
promote efficiency.
Molly, 1982
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Figure 40: Individual workspace: Gen Y 18-25 yrs old, all countries
On top of their emotional engagement with their workspace, the generation Y are also territorial and want
to call their space their own. 70% of the generation Y respondents prefer to have their own desk and as
mentioned earlier, personalise them. Less than a quarter (18%) are open to share their space with other
individuals and even less to access a hot desk or hotel desk while at work. These results demonstrate a
certain lack of collectivism of this workforce, but a need to find an identity within their workspace and how
they are attached and perceive their environment.
Figure 41: Individual space preferred at work, 18-25 years old, per country
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Brake the spatial design
rules. Cheaper and faster
is sometimes better for the
office environment.
Esmi, 1981
Some countries offer far more potential to embrace flexible working. China compared to the US is far
less dependent on personal space. With 80% of the young American preferring to have their own desk
against only 55% of the Chinese. The potential for desk sharing is also far greater in China than in any
other country we studied, with 27% of the 18-25 years old ready to share a desk and 18% who would
consider using a hot desk.
Recommendations:
Dedicated individual spaces are a necessity
Identify potential to introduce desk sharing for nearly a fifth of the young workforce
Promote flexible working policies
Impose clean desk policies to boost desk sharing
Allow for moderate personalisation of individual spaces while at work
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Global WorkPlace Innovation
Social Networking
Scanning the multitude of media pronouncements
on Generation Y, you could be forgiven for
thinking that the demographic deficit of retiring
Baby Boomers and insufficient Generation Y
replacements is why we are all so interested in
them. But the numbers game is not it. No, it is the
social revolution they are triggering. Youth culture
operates through “self-constructed networks of
shared social practice and sets behavioural trends
that influence people of all ages”. We know that
connecting, talking, sharing, tagging, and creating
and distributing content is a natural behaviour
for them. They are taking their social habits
into the workplace to the enormous advantage
of enterprises, which have not yet realised it!
Employ a member of Generation Y and you get
the advantage of their entire network, which they
bring with them to work every day through their
permanent connectivity.
Among the social networking sites queried in
Oxygenz, Facebook was the overwhelming choice
of both females & males. There were slight
tendencies (maybe suggestive; maybe not) for
Facebook and MySpace to be slightly more popular
among females than males, while LinkedIn may
have been slightly more popular among males
than females.
Not that all employers see this networked
sociability as an advantage. A fear of time-wasting
has led to many organisations banning access to
social networking sites. This might just be a futile
attempt to hold back the tide. A swell of online
articles, blogs, publications 56 , research and books
indicate a growing appreciation of the business
advantages of social networking technologies.
Generation Y themselves will force change as they
seek out employers of choice.
Adoption of enterprise social networking will
accelerate as Generation Y makes their presence
felt in the workplace 57 .
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Too much emphasis these days
is put on self. I’d like to see
people recognizing that team
effort towards a common goal
is in your best interest.
Ledine, 1970
Core elements of social networking technologies
are profiles, ‘friends’ that constitute a selfdefined
social group, and a comments function where
public interactions and relationships with others
are displayed . How is Generation Y using social
networking technologies? According to Joshua
March, CEO of iPlatform and himself in the
Generation Y demographic, “Generation Y is
Facebook ‘friend’ widely. Status updates through
Facebook or Twitter begins to be more engaging
as you elect to follow what others say.
Communication within a wider network of weaker
connections creates opportunity for ‘water cooler’
conversations and the opportunity to get to know
a larger and more diverse group than would be
possible face-to-face.”
So what’s the business advantage? Social
technologies reveal who is connected to whom and
amplify collective intelligence within and across
enterprise boundaries. Used in a corporate setting,
the technologies connect previously unknown
colleagues around common interests and specific
topics, exchanging, sharing, learning and finding
answers. They show who the high-performers are,
where value is created, who creates it, and the
roles key people play in sourcing and acting on
new, value-creating knowledge. Another benefit of
the technologies is that they shrink social distance
within a distributed workforce.
Generation Y have unleashed the social
networking genie. Smart businesses know that
technologies are not going back in the bottle and
are learning to embrace the social revolution,
adapting their business processes and ways of
working and managing.
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Collaborative Working Environment
Focus:
What collaborative environment would you prefer to have?
Overview:
The synergy and cooperation within teams and individuals in the workforce tends to highlight the overall
collaborative environment. Whilst some prefer to have formal meeting rooms at work, others prefer
informal, break-out areas and a desk-sharing system. Some may prefer team workspaces and on-demand
meeting rooms (i.e. room booking systems). Social networking feeds into this as well. But it is important
to understand why people go to the office and what the purpose is of collaboration in the working
environment. We know from previous studies on ways of working (Flexible Working Survey 2009, www.
globalworkplaceinnovation.com) that nearly ¾ of individuals that have a flexible working pattern, go to
the office primarily to meet and collaborate. Collaborative working environments are therefore extremely
important. Collaborative working environments are therefore extremely important.
Results
The Generation Y is a social and collaborative workforce. Their relation to space is visible and open.
They are far more comfortable in large and open environments and feel comfortable in at least 10 sqm:
small and confined spaces do not appeal to them as much.
The way we communicate at work and with colleagues has dramatically changed over the last five years
and the concept of the network is far more embedded in Generation Y than previous generations. The
Generation Y people are social animals and are at ease about communicating remotely and using web
2.0 technologies. A very large majority of the Generation Y (73%) favour informal breakout spaces and
ad hoc meeting spaces rather formal meeting rooms to collaborate.
Figure 42: Collaborative Environment: Gen Y
18-25 yrs old, all countries
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Access to collaborative working environment
in the 21st century workplace is clearly
unavoidable. When most workplaces only
dedicate at the most, 30% of their space to
meeting rooms and 70% of the space to desks,
the reverse balance seems to be the answer to
satisfy the younger generation at work. 25%
of people in workplaces want to use formal
meeting rooms while 41% are more attracted
to dedicated team workspaces and 32%
prefer to have access to breakout spaces. The
preferences are shifting towards the use of
informal spaces, rather than formal.
Figure 43: Access to collaborative spaces, 18-25 years old, per country
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
Everything depends on the
culture of the company. The
policies of the company should
be to encourage employees
to work in teams, to think
about their colleagues before
themselves.
Jaydeep, 1983
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The US 18-25 years old appear to have the highest demand for dedicated team workspaces, compared to
the other country we studied. With 47% of the respondents who prefer access to dedicated collaborative
workspaces, against 38% for the UK, 42% for India and 37% for China. Breakout spaces are also in
demand, both bookable spaces and informal one. China is particularly leading with 43% of the 18-25
years old attracted to this type of space to collaborate, against 28.3% on average for the rest of the
sample studied.
Figure 44: Choice of collaborative space: per age group
The most important
thing for me is to feel
as if the work I am
doing is worthwhile and
appreciated by others.
Jacquelyn, 1989
Global WorkPlace Innovation
We can observe major differences between the Generation Y and the Generation X. The older generation
are moving away from traditional meeting places towards the use of more informal meeting spaces, even
as far as abandoning team spaces, most preferred by the generation Y.
Figure 45: Choice of collaborative space: per industry sector, all ages
The results per industry sector are even more striking, showing major differences in their ways of
working and cultural differences at work.
The Art & Design industry is demonstrating how much their creativity depends on having a
workplace focused on collaboration
The Engineering industry is focused on team based activities
The Media industry prefers access to a large amount of breakout spaces
The Finance sector is more anchored in formal meeting spaces
Recommendations:
Team workspaces should be present in every workplace
Access to informal collaborative spaces (like breakout spaces) rather than formal meeting rooms
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Global WorkPlace Innovation
Technology
Focus:
What technologies are you expecting and prefer to have in your workplace?
Overview:
The presence of technology in the workplace and our day-to-day life has forced change in the workplace:
from the integration of advanced technological solutions in our working environment to enhancing our ways
of working, communicating and collaborating in the workplace. Having access to printers, laptops and other
technological facilities is key to enhance an effective workplace nowadays. Other technologies similar to
emails, on-line company chat systems and so on, make it relatively easy to communicate and interact with
co-worker. Many of the respondents favoured such technologies to be present in their workplace.
The workplace of the future will embrace more technological innovation, smarter, seamless and sensory.
The level of productivity is expected to increase and our level of creativity be enhanced by the use of
technologies. Today the Generation Y seems to depend on technology so much, even in their personal
lives, that it is crucial to consider the place of technology at work.
Results:
Very high
expectations
Very high
expectations
The technology results demonstrate that it is important
to consider the role of technologies in tomorrow’s
workplace and for the Generation Y. This generation
of 18 – 25 years old has grown up with technology in
their day-to-day environment and it is ‘normal’ and
‘expected’ for them to have technologies at work, as
good as what they have at home, if not better.
Their level of expectation is very high, which demonstrate
that they would pay attention to it when looking for a job.
They also attach a lot of importance to the provision of
technologies within their working environment.
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Importance
Mobile phone Top 1 53.1% 56.7% gave it: very high importance
Laptop Top 2 52.8% 49% gave it: very high importance
Organiser /
Blackberry
Top 3 46.0% 52.5% gave it: very high importance
Printer Top 4 38.5% 44.9% gave it: very high importance
Recommendations
Mobile technology is a priority
Mobile and portable technologies should
be provided as a priority; laptop rather
than PC desktops, Blackberry rather than
mobile phones
Limit the provision of printers on desks and
promote clean desk policies
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How technology is transforming work
Enter any workplace today and you will find
technology at the core of its operations. Whether
it’s an office or industrial environment - wireless
networking, automation, instant messaging and
virtual meetings are all playing a fundamental
role in transforming how business is conducted
globally. Moving forward, technologies will create
a faster support infrastructure, more flexible
workplaces that enable businesses to meet
the evolving demands from their customers.
Workplaces have undergone dramatic changes
during the last number of decades as society
makes the transition from an industrial age
to a knowledge age. In the wake of these
transformations, new work styles, locations and
patterns are underpinning the changes being
experienced in the workplace today. This is giving
rise to a better connected, more competitive
and increasingly complex work environment
including key features like the emerging trend
of knowledge work; the changing demand for
flexible employment contracts giving rise to leaner
organisations; and, the increased number of
mobile workers.
Figure 46: The Smart Workplace 2030 – Johnson Controls © 2009
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Technology is the most important factor
influencing and enabling the scale of change
within workplaces even today. As a result of the
exponential technological developments, we are
witnessing unprecedented and irreversible changes
in our society. These changes are affecting the
way we work and live, influencing our strategic
business decision and direction of the workplace.
Research analysts at Gartner 59 identify ten
technologies they believe will be of strategic
importance. Virtualization. Virtualization to
eliminate duplicate copies of data on the real
storage devices while maintaining the illusion
to the accessing systems that the files are
as originally stored (data deduplication) can
significantly decrease the cost of storage devices
and media to hold information.
Cloud Computing - Cloud computing is a
style of computing that characterizes a model in
which providers deliver a variety of IT-enabled
capabilities to consumers.
Servers - Beyond Blades -This evolution
will simplify the provisioning of capacity to meet
growing needs. The organization tracks the
various resource types, for example, memory,
separately and replenishes only the type that is in
short supply.
Web-Oriented Architectures - The Internet
is arguably the best example of an agile,
interoperable and scalable service-oriented
environment in existence.
EnterpriseMashups - Through 2010, the
enterprise mashup product environment will
experience significant flux and consolidation,
and application architects and IT leaders should
investigate this growing space for the significant
and transformational potential it may offer their
enterprises.
Specialized Systems - Heterogeneous systems
are an emerging trend in high-performance
computing to address the requirements of the
most demanding workloads, and this approach
will eventually reach the general-purpose
computing market.
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
Social Software and Social Networking
Organizations should consider adding a social
dimension to a conventional Web site or
application and should adopt a social platform
sooner, rather than later.
Unified Communications - This change is
driven by increases in the capability of application
servers and the general shift of communications
applications to common off-the-shelf server and
operating systems.
Business Intelligence - Business Intelligence
(BI) can have a direct positive impact on a company’s
business performance, dramatically improving
its ability to accomplish its mission by making
smarter decisions at every level of the business from
corporate strategy to operational processes.
Green IT - Shifting to more efficient products
and approaches can allow for more equipment
to fit within an energy footprint, or to fit into a
previously filled center.
Despite the transforming potential of technology,
attitudes and mindsets are much slower to
change. Supporting systems, structures, business
processes, and new ways of working and thinking
need to be put in place to realise truly radical
workplace transformation.
Source http://www.gartner.com/it/page.
jsp?id=777212
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Photographer: Oriane Pesquier
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Conclusion
The 18 – 25 years old have never known anything
but economic growth and prosperity until last
year. How will their expectations and behaviour
change in the face of the unfolding mayhem in the
financial markets? We have yet to feel the full force
of this global event. Will Generation Y continue
to be such a special generation, feted and wooed
for their talent, if the balance of power reverts to
employers as labour markets tighten?
It remains crucially important to understand
what matters most to the 18 – 25 years old.
The data reveals a fascinating insight into this
new generation and how they are and behave
compared to previous one.
So, what has the OXYGENZ research told us about
the workplace preferences of Generation Y. Based
on the data collected over the course of the
survey, we can summarise the following:
Buildings should be located in an urban or
slightly urban setting
There should be a provision for employees
to primarily use public transport to work,
car sharing schemes incentives policies and
limited car parking facilities if possible
The working environment should predominantly:
Be modern with subtle and relaxing colours
Have a blend of natural and artificial lighting
Have natural floor finishes
Contain subtle art
Strong consideration should be given to
environmental measures and sustainable
ways of working in the workplace
Workstations should be dedicated
to individuals with the ability to be
personalised by the occupant
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
Desk sharing should be introduced to
boost flexible working and increase desk
to people ratios
The space allocated to each desk should
remain within average occupancy standards
of 8 to 12 sqm per head)
The workplace should provide a broad
range of support spaces to support
different ways of working but most
importantly, should include informal
space to breakout and collaborate with
colleagues as much as possible
People should be allowed to work in a mobile
way (on and off campus/business park) with
the ability to flex their working hours
The facilities services should be of a
high standard with access to a range of
on-site catering services from formal
restaurants to cafes
Access to communal facilities such as
a gym, gardens, bars and clubs and
commercial facilities like banks and
hairdressers should be provided
The workplace should be designed to
support social interaction and provide
opportunities for learning
The ambiance and atmosphere of
the workplace is also important – the
workplace should be used to communicate
corporate culture and values, engage
employees with their colleagues, a major
factor to increase creativity
Technology in the workplace should be
incorporated to maximise productivity
facilitating virtual and face to face engagement
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World
301118 to 25 year old
Location
respondents: {
71% would prefer to work in an urban
setting against 29% in a rural setting.
A modern or contemporary style with
subtle; clinical, relaxing colors.
39% would prefer only natural light in
their working environment.
All countries: 18-25 years old preferences and
expectations for working.
57% would prefer to have an employer which
provides a workplace which goes beyond
environmentally compliance.
Representing 57.3% of the total sample
50.3% of males and
49.7% of females
55.6% of respondents are studying
Global WorkPlace Innovation
All countries: 18-25 years old individual space
preferences.
Travel
40% by car of which 30% would prefer to
drive a hybrid car
14% cycling
10% by motorcycle or scooter
19% by public transport
17% walking
Top 3 priorities when chosing an employer:
1. Opportunities for Learning
2. Quality of Life
3. Work Colleagues
Conclusion Continued...
It is conceivable that there might come a day when
offices are no longer considered necessary. For
the moment though, the provision of appropriate
workplaces remains largely with employers. Our
results and our observations show that individual
engage with their working environments and the
people around them.
There is a common belief that people are more
often interested in what’s happening on their
digital devices than the people sitting next to them.
But the Oxygenz results demonstrate again that
work is inherently social. Organisations now have
the opportunity to view the Generation Y sociability
as a source of business advantages, giving them
access to the collective intelligence available across
organisational boundaries and contained within
Generation Y’s extended personal networks.
Recognising the value of networked sociability and
enabling it through the design of the workplace
and organisational support environments will
allow businesses to tap into the powerhouse of the
Generation Y energy, innovation, knowledge and
creative potential.
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
Recommendations:
Having understood the workplace preferences of
Generation Y, it is important to understand the
implication of the findings for employers, facilities
managers and real estate owners and investors.
Success will be about compromise and determining
the essentials versus the nice to haves.
Location:
Urban to Slightly Urban
Design:
Modern, well light, subtle with natural and soft
materials
Sustainability:
Strong emphasis on sustainable ways of
working
Provision for employees to drive and use
public
Transport, promoting cycling to work
Functionality:
Dedicated desks with scope for sharing
Space per desk above average standard
Wide range of support environments
Range of different support environments
Supporting flexibility in terms of time and
location is key
Support social interaction and opportunities
for learning
Facilities:
Very high standard of facility services
Access to social facilities
Technology:
Seamlessly incorporated to enhance productivity
Mobile technology should be a priority
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897
Location
India
Total number of
Generation Y
respondents in India:{
84% would prefer to work in an urban
setting against 16% in a rural setting.
A more modern rather than contemporary
style with subtle; clinical and relaxing,
vibrant and colourful interior.
Only 30% would prefer only natural light
in their working environment.
India: 18-25 years old preferences and
expectations for working patterns
62% would prefer to have an employer which
provides a workplace which goes beyond
environmentally compliance.
80% are between 18-25 years old
(68% of males and 32% of females)
75% of respondents are studying
Travel
Global WorkPlace Innovation
India: 18-25 years old individual space preferences
75% prefer to work in mobile way but 92% would
like to personalise their individual space.
49% by car of which 65% would prefer to
drive a hybrid car
8% cycling
18% by motorcycle or scooter
16% by public transport
9% walking
Top 3 priorities when chosing an employer:
1. Opportunities for Learning
2. Quality of Life
3. Meaningful Work
660
Location
China
Total number of
Generation Y
respondents in China:{
70% would prefer to work in an urban
setting against 29% in a rural setting.
A more modern rather than contemporary
style with subtle; clinical colors.
Only 28% would prefer only natural light
in their working environment.
China: 18-25 years old preferences and
expectations for working patterns
59% would prefer to have an employer which
provides a workplace which goes beyond
environmentally compliance.
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
74% are between 18-25 years old
(31% of males and 69% of females)
67% of respondents are studying
China: 18-25 years old individual space preferences
77% prefer to work in mobile way but 94% would
like to personalise their individual space.
Travel
21% by car and of which 48% would prefer
to drive a hybrid car.
19% cycling.
9% by motorcycle or scooter.
31% by public transport.
19% walking
Top 3 priorities when chosing an employer:
1. Opportunities for Learning
2. Advancement and promotions
3. Quality of Life
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USA
1217
Total number of
Generation Y
respondents in USA:{
Location
79% would prefer to work in an urban
setting against 21% in a rural setting
A modern or contemporary style with
subtle; clinical and relaxing colors
47% would prefer only natural light in
their working environment
USA: 18-25 years old preferences and expectations
for working patterns.
51% would prefer to have an employer which
provides a workplace which goes beyond
environmentally compliance.
44.3% are between 18-25 years old
(46% of males and 54% of females)
77.9% of respondents are studying
Travel
Global WorkPlace Innovation
USA: 18-25 years old individual space preferences.
78% prefer to work in a mobile way but 89% would
like to personalise their individual space.
51% by car and 34% would prefer to drive
a hybrid car
7% cycling
9% by motorcycle or scooter
15% by public transport
18% walking
Top 3 priorities when chosing an employer:
1. Meaningful Work
2. Quality of Life
3. Work Colleagues
607
Location
UK
Total number of
Generation Y
respondents in UK:{
73% would prefer to work in an urban
setting against 27% in a rural setting
A modern or contemporary style with
subtle; clinical, relaxing and vibrant colors
48% would prefer only natural light in
their working environment
UK: 18-25 years old preferences and expectations
for working
61% would prefer to have an employer which
provides a workplace which goes beyond
environmentally compliance.
Copyright © 2010, Johnson Controls. Confidential. All Rights Reserved.
Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
47.1% are between 18-25 years old
(50.25% of males & 49.75% of females)
55.6% of respondents are studying
UK: 18-25 years old individual space preferences
82% prefer to work in a mobile way but 89% would
like to personalise their individual space.
Travel
34% by car, and 30% would prefer to drive
a hybrid car
12% cycling
7% by motorcycle or scooter
16% by public transport
30% walking
Top 3 priorities when chosing an employer:
1. Work Colleagues
2. Opportunities for Learning
3. Meaningful Work
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Location
Cost
Efficiency
Infrastructure
Travel
Support Services
Reception
IT
Environmental Policies
Design
Image
Style
Atmosphere
Work settings
Individual space
Collaborative space
Shared space
Support space
Virtual space
Work style
Mobility status
HR Contract
Working patterns
Managerial Style
Sustainability
Green
Socialability
Real Estate
Facilities
Management
Workplace
Human
Resources
Social
Structure
Technology
Platform
Networked
Way of Working
Mobile
ITWeb2.0 Platform
Cloud
Global WorkPlace Innovation
A Workplace to
attract and retain
talent from the
Generation Y
A sustainable
and social
structure and
a physical
and virtual
environment in
which people
work, evolve
and grow as
individuals and
teams.
What are the implications for employers?
If we explore now the implications for, employers, real estate owners and investors and facilities
managers and service providers, as well as human resources strategies, we recommend our Industry to
consider the following issues:
Real Estate
It is clear that Generation Y would prefer an urbanised location however this conflicts with their
preference to drive to work.
An urban location will contribute to meeting a number of other key preferences such as:
The ability to leverage public transport networks contributing to more sustainable ways
of working.
Access to social and commercial facilities such as gyms, restaurants and bars.
The city can be an extension of the working environment facilitating collaboration and creativity
in a non-office environment.
An urban location will most likely be the more expensive location when compared with business
parks and rural locations however the urban location does allow an employer to tick a number of
the Generation Y boxes.
Hidden costs such as providing dedicated, on-site facilities may need to be considered when
comparing potential locations.
Facilities Management
FM today is just as much about supporting people as it is managing buildings. The preference of
Generation Y suggest that this will need to go further in the future providing high quality people focused
services akin with a hotel concierge.
FM will need to work closer with HR and RE to clearly articulate the business benefits of improving
service quality and providing subsidised or on-site access to social and commercial facilities.
Sustainability will be key and should be front and centre in the workplace and an factor of choice
for the generation y when choosing an organisation and an employer.
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Workplace
There is a clear preference for flexible working and being able to choose when and where to
conduct work with the ultimate aim of achieving a sustainable work / life balance
This contrasts with the Generation Y’s preference for dedicated workstations and the ability to
personalise their work space as they are able to personalise their web applications to establish
their own identity
The desire to work with slightly more than the recommended amount of space per workstation
was also reflected but is not critical if addressed carefully
While the financial benefits of flexible working are clear work will have to be done with the
Generation Y to help them to trade their dedicated desk for mobility and team oriented spaces
Because the possibility exists (due to technology) for the Generation Y to work in any location the
workplace needs to be less structured and focus on supporting a mixture of work settings
Work setting “choice” is key not only in the designated office but also in urban space in the form
of public amenities and community spaces supported by technology
What has been very evident in the Oxygenz survey is that the Generation Y three important
factors are “Opportunities for Learning”, “Quality of Life” and “Work Colleagues”,
Their creativity and productivity is triggered by three major factors: “The people around them”,
colleagues and collaborators, “The ambiance and atmosphere” in the workplace through the
design, layout and facilities but also people, and “The technology” solutions they are provided with.
Information Technology / Web 2.0 platform
Employees must provide the latest range of mobile technologies
Sharing printing facilities must be widely accepted and promoted
Access to social networking tool during work is recommended and should not be neglected as a
powerful tool to support team building and networking within the workplace boundaries
Human Resources
Flexible working contracts must be the norm and are expected from most employees to enable a
better work life balance, minimise constraint to work and reconcile family life with working life.
Access to flex time and ad hoc working hours must be considered and widely accessible to all
employees.
The mobile nature of a flexible working style has a positive impact on the need to travel at
traditional times of day enabling a more balanced life style
Green travel schemes should be promoted to limit the use of cars to travel to the office
Learning and Development opportunities should be offered within the working experience
Global WorkPlace Innovation
The workplace can directly support and influence these findings through an office environment that
enables individuals and teams to collaborate and engage with each other. It remains crucially important
to understand what things matter most to the 18 – 25 years old. The data reveals a fascinating insight
into this new generation and how they are and behave compared to previous one. The initial results
confirm the characteristics that are attributed to Generation Y. There are five aspects of the initial
findings we should draw attention to:
Their desires and expectations of mobility and flexible working
Their focus on team working and collaboration (both formal and informal)
The high value they place on opportunities for learning
The importance of the physical environment in which they work
How strongly environmentally concious they are
Their sociability
The generation Y is inherently social, team focused and embraces flexibility. Organisations now have the
opportunity to view the potential in the Generation Y at work, embrace their environmental consciousness
and consider their emotional engagement with their workplace as a source of business advantages.
It is conceivable that there might come a day when offices are no longer considered necessary. For the
moment though, the provision of appropriate workplaces remains largely with employers. Our results
and our observations show that individual engage with their working environments and the people
around them.
There is a common belief that people are more often interested in what’s happening on their digital
devices than the people sitting next to them. But the Oxygenz results demonstrate again that work is
inherently social. Organisations now have the opportunity to view the Generation Y sociability as a source
of business advantages, giving them access to the collective intelligence available across organisational
boundaries and contained within Generation Y’s extended personal networks.
Recognising the value of networked sociability and enabling it through the design of the workplace and
organisational support environments will allow businesses to tap into the powerhouse of the Generation
Y energy, innovation, knowledge and creative potential.
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Footnotes
1. http://www.spectator.co.uk/business/the-magazine/entrepreneur/654421/part_3/the-workplacediva-has-arrived.thtml
2. Martin, C. And Tulgan, B. (2006) Managing the Generation Mix, 2nd Edition, HRD Press.
3. KPMG International Research Report, 2007. The Impact of Digitalization: A Generation Apart.
4. Castells, M., Fernadez-Ardevol, M., Linchuan Qiu, J., Sey, A. (2007). Mobile Communication and
Society: A Global Perspective. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
5. http://www.accenture.com/Global/Accenture_Blogs/Ed_Gottsman/November_2007/
Talking+About+my+Generation.htm
6. http://www.spectator.co.uk/business/the-magazine/entrepreneur/654421/part_3/the-workplacediva-has-arrived.thtml
7. Martin, C. And Tulgan, B. (2006) Managing the Generation Mix, 2nd Edition, HRD Press.
8. Ask Gen Y Research Report, 2007. http://www.askgeny.com/research.php
9. Howe, N. and Strauss, William (2007). The Next 20 Years: How Customer and Workforce Attitudes Will
Evolve. Harvard Business Review, Jul/Aug2007, Vol. 85 Issue 7/8, p41-52
10. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22727730-2,00.html
11. http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/10/17/the-real-deal-about-gen-y-theyre-inherentlyconservative/
12. http://www.accenture.com/Global/Accenture_Blogs/Ed_Gottsman/November_2007/
Talking+About+my+Generation.htm
13. It’s 2008: Do They Know Where Their Talent Is?, Deloitte Research Report, 2004
14. U.S. data are based on official estimates and projections. Population estimates for 1950-1999 are
based on the resident population plus the armed forces overseas. Population estimates for 2000-
2008 are for the resident population and are based on Census 2000. The estimates are produced
using vital statistics through 2007 and survey data on international migration (supplemented with
administrative data) through 2007.
15. Making Talent a Strategic Priority, McKinsey Quarterly, 2008
16. Age structure of the world – 2006 CIA World Factbook
Global WorkPlace Innovation
17. http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2005-11-06-gen-y_x.htm
18. http://www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?productid=1282382
19. U.S. data are based on official estimates and projections. Population estimates for 1950-1999 are
based on the resident population plus the armed forces overseas. Population estimates for 2000-
2008 are for the resident population and are based on Census 2000. The estimates are produced
using vital statistics through 2007 and survey data on international migration (supplemented with
administrative data) through 2007.
20. http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/your-money/2009/07/21/a-financial-roadmap-forgeneration-y.html
21. http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/erickson/2009/02/global_generations_focus_on_in.html
22. http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62042726,00.htm
23. http://www.primacy.com/primetimes/200804/asia.html
24. http://www.primacy.com/primetimes/200804/asia.html
25. U.S. data are based on official estimates and projections. Population estimates for 1950-1999 are
based on the resident population plus the armed forces overseas. Population estimates for 2000-
2008 are for the resident population and are based on Census 2000. The estimates are produced
using vital statistics through 2007 and survey data on international migration (supplemented with
administrative data) through 2007.
26. http://www.publiclibraries.com/authors/mico14/chinageny/
27. http://www.gallup.com/poll/15934/Chinas-Gen-Bucks-Tradition.aspx
28. U.S. data are based on official estimates and projections. Population estimates for 1950-1999 are
based on the resident population plus the armed forces overseas. Population estimates for 2000-
2008 are for the resident population and are based on Census 2000. The estimates are produced
using vital statistics through 2007 and survey data on international migration (supplemented with
administrative data) through 2007..
29. http://www.primacy.com/primetimes/200804/asia.html
30. http://www.publiclibraries.com/authors/mico14/chinageny/
31. Mid-2006 Population Estimates: United Kingdom; estimated resident population by single year of age
and sex, http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/index.html
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Footnotes Continued...
32. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/LMS_QandA.pdf
33. U.S. data are based on official estimates and projections. Population estimates for 1950-1999 are
based on the resident population plus the armed forces overseas. Population estimates for 2000-
2008 are for the resident population and are based on Census 2000. The estimates are produced
using vital statistics through 2007 and survey data on international migration (supplemented with
administrative data) through 2007. Population data in the IDB for 2009-2050 are projections of
the resident population. The projections originate with a base population from Census 2000 and
are produced using a cohort-component method. Projections are based on historical trends in vital
statistics data through 2003 and administrative data on legal immigration through 2002.
34. The Impact of Digitalization – a generation apart, KPMG International Research Report, 2007.
35. Making Talent a Strategic Priority, McKinsey Quarterly, 2008
36. It’s 2008: Do You Know Where Your Talent Is?, Deloitte Research Report, 2004
37. http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/en/About-Design/Design-Disciplines/Workplace-design/
38. Florida, R. (2005). Cities and The Creative Class. Routledge, London.
39. CIPD (Charted Institute of Personnel Development), September 2008, How Smart Is UK plc? Findings
From Organisational Practice.
40. RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), Property In The Economy: Workplace design and
productivity - are they inextricably linked? July 2008.
41. Gensler, 2008 Workplace Survey, United Kingdom; 2008 Workplace Survey, US.
42. CIPD (Charted Institute of Personnel Development), September 2008, How Smart Is UK plc? Findings
From Organisational Practice.
43. D. Guest, SSDA (Sector Skills Development Agency) Catalyst, Smarter Ways of Working: The Benefits
And Barriers To The Adoption Of High-Performance Working, October 2006.
44. Pettigrew, A. and Fenton, Y (2000). The Innovating Organisation, Sage Publications, London.
45. PwC 12th Annual Global CEO Survey, Redefining Success, 2009. www.pwc.com/ceosurvey; IBM CEO
Study, The Enterprise Of The Future, 2008.
46. RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), Property In The Economy: Workplace design and
productivity - are they inextricably linked? July 2008.
Global WorkPlace Innovation
47. Gensler, 2008 Workplace Survey, United Kingdom; 2008 Workplace Survey, US.
48. Chartered Institute of Personnel Development Research Insight Reference 4678. Employee
Engagement In Context. December 2008.
49. http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/2008_UK_Workplace_Survey_11_19_2008.pdf; Towers
Perrin, Attracting And Engaging Talent. http://www.2017.uwaterloo.ca/
50. The Economist, Nomads At Last: A Special Report On Mobility. April 12th 2008.
51. The Economist, Nomads At Last: A Special Report On Mobility. April 12th 2008.
52. http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/2008_UK_Workplace_Survey_11_19_2008.pdf
53. Towers Perrin, Attracting And Engaging Talent. http://www.2017.uwaterloo.ca/
54. Castells, M. et al (2007). Mobile Communication And Society: A Global Society. The MIT Press,
Cambridge, Massachusetts.
55. http://www.accenture.com/Global/Accenture_Blogs/Ed_Gottsman/November_2007/
Talking+About+My+Generation.htm
56. http://www.ashridge.org.uk/website/Content.nsf/FileLibrary/765F31DC1EA5A951802575A100513
8B8/$file/NSN.pdf; http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2009/feb/23/twitter‐social‐networking;
http://www.joshuamarch.co.uk/search?q=mukund+mohan; http://www.enterpriseirregulars.
com/2993/swiss-re-one-of-the-smart-companies; http://www.boozallen.com/about/article_newsideas/42033790.
57. Financial Times, 27th January 2009.
58. http://discovermagazine.com/videos/interview-danah-boyd/
59. http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=777212
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Key Sponsors
Johnson Controls, Global WorkPlace Innovation
Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions is the leading global facilities management solutions
provider. With over 50 years experience in the facilities management business, Johnson Controls has
the expertise to deliver comprehensive Workplace strategies that support your global facility portfolio.
Our approach to facilities management outsourcing is unique. We work with our clients to understand
their business needs and then we create tailored solutions designed to meet those needs. We are
accountable for implementing our solutions and then for guaranteeing the outcomes promised by
our recommendations. What we deliver are comprehensive solutions that are good for our customers’
organisations.
Global WorkPlace Innovation (GWi) is the research and development programme of Global WorkPlace
Solutions and aims to drive innovation and thought leadership in workplace solutions, globally; support
customers’ needs and deliver advanced solutions. GWi also aims to challenge the status quo, leading
change and delivering added value through innovation excellence.
Contact: Dr. Marie Puybaraud,
marie.c.puybaraud@jci.com
+44 (0) 7966 563 167
www.johnsoncontrols.co.uk
www.globalworkplaceinnovation.com
www.oxygenz.com
Global WorkPlace Innovation
iDEA is an independent multi-disciplined design and communications company based in UK and USA.
We offer specialized consultancy in the fields of property, workplace, environment and communication
to national and international clients undertaking business transformation.
iDEA comprises a mobile team of twenty designers with a combined expertise in workplace, interior
design, sustainability, graphic, digital and print media.
Over the past fifteen years we have gained a reputation for our leading edge approach to design and
for the inspired and creative ways we present work to clients through interactive user engagement and
intuitive interface design.
iDEA has a superb portfolio of case studies. To view them, visit www.thinkidea.co.uk
Contact: Simon Russell,
simon.russell@thinkidea.co.uk
+44 (0)1743 719070
www.thinkidea.co.uk
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Haworth, Inc. is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of office furniture and organic
workspaces, including raised access floors, moveable walls, systems furniture, seating, storage and
wood casegoods. Family-owned and privately held, Haworth is headquartered in Holland, Michigan, and
serves markets in more than 120 countries through a global network of 600 dealers. The company had
net sales of US $1.11 billion in 2009.
www.haworth.com & www.organicworkspaces.com
Contact: Paula Bedford, Paula.Bedford@Haworth.com
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Industry:
BBC
Deloitte
The Smart Work Company
e-Work
NEW WOW
Corenet Global
eOffice
Partners
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
Academics:
CEPT
Chulalongkom University
Cornell University
Fraunhoffer Institute
Hope College
Liverpool John Moore University
Tamassath University
Texas University
The Hague University
Tongjii Univesity
University of Central London
University of Pretoria
University of the West of England
University of Wisconsin
Wellingkar Institute
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Authors
Dr. Marie Puybaraud, Johnson Controls
Dr. Marie Puybaraud is Director of Global WorkPlace Innovation (GWi) for Johnson Controls Global
WorkPlace Solutions. Marie has managed the GWi Johnson Controls R&D Programme since 2002, leading
around 15 annual projects to successful completion and disseminating all the findings both internally
across the global business and externally through marketing and communications activities. Marie
has more than 14 years of track record as an active researcher in the field of the built environment,
spanning over a career in academia leading a postgraduate course in facilities management and teaching
across Europe, in Asia and developing a global network of partners she collaborates with on research
projects. She also continuously publishes articles in the press, academic publications and specialist
journals on her research projects, particularly in the field of workplace, mobile working and flexible
working, and new ways of working and futures. A regular speaker at both national and international
conferences and a writer, she combines her expertise and corporate experience to transfer knowledge
to the audience. Throughout the years working for Johnson Controls, she has played a significant role to
develop stronger relationships with clients through the R&D activities, building their trust and engaging
in innovation her colleagues and corporate clients worldwide and members of the research network.
Knowledge management is core to her success and a continuous activity. Marie holds a BSc (Hons) in
Construction Management and a PhD in Fire Safety Management. Marie obtained her PhD in July 2001
and was awarded the MacFarlane Medal for best doctorate of the year, excellence in research and major
contribution to research.
And with the input of:
Simon Russell, iDEA
Simon has a depth of understanding for the aesthetic and technical possibilities when starting a project
from the first initial stages.
Being able to communicate at a senior level and manage with disparate organisational groups enables
concept through to delivery. Simon has run high profile new media based communication projects since
the late 80’s.
Simon Helped create a new division within iDEA to specialise in offering a media service to existing and
new clients. This role involves working with a team of designers and programmers to deliver IT focussed
media solutions and offer a full design studio service. The media team supports all departments within
iDEA and competes with high profile agencies nationally and internationally, services offered include
workplace and communication campaigns, print design solutions, and digital communication projects.
Global WorkPlace Innovation
Dr. Anne Marie McEwan, The Smart Work Company
Dr Anne Marie McEwan is CEO of The Smart Work Company Ltd, which combines practical work-based
learning and new management thinking to help senior executives and middle-level managers make the
transition to new ways of working. She has over a decade of experience researching and working with
businesses, nationally and internationally, making the transition to new ways of working.
She is a visiting fellow at Kingston University Business School in the UK, also a visiting academic at the
Academy of National Economy in Moscow, and is member of the UK Work Organisation Network (www.
ukwon.net). She also co-facilitates Johnson Controls’ Global Mobility Network, a learning network for
senior IT, FM and HR executives, where her work has included tracking workplace trends.
Her forthcoming book, Smart Working: Creating The Next Wave, will be published in November 2010 by
Gower. ISBN 978-1-4094-0456-9.
Eline Leussink, Johnson Controls UK
Eline Leussink, MA. has an extensive academic background and practical experience within the
Facilities Management arena. Eline has a BA in Facilities Management and an MA in International
Business. Before joining JCI as a senior consultant Eline has had operational experience managing FM
projects for KPMG and Rabobank. Currently working on a variety of consulting projects and business
development opportunities, including development of FM Operational and Service Charge Models for
the Shard, Europe’s tallest building, Eline’s previous assignments have included FM organisation advice
and strategy development for BP and Exxon Mobil’s new development in Luanda, Angola. Programme
Management and Implementation of Global WorkPlace Innovation’s Oxygenz research project with
Deloitte. FM Services Review and Change Management services for Barclays. FM Design Review / Advice
for BBC’s new development in Salford Quays. Programme Management and Due Diligence for Unsiys
business opportunity. For all these projects, Eline was the lead consultant.
Lewis Beck, Associate Director, Johnson Controls UK
Lewis Beck has 10 years experience in the property, workplace and consultancy arenas and is
responsible for leading Johnson Controls Workplace Consulting business in EMEA. Lewis has
extensive experience of property strategy development and helping global organisations to deliver
and sustain productive and effective working environments.
And we would like to thanks the following collaborators for their invaluable expert input in the
delivery of this project:
Dr. Jay Brand, Haworth
Kate North, eWork
Malavika Kamath, Johnson Controls Singapore
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Global WorkPlace Innovation
Contact
Dr. Marie Puybaraud
Director Global WorkPlace Innovation
Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions
London
UK
Tel: +44 (0) 7966 563 167
Email: marie.c.puybaraud@jci.com
For information about Johnson Controls Global
WorkPlace Innovation research & development
program go to: www.globalworkplaceinnovation.com
Artwork and Design:
Amber Pimm-Jones
Media Designer
01743 719070
amber.pimm-jones@thinkidea.co.uk
www.thinkidea.co.uk
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Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
Kieren Nason
Design & Production Specialist
Johnson Controls
Global WorkPlace Solutions
kieren.nason@jci.com
Photography
Oriane Pesquier
iStock
SXC
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Global WorkPlace Innovation
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