We’ve seen the millennial office, but what will an iGen workspace look like?
Posted On November 26, 2018
We’ve spent a good bit of time in this space discussing the aspects of a millennial workspace. But perhaps, with iGen now starting to enter the workforce, we should consider what they will want in an office as well.
Beatriz Sanchez, a contributor at globalfurnituregroup.com, did just that recently, and the picture she paints is quite a bit different from the trends we’re seeing now.
Instead of the open, collaborative spaces millennials crave, iGen employees are looking for predictability and structure, Sanchez says; they’re independent and like to have their own workspaces. They prefer face-to-face communication to the email and instant messaging systems that have become the preferred method of contact in many offices. And – no surprise here — they’re looking for workplaces that are equipped with the latest technology.
So does that mean we can scrap the open floor plans and go back to cubicles and closed-door offices? Should we all log out of our intra-office chat rooms and spend our Mondays in meetings every week?
Of course not, but Sanchez has some ideas about how we can adjust the millennial workspace to cater to iGen as well. Modular panels or offices and private desks, tables that allow employees to sit and work face-to-face (even if they then retire to their private workspaces to finish the job), continuous technological upgrades, and increased reliance on smartphones as primary office tools.
The dynamics of the workplace are fluid, and our ideas about what a workplace looks like should be too. But don’t worry: You can keep that standing desk if you really like it.