Oxygenz report 2010

Global WorkPlace Innovation

Generation Y and the Workplace
Annual Report 2010

Contents

LIST OF FIGURES...................................................5 OXYGENZ RESULTS .............................................46
Choice Of Company ...........................................48
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...........................................7 Location.............................................................50
Travel ................................................................52
KEY FINDINGS ....................................................10 Ways Of Working................................................55
Creativity & Productivity .....................................58
INTRODUCTION .................................................13 Behind Creativity & Productivity .........................60
Facilities Management........................................62
WHAT IS OXYGENZ .............................................14 - Reception & Security ........................................62
Research question .............................................14 - Catering ..........................................................64
Environment ......................................................66
WHO ARE THESE YOUNG UPSTARTS? ...................17 Workplace ..........................................................71
- Style ................................................................71
WORLD DEMOGRAPHICS .....................................22 - Lighting ...........................................................74
- Art @ Work ......................................................75
WHO IS THE GENERATION Y IN USA ....................24 Emotional Engagement ......................................78
WHO IS THE GENERATION Y IN INDIA..................26 Workspace .........................................................80
WHO IS THE GENERATION Y IN CHINA ................28 Social Networking ..............................................84
WHO IS THE GENERATION Y IN UK ......................30 Collaboration .....................................................86

WHO IS THE GENERATION Y? ..............................32 Technology ........................................................90
Digital, Connected, Social ..................................32 How technology is transforming work ................92
Challenging .......................................................32
Scarce ................................................................33 CONCLUSION .....................................................94
Transformational ...............................................33 India ..................................................................98
China .................................................................99
DIFFERENCES EMERGE ........................................34 USA .................................................................100
Traditionals .......................................................36 UK ...................................................................101
Baby Boomers ....................................................36
Generation Y ......................................................37 WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR EMPLOYERS? 103
Generation X ......................................................37

METHODOLOGY .................................................38 FOOTNOTES .....................................................106

DESIGN APPROACH ............................................42 KEY SPONSORS .................................................110

BRANDOCRACY ..................................................44 PARTNERS ........................................................113

AUTHORS .........................................................114

CONTACTS ......................................................117

2 3
Copyright © 2010, Johnson Controls. Confidential. All Rights Reserved.
Global WorkPlace Innovation Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.

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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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 The working environment of the Generation Y is
Generation Y is flexible, mobile, collaborative a place they emotionally engage with, a space
and unconventional. where they socialise in with other co workers
and a space which supports their health and
The Generation Y prioritises opportunities to well being.
learn, work colleagues and corporate culture &
value when it comes to deciding for which job The Generation Y sees the workplace as a very
to apply for. important factor and values it as a place of
learning and development.
The Generation Y prefers workplaces in an
urbanised location with access to social The Generation Y privileges access to their
and commercial facilities, good public own desk rather than desk sharing or hot
Infrastructure and the ability to use public desking (hoteling).
transport or drive to work.
We must attach a great importance to diversity in
The Generation Y prioritises collaboration our workplaces and the factors that must be taken
and interaction in the workplace and requires into account when considering workplaces as a
particularly access to dedicated team spaces as likely strategic weapon in the battle to attract and
well as ample breakout spaces. retain scarce young talent.

6 7

Executive Summary Continued...

When it comes to Facilities Management (FM), the The workplace must support both formal We have yet to feel the full force of this global • Sustainable: 96% want
preference of Generation Y suggests that FM is and informal collaborative engagement and trend. Will Generation Y continue to be such a
not only about managing buildings, but about interaction special generation, feted and wooed for their
an environmentally aware
supporting people. FM service delivery will need talent, if the balance of power reverts to employers workplace
to go further in the future to provide high quality The workplace contributes to the level of as labour markets tighten? Is this new generation
people focused services. emotional engagement of individuals with of ‘aliens’ and ‘invaders’ really ready to transform
their work our workplace in mega complexes, social hubs • F
lexible: 56% prefer to work
While the financial benefits of flexible working are and high tech workspaces? Will employers be flexibly and chose when to work
clear to business owners, work will have to be done The factors contributing to talent attraction and ready and engage to support these changes?
with Generation Y to help them to trade dedicated retention are expressed via:
desks and personalisation for mobility and team It remains crucially important to understand what • M
obile: 79% prefer to be mobile
oriented spaces. Mobile technology will be an Having the right workplace – location, access things matter most to the 18 – 25 years old.
rather than static workers
unavoidable support here. The data reveal a fascinating insight into this
Having the right workspace – design, layout, new generation and how they are and behave
The workplace can directly support and influence furniture and colours and style compared to previous one. • nconventional: 40% of the
U
the Generation Y through a workplace that enables
individuals and teams to collaborate and engage Having the right atmosphere – meeting and Having understood these needs: Generation Y would like to take
with each other, and human resources policies social spaces for interaction and ambiance Employers will find it near on impossible to their car to go to work, 20%
which actively promote flexible working and deliver on all theise demands
alternative ways of working: Having the right technological platform – Success will be about compromising and
by public transport and 18%
technology provisions, mobile devices determining the essentialsdetermining the walking!
The workplace is important in attracting and essentials
retaining the Generation Y
• L
ife Long Learning Experience:
The type of workplace and its location The reasons for choosing a
influences the choice of a company
company are:
The workspace allocation and technological 1: Opportunities for Learning
provisions contribute to productivity and 2: Quality of Life
creativity
3: Work Colleagues
The working arrangements must be flexible
and adaptable to satisfy a work life balance
they demand
• C
ollaborative: 41% of the
Generation Y prefers to have
access to a team space and
32% prefers breakout spaces
rather than a conventional
meeting room

8 9

Key findings per category

Travel: Creativity and Productivity: Environment and Sustainability: Style:

The UK: a nation of walkers Creativity and Productivity: It is about looking for a green deal at work Style matters and should be modern rather
The US and India: The car comes first Creativity is all about having the right PEOPLE Being Green – Working Green – Living Green: than contemporary
China: Public transport is a prime choice around The generation Y is an environmentally Women are more attracted to modern interior
Productivity is all about having the right friendly workforce than Men
TECHNOLOGY around The older generations are far greener than the Men are more attracted to minimalist interiors
Location: The magic formula is: Technology + Ambiance younger generations than Women
& Atmosphere + People = a creative and The Generation Y demonstrates a green Art should be present in the office, but not too
China: The highest demand for rural settings productive workplace aspiration through their journey to and through much of it!
The UK: Back to the City and urban settings work: office location, mean of transport, ways
India: Workplaces must be located in urban of working, green policies…
setting to attract the younger generations FM support services: Workspace:

The 18-25 years old are the most demanding Workplace: They need to identify to and feel they own their
New Ways of Working: generation workspace
India has the most demanding workforce The Generation Y is an emotionally engaged The large majority still want to have their
The generation Y is a flexible workforce with a Media and Finance sectors are the most workforce: own desk
high level of mobility demanding industry sectors Colours should be subtle and not too intense Less than a 1/5th are happy to share a desk
Young Women (18-25 years old) prefer more Women are more demanding than Men The light should be natural rather than artificial, Men are more comfortable in wider space
flexibility than men calling for wide windows and openings than women
The 46-55 years old are the age group Finishes should be soft and made out of natural
preferring the most flexible working Social Spaces: and warm materials, rather than hard material Collaboration:
The UK and the US Generation Y prefer to work
far more flexibly, while China and India expect For the Generation Y, the workplace is a social The Generation Y is team focused and places a
to work flexibly construction and work is social: great importance on work with and amongst a
Going to work is about meeting people and team:
socialising within the working community The Art & Design industry is the most eager
The Generation Y is a sporty and social to collaborate and Engineering industry is the
generation: there is a high demand for sport most team focused industry
and social facilities on site. 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

10 11

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?

12 13

What is...

OXYGENZ is a large-scale research
project, which will make a significant
contribution to companies’ knowledge
on how they might use their real estate
5,375 respondents
including:
{ 3,011
1,298
396
(18 - 25-year-olds)

(26 - 35-year-olds)

(36 - 45-year-olds)

and facilities as strategic assets to
attract and retain scarce talent. We
must attach a great importance to The worldwide survey includes special samples from:
diversity in our workplaces and the

1,217 897 660 UK: 607 256
factors that must be taken into account
when considering workplace as a likely
US: India: China: Germany:
strategic weapon in the battle to attract
and retain scarce young talent.

And from
various key
industry Engineering
690 625 Media, Marketing Finance
736
sectors we & Communication
want to study:
491 551
Information Art & Design
Technology
Research Question:
rkplace is a research
Businesses have to compete to attract, develop, deploy Generation Y and the Wo
understand the
and retain the services of skilled people. It is crucially
project that seeks to
important to understand what matters to them. In years old attach to
importance the 18 to 25
particular, we need to understand what things matter .
most to Generation Y and the Generation X, the their future workplace

rkplace in attracting,
youngest and newly entrants in the workplace.
How important is the wo
Generation Y
This is exactly what Oxygenz seeks to find out. recruiting and retaining
ors contribute to
Oxygenz is an international research project, workers and what fact
industry sector,
gathering rich data on Generation Y’s preferences talent management per
country and gender?
around ways of working and workspace design.

14 15

Who are these young upstarts?

The newest and youngest members of work The demographic data indicate that there
forces all over the world are making their are not enough of them coming in to the
presence felt, causing many businesses to re- workforce.
think their working practices.
They are transformational – they have grown in
Baby Boomers, the post-world war II generation a different world to their parents – surrounded
associated with social change, are beginning to by modern technologies and a society of
retire in large numbers, taking their knowledge consumerism.
and experience with them. There are not enough
of the new generation to replace this deficit, so They do things differently – modern
ury:
A rising and powerful future workforce of the 21st cent
their knowledge and skills are in demand. educational curricula have brought a wave of
transformation in their life.
There is another major reason why the generation
ld,
For the first time ever, in workplaces around the wor
Y is grabbing attention. Many commentators are They are challenging – this is the most
claiming that Generation Y, as these young people commonly agreed threat about this generation,
ther.
we understand that four generations are working toge are often called, are setting off a new wave of but yet it has not been proved.
social and business transformation.
ent
Known as Generation Y (aged 15-29), they are the curr They are techno-savvy – the 20th and 21st
For the purpose of this study, we decided to study centuries have brought and will continue to
entrants into global workforce and estimated at: the Generation Y aged between eighteen and bring the most terrifying and transformational
twenty-five, although some people include those technological solutions to our world.
1.7 billion worldwide, born from 1980 onwards, putting the upper limit
at twenty-eight. In our view, there are at least six They are agile – multi-taskers – their agility
representing 25.5% of the world population reasons why we need to understand them and to do different things at the same time is well
how they relate to work. They are a remarkable known, but it does not mean it makes them
generation, and here is why... more efficient in the way they work.

16 17

workplace divas… The Generation Y apparently believes they
can achieve anything. They have been called
The majority of the sources describe the
Generation Y as consumers, colleagues,
the Generation Y is challenging to manage. They
appreciate clear direction, demand immediate

energy… ‘workplace divas’1&6, millenials, homo zappiens…
even Genys! But some say they even are ‘high
employees, managers, and technological
and social innovators. The sources explore
feedback on performance, expect to be consulted
and included in management decisions, and
maintenance, high risk and high output’2&7. They communication styles, values, motivations, and demand constant intellectual challenge.
innovation… are strongly team-focused, collaborative, and seek characteristics, but not many studies focus on
meaning in work and opportunity to learn. the aspirations of this young generation about The Generation Y is demanding, as a right, a new
challenging… But also:
their future working environment. Although they
bring energy and innovation to the workplace,
reality from work. They insist on working flexibly,
choosing when and where to work.

intellectual challenge… They are now under more financial threats
than the previous generations since the
a new reality from work… 2008 and 2009 crisis
Demographics Tech-savvy Millennials at work
No definitive agreement on birth Connected…24/7 Work well with friends and on
working flexibly… They have grown up with green issues into
their society, but there is no evidence that it
years; experts say somewhere
between 1978 and 1995; most
Self-confident
teams
Collaborative, resourceful,
say 1981 to 1993 Optimistic
full of contradictions… is actually embedded in their culture
Hopeful
innovative thinkers
Love a challenge
They are more urban focused, and even more
conservatist… in the future with the growth of urbanisation
Children of Baby Boomers Independent Seek to make a difference
Comfortably self-reliant Want to produce something
non-conformist… They quickly buy into new concepts and
ideas while new technologies become more Younger siblings of Gen Xers
Determined
worthwhile

Goal oriented Desire to be a hero
tech savvy… affordable, and invade our market at a fast pace

Largest generation (75 million) Success driven
Impatient
value driven… after the Boomers (80 million),
compared to the Gen Xers (40
Lifestyle centered
Comfortable with speed and
Diverse
Here is an entire cohort secure
million)
money grabbing…
change

in the knowledge that their well-
Inclusive
38% of millennials identify Thrive on flexibility and space to
to-do Boomer parents can bail
Global, civic- and explore
themselves as “non-white”
community-minded
them out of financial difficulty. Pulling together
Partner well with mentors

If they don’t like their job they Positioned in history to be the Service oriented
Value guidance
can, and do, chuck it in and head next “Hero generation”
Expect respect
back to live with their parents.
Entrepreneurial

tion – a
The Impact of Digitaliza Figure 1: Who are the Millennials, aka Generation Y?
generation apa rt, KPMG International
Source: Deloitte Consulting (2005). Who Are The Millennials, aka Generation Y?
Research Report, 2007.

18 19

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 mobile8. They will in
the future place a high premium on
job security9 and they apparently
currently job-hop. They are value-
Although they bring energy and innovation to Manuel Castells, the renowned sociologist, and his driven and money-grabbing (due
the workplace, the Generation Y is challenging to colleagues see the emergence of a new trend in to being saddled with high student
manage. They appreciate clear direction, demand global youth culture, which they call ‘networked loans)10. They are conservative11 and
non-conformist12.
immediate feedback on performance, expect to be sociability’. Digitally connected or face-to-face,
consulted and included in management decisions, networked sociability is driving the Generation Y to
and demand constant intellectual challenge. form peer groups that become the context for
However most employees would demand the same, their individual and collective behaviour5.
generation Y or not!
We know that the Generation Y is significant in
There are at least three reasons why we need to our society. What else do we know about them?
understand Generation Y: Why are they all that different from their older
colleagues? How do they relate to their future
For a start, there are not enough of them. At working environment.
least that is the case in the US, UK and Europe.
As the Baby Boomers retire, there are millions New technologies platforms like Web 2.0 have
fewer young people to replace them. been adopted by entire generations... the internet,
What’s more, they are a highly educated podcasting, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google,
and skilled generation. Their already scarce MSN and SMS are continuously on the mind of
skills are even more in demand in today’s the Generation Y. But it also infiltrates other
globally networked, creative and knowledge older generations, not only the Generation Y.
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.

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.

20 21

World Demographics

As economies and businesses become more knowledge-intensive, knowledge and skills are at a Generations Population % Of World Population
premium. The fact that there are not enough of them only makes their talents even more attractive.
Gen Y - 15-29 years old 1,723,911,077.00 25.47
Apparently there is a dearth of Generation Y entering the workforce in Western Europe . In the UK, for
13

example, they are the smallest of the generations in the current total population. Increasing numbers of Gen x - 30-44 year old 1,442,951,791.00 21.32
them are highly educated and their talents, as in the rest of the world, are in demand.
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 the Great Leap Forward in China. During that
in 1959 to 6 billion by 1999, a doubling that time, both natural disasters and decreased
occurred over 40 years. The Census Bureau’s agricultural output in the wake of massive
latest projections imply that population social reorganization caused China’s death rate
growth will continue into the 21st century, to rise sharply and its fertility rate to fall by
although more slowly. The world population almost half.
is projected to grow from 6 billion in 1999 to
9 billion by 2043, an increase of 50 percent In addition to growth rates, another way to
Figure 2: World Population in 2009
that is expected to require 44 years. The look at population growth is to consider annual
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base14
world population growth rate rose from changes in the total population. The annual
about 1.5 percent per year from 1950-51 to increase in world population peaked at about
a peak of over 2 percent in the early 1960s 88 million in the late 1980s. The peak occurred
due to reductions in mortality. Growth rates then, even though annual growth rates were
thereafter started to decline due to rising age past their peak in the late 1960s, because the
Worldwide In 2009, if we consider the wider definition of the generation Y (15-29 years old) and rely on at marriage as well as increasing availability world population was higher in the 1980s than
current statistical database of the US Census Bureau, the wider Generation Y represents 25.47% of the and use of effective contraceptive methods. in the 1960s.’
world population, the wider Generation X (30 to 44) represents 21.32% of the population. The first of the Note that changes in population growth have
Baby Boomers (45-64 years old) represent 18.55% of the world population and are due to retire in large not always been steady. A dip in the growth Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
numbers, starting in 2004, taking their knowledge and experience with them. Countries such as Canada, rate from1959-1960, for instance, was due to
Australia, and the United States could lose more than a third of their government employees by 201015.
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.

22 23

Who is the Generation Y?

Digital, Connected, Social Challenging Scarce Transformational

They have grown up with the Internet and mobile Part of the challenge is to manage practices. In all countries around the world, there are not Wherever they are in the world and no matter
communications. They are digitally, globally, The Generation Y is said to appreciate clear enough of them. how large or small their numbers, the signs are
and constantly connected. They are driving how direction, demand immediate feedback on that they are setting off a new wave of social and
mobile communication technologies are used, performance, expect to be consulted and included This is true even in countries like the US, where business transformation that will equal or surpass
initiating social behaviours that are transmitted in management decisions, and demand constant they are the largest generation since the Baby what the Baby Boomers achieved.
to other generations. intellectual challenge, opportunities for learning, Boomers - The post World War II generation
and meaningful work. responsible for social change and unprecedented This is because they have grown up with the
Generation Y are supposed to be able to wealth creation. The problem is that the first Internet and mobile communications and are
navigate vast amounts of data, use multiple Part of the challenge is to manage attitudes. Older of the Baby Boomers were due to retire in large digitally, globally and constantly connected.
digital devices simultaneously and parallel- managers might see technologies such as instant numbers starting in 2008, and are taking their
process multiple stimuli. They are networked, messaging, text messaging, blogging, social knowledge and experience with them. Countries They are driving how mobile communication
collaborative and highly social, expecting to be networking and multi-player games as a waste of such as Canada, Australia, and the United States technologies are used, and they are setting
constantly connected to their social networks, time and a distraction from work. could lose more than a third of their government behavioural trends that ripple through and
within and beyond company boundaries, and to employees by 201035. influence social behaviour in other generations.
work within a sociable environment with other The Generation Y is demanding a new reality from
people. Generation Y’s rapid take-up of digital work. They want to work flexibly, choosing when In India, the Generation Y makes up more than
technologies, how they use them, and how they and where to work. half of the population. Despite the large potential
prefer to work is challenging for business. workforce, not all are ‘employment ready’ and so
their talents are in short supply. There is a dearth
Generation Y’s rapid take-up of digital of them entering the workforce in Western Europe.
technologies, how they use them, and how they In the UK, for example, they are the smallest of
prefer to work is challenging for business34. 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.

24 25

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

26 27

Who is the Generation Y in India?

In India, they make up the more than half of the Highly competitive, Generation Y is more than
population. Despite the large potential workforce, ever before seeking higher education and landing
not all are ‘employment ready’ and so their talents jobs in multi-national companies in areas such as
are in short supply. The Generation Y in India is IT, back office operations, media, strategy and
a remarkable group that is ambitious, optimistic, management positions. With opportunities aplenty
embraces change and have a clear sense of where in the current economy, they are also job-hopping,
they are headed. Most are ‘entrepreneurial and something not seen in their parents’ generation.
business savvy, as well as technologically capable
and connected21.

With about half of India’s one billion people under “Gen Ys expect challenging work assignments,
the age of 25, Generation Y in India is the world’s accelerated career growth, socially responsible
largest. Positioned in a time of exciting and rapid workplaces, flexible work environments, freedom,
economic growth in the country, they are keen to and collaboration and innovation from their jobs
participate in the country’s future and success. The and employers.”
country’s recent parliament elections saw a huge R. Anish, Intel’s South Asia HR Director22
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

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 hours24.

28 29

Who is the Generation Y in China?

China’s Generation Y is composed of hard and get rich” mentality27.
approximately 200 million 15 to 25 year olds. Like The Generation Y is no exception when it comes
their peers around the world, they are a techsavvy, to valuing work life balance, and working long
ambitious, multi-tasking, better educated, hours is not something they can adapt to.
openminded, Entrepreneurial by nature, they would rather start
individualist cohort that is seeing the their own business and work for themselves. In
country transform from a communist government the workplace Generation Y are regarded as ‘high
into an emerging global capitalist market. They are achievers, extremely adventurous, impressionable,
‘significantly more entrepreneurial and capitalistic and consequently highly employable’(??). With
than their parent generation’26. many graduating in Engineering and Sciences,
there is a high demand for them in multinational
The Generation Y has a large exposure to the companies.
technological advances in China’s present day,
they are connected to the internet, mobile and The Generation Y’s spending habits are noteworthy.
social networking websites. Heavily influenced by As single children it appears they may be
Western culture, they generally know more about pampered, as findings show they often consume
Westerners than Westerners know about them. an astonishing 50% or more of family expenditure
Having grown up as a single child in the One- Child in some major cities.
policy era, China’s Generation Y is more inclined
toward a lifestyle devoted to freedom and personal
satisfaction rather than the more traditional “work

http://www.publiclibraries.com/authors/mico14/chinageny/
Figure 5: China – Demographic pyramid, 2009 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base28
http://www.gallup.com/poll/15934/Chinas-Gen-Bucks-Tradition.aspx

30 31

Who is the Generation Y in UK?

More 18 years olds would be available until 2012 Apart from lack of employment opportunities
to enter the workforce than would leave at 65. linked to the recession, economic inactivity among
The situation reverses in 2012, although the the 18 – 24 year olds is attributed to a record high
gap between new replacements and numbers of of student numbers. As for the 50 to retirement
retirees shrinks in the following years to 201631. age group, many are remaining in work as long as
Of course the whole population is not available to possible in the face of a pension crisis exacerbated
work. The Labour Market Overview for June 2009 by the recent events in the financial sector.
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 fall32.

Figure 6: UK – Demographic pyramid, 2009 33
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base

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.

32 33

Differences Emerge

A poll of PwC new-starts in China, the US and the Of course, the data you get depends on
UK before they joined the company, uncovers the questions you ask. How accurate is our
some conservative attitudes. Perhaps the biggest understanding of Generation Y’s desired
surprise is that an average of 75% of respondents workplace attributes?
across all the countries expect to keep regular
hours, with a figure of 82.5% in the UK. The None of the surveys we reviewed asked the
conservatism continues when respondents were Generation Y what they think of their physical
asked how many jobs they expected to have over work environment. This is consistent with the
their lifetimes, which was between two and five themes reflected in the wider Generation Y
reported by 74.4% in China, 80.4% in the US and literature. The role of the physical environment
79.6% in the UK. in attracting and retaining scarce skills, and in
influencing and mediating social interactions, is
This is hardly the job-hopping behaviour suggested not always addressed.
in other research. In one survey, 34% said they
expected to stay in a job between one and two We know that workplace design matters in
years, with 57% saying two to three years. In nurturing innovation within organisations(37). We
another survey, one in four said they would stay also know that quality of place matters to people
less than four years. These two surveys paint a when choosing where to live and work(38). People
picture of The Generation Y hungry for opportunity, look for social conditions and amenities that fit
jumping ship in expectation of experiences that their lifestyles.
resonate with their workplace priorities, such as
having fun, being socially connected, and having If it is the case that the Generation Y has strong
the scope to learn and be developed. ethical values, social tendencies, and is highly
collaborative, how much does the workplace
Employers are having to feed this hunger to attract environment matter to the Generation Y? How
the best of the Generation Y, branding themselves important are location, workplace design and
and tempting the objects of their desire with environmental considerations in deciding
juicy morsels in the form of ‘employee value where they want to work and who they want to
propositions’ that align with The Generation Y’ work for? What should employers do in their
ideal workplace attributes. workplaces and facilities to recruit, attract and
retain the Generation Y?

34 35

Traditionalists (The Veterans or Seniors) The Generation X
Born between the wars, they are a generation of fighters, grounded in traditions, The children of the Baby Boomers, born in the late 60s and 70s, they are the one who
who lived through and fought an unforgettable second world war. Their values and mostly transformed the office as we know it today, and our relation to work, They
belief is very different from their juniors. Work was a necessity, and they have a occupy today major senior management positions. Offices are a commodity for them,
strong belief into the company they work for and most of them had a job for life. an environment they have seen changing over the last twenty years and not always into
Offices were not the norm in their professional career. the right direction in their mind. This is a generation not always at ease in open offices.

Veterans: 1922–1945 Generation X: 1965–1980
Hard work Eliminate the task
Respect authority Self-reliance
Formal Direct
Work Ethic / Values: Sacrifice Communications: Work Ethic / Values: Want structure and Communications:
Written Immediate
Duty before fun direction
Adhere to rules Skeptical
No news is good news Sorry to interrupt, but
Feedback & A difficult challenge Feedback &
Work is…: An obligation Satisfaction in a job Work is…: how am I doing?
Rewards: A contract Rewards:
well done Freedom = best reward
Directive Messages that Your experience is Everyone is the same
Leadership Style: Messages that Do it your way
Command-and-control motivate: respected Leadership Style: Challenge others
motivate: Forget the rules
Ask why
Interactive Style: Individual Work & Family Life: T
Interactive Style: Entrepreneur Work & Family Life: Balance
Source: http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm:
Source: http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm:

The Baby Boomers The Generation Y (The Millenials)
Born during or just after the war, they are the children of the post war. A group of Born around the 80s onwards, they are a generation who has grown in opulence
individuals who have seen the world dramatically change in last 50 years, through compared to other generations. They are the children of a generation who has greatly
an industrial revolution, the rise of communication and technologies. Offices were a benefited from the industrial revolution of the 70s where their wealth and standard
common working environment in their professional life and they lived through much have dramatically increased and changed their way of life. This generation has been
hierarchical presence in the office. They are still our leaders. They are struggling to greatly exposed to modern environments (in their days at school and university)
embrace new ways of working. 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.

Baby Boomers: 1946–1964 Generation Y: 1981–2000
Workaholics What’s next
Work efficiently Multitasking
Crusading causes Tenacity Email
Work Ethic / Values: Communications: In person Work Ethic / Values: Communications:
Personal fulfillment Entrepreneurial Voice mail
Desire quality Tolerant
Question authority Goal oriented
Don’t appreciate it Whenever I want it, at
Feedback & A means to an end Feedback &
Work is…: An exciting adventure Money Work is…: the push of a button
Rewards: Fulfillment Rewards:
Title recognition Meaningful work
Consensual Messages that You are valued The young leaders Messages that Working with other
Leadership Style: Leadership Style:
Collegial motivate: You are needed century motivate: bright, creative people
Team player No balance
Interactive Style: Work & Family Life: Interactive Style: Participative Work & Family Life: Balance
Loves meetings Work to live
Source: http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm: Source: http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm:
36 37

Methodology

There is a growing realisation, in all areas of life, Oxygenz was design and launched within one year
that the future is not fixed. The workplace plays a of the initial idea, developing a new methodology
critical part in the success of any organisation and for the data collection, engaging multiple talents
has been well researched and now understood. The and skills from a team of researchers, designers,
notion that the future can be ‘shaped’ or ‘created’ programmers, graphics and gamers. The
has gained currency over the past decade, and is programming behind Oxygenz has never been
increasingly the basis upon which organisations used in this context before and demonstrated a
of all kinds make their plans. At Johnson Controls wealth of innovation throughout the design phase.
we have already explored this issue across three The project was developed in several phases:
major studies on the workplace of 2030 (www.
globalworkplaceinnovation.com), to understand 1. February 2007: Design a questionnaire
where is the workplace going and evolving. And around workplace, using the day in the
we know it is crucial to understand and take into life of worker as the main stream and
account multi generational issues at work. using a storyboard

The methodology behind Oxygenz was defined 2. July 2007: Design a prototype to test the
to target a specific group of individuals, using an methodology and mean of collection of
unusual and innovative data collection method, the data: using interactive images and key
never used prior to this study. Our targets were: definitions as a mean of collection

Primarily the young generation, between 3. August 2007: Assess the feasibility of
18 and 25 years old: using technology on a the project using this methodology and
daily basis, social networking applications, the efficiency and effectiveness of the
interactive games, web 2.0 platforms, interactive design solutions
mobile technologies…
4. September 2007: Select appropriate
Multi generations at work: the focus was images with the research team, review the
not only on the Generation Y but also other questions and test the methodology and
older generations to run a comparative research questions
study across age groups
5. October 2007: Re design the solution to
Across several regions: we needed to integrate all questions and work around
communicate with individuals from a wide the brand of the project
cultural background and targeted Europe,
Middle East, Africa, Asia and Americas 6. December 2007: Test the solution with a
core group of users and review and amend
Across different industry sectors: media,
art & design, engineering, finance, the built 7. January 2008: Complete the final solution
environment, manufacturing, life science
and petroleum 8. February 2008: launch the project across
the three targeted regions: Europe, Asia, US

38 39

Methodology Continued

The research team:

Name Role Title & Organisation Country
UK % US % China % India %
studies:
Oxygenz Project Leader and Director Global WorkPlace
Dr. Marie Puybaraud, PhD Manager Innovation All=5375 607 11.3 1217 22.6 660 12.3 897 16.7
Senior Researcher Johnson Controls Total 18-25
286 47.1 539 44.3 489 74 718 80
years old
Project Manager for the Design Director of Communication
Simon Russell
of Oxygenz iDEA Male 305 50.25 570 46 205 31 613 68
All
Adrian Clews Designer Female 302 49.75 647 54 455 69 284 32
Amber Pimm-Jones DTP and Graphic Designer
Andrew Garner Programmer
Design and Programming Team 18-25 Male 126 44 239 44.3 136 27.8 495 69
iDEA
Nick Cooper Programmer and Designer years Female 160 56 300 55.7 350 72.2 223 31
Robin Clarke Graphic Designer and Brand old
Studying 159 55.6 420 77.9 330 67 539 75
Vice President Business
Development, eWork
Kate North Project Adviser
(previously Director of Ideation The respondents were targeted via a communication campaign:
for HAWORTH) Organising launch with our Academic partners in Europe (UK, Germany and The Netherlands),
Asia (China and India), the US and South Africa
Project Adviser on behalf of our Advertising the Oxygenz survey on Social Networks: Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, Hyves
Cognitive Psychologist
Dr. Jay Brand research sponsor and partner,
HAWORTH Promoting Oxygenz across our industry and research community via public speeches and presentations
Haworth
Publishing regular articles on the project in the media and press
CEO, Engaging our employees via internal communications
Dr. Anne Marie McEwan Senior Researcher and adviser
The Smart Work Company
In 12 months of actively promoting the website, we attracted tens of thousands of visitors to our website
Dashboard Development Senior Consultant www.oxygenz.com and collected more than 5,300 respondents completed on line surveys:
Eline Leussink
Data analyst Johnson Controls 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
Communication Manager
Malavika Kamath Researcher for Asia More than 1000 respondents fit within the generation X age group of 26 to 45 years old in 2009
Johnson Controls

Director of Workplace The database is robust, providing a wide range of participants across our targeted regions and a
Lewis Beck Data analyst
Johnson Controls 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.

The first data analysis using both our reporting tool and the statistical package analysis SPSS, was To date Oxygenz is the largest data sample of respondents across multi regions and industry sectors
carried out in July 2008 after a monthly monitoring of the results to assess the reliability of the data and addressing and sharing their aspirations about the way they would like to work and what are their
correct any errors or omissions. The number of respondents has grown steadily in one year and a half preferences in the workplace.
from the time of the launch to the global data analysis carried out from July 2009 to September 2009.

40 41

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.

42 43

Brandocracy

When iDEA was approached to produce an online As many from our target audience are unfamiliar
survey we had a very open brief: design the survey with Workplace terminology and may have never
to be mainly image-based, work around the experienced an office environment, much of the
journey of the respondent to and through work. questioning has been formatted to illustrate the
terminology used.
iDEA worked with their predominantly
Generation Y design team to produce an The survey experience visually builds the user’s
engaging interactive experience, one that perfect office as they progress through the survey.
provided as well as collected information. At the end of the survey, they are presented with
their office profile in a format they can share with
The Generation Y is not only web savvy but also friends on their own social network site.
has an unwritten set of rules on how and when
to share personal information. Taking this into We agreed, to a certain extent, to hide the corporate
account, our early recommendations were to brand and develop the Oxygenz identity. In
create a stand-alone non-corporate brand and addition to the main survey, a Facebook game and
invite participates through viral campaigning. several social group applications were developed.
The main survey has been designed using Supportive gorilla campaigning added to the non
Flash to enable the user to interact and travel corporate brand image with world landmark stickers
through the survey in more of an online gaming being shared on Facebook and Flickr.
/ learning style than that of a traditional tick box
questionnaire. Whilst still maintaining a structured By linking and sharing related collateral to these
backend database to allow for dynamic online social sites, we introduced an element of brand
survey interrogation, the survey projects a light- comfort and familiarity. It was essential to create a
hearted quirky style to encouraging users to network of Oxygenzers and maintain their level of
engage with the project. engagement throughout the period of the study.

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.

44 45

Oxygenz Results

And specifically:
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 What are the Generation Y’s
years old ( who fit within the Generation Y group) preferences about their future
attach to their future workplace and how different
or not they are from their elders, particularly the workplace?
Generation X, Baby Boomers and Traditionalists.

In this report we aim to understand how important
What workspace design will
is the workplace in attracting, recruiting and they prefer?
retaining Generation Y workers and what factors
contribute to talent management per industry
sector, country and region? What technologies will they
want to use?

H
ow will they prefer to get to
and from work?

What other facilities will they
prefer to have on site?

H
ow important are
sustainability initiatives in
their choice of employer?

H
ow important is having a
choice of when and where
to work?

H
ow will the workplace
contribute to their job
satisfaction?

46 47

value
The alignment of company
value
and culture and individual
and meanings is the key to
Choice of Company develop a sustainable career
and design a progressive
.
individual development path

Focus Tony, 1981
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.

Figure 8: Choice of Company for 18-25 yrs old
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 The Western Generation Y from the UK and the US favour their colleagues and having a meaningful
which they can grow and evolve. Those environments will include the physical space. Workplace design work, while the Eastern Generation Y from China and India focus on the opportunities for learning first.
is likely to become a strategic weapon in the battle to attract and retain scarce young talent in today’s Across the board, both male and female respondents from the Generation Y are looking for a learning
increasingly competitive global economy. experience first.

18-25yrs 26-35yrs 36-45yrs 46-55yrs 56-65yrs USA UK India China Male - All Female - All

Opportunities Opportunities Meaningful Meaningful Meaningful Work Opportunities Opportunities Opportunities Opportunities
Top 1 Quality of Life Top 1
for learning for learning work work work colleagues for Learning for Learning for Learning for Learning
Work Meaningful Quality of Opportunities Advancement Work
Top 2 Quality of Life Compensation Quality of Life Top 2 Quality of Life Quality of Life
colleagues work Life for Learning & Promotion colleagues
Work Corporate Corporate Work Corporate Corporate Meaningful
Top 3 Quality of Life Compensation Top 3 Quality of Life Compensation
colleagues Values Values colleagues Values Values work

Figure 7: Choice of Company: per age group, all countries Figure 9: Choice of Company for 18-25 yrs old, key countries

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 Recommendations:
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. Human Resources must consider the workplace as a recruitment factor
Physical space can play a substantial role in choosing a company. Workplace design is likely to become Employers must not neglect the impact of their workplace to attract, recruit and retain talent
a strategic weapon in the battle to attract and retain scarce young talent in today’s increasingly The way of working is tightly linked to the way people prefer to live
competitive global economy. Of all respondents, work colleagues, opportunities for learning and quality The Generation Y privileges colleagues relationships rather than financial compensations
of life are considered to be amongst the most important factors.

48 49

Location should be near my
be
Home. My workplace should
an ideal Space to interact,
y
Location share , brainstorm and pla
with ideas.

Focus: Aisha, 1980

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 More than 70% prefer an urban to slightly urban location. India has the highest demand for office spaces
in an urban location or a major city could be a motivator for people to come to work everyday. Others in urban areas and the lowest for rural locations. The preferences between the Generation Y and the
may prefer working in a more rural, greener environment. However, it is important to note that those Generation X do not differ so much and are very compatible. The results highlight a need to consider
preferring urban locations, find, easily accessible public transportation, or good public infrastructure offices in urban arenas and close to major infrastructures.
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 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

Figure 10: Location of the office: per country, 18-25 years old

50 51

Travel

Focus
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 Figure 13: Mode of Transport: per age group, all countries

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? 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,
Results: 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
With the increase of the cost of energy and petrol, employers are seriously questioning where a new transport for 18-25 years old. China on the other hand, privileges public transport.
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.

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 12: Mode of Transport: all ages, all countries Figure 14: Mode of Transport: per country, 18-25 years old

52 53

the
Telecommuting would not be
e
exception, but instead be th
more
norm. Leadership would be
Ways of working open-minded and allow emplo
yees
to contribute positively in
er
whatever way they can, rath
and
League table: Travel Recommendations: than restricting the ability
le.
Focus: creativity of talented peop
The UK: a nation of Walkers Offer easy public access to the office
US and India: the car comes first Encourage young employees to cycle to What way of working would you prefer to have? John 1970
China: Public transport comes first work and plan for bike facilities on site What work pattern would you like to have?
(safe parking spaces, showers)
Promote a green travel schemes
Overview:
Flexible and mobile ways of working are becoming more common nowadays rather than the
Choice of cars and priorities: 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
A closer look at the data about the choice of car Across the three age groups we looked at, car over the past years. Employees are becoming more and more mobile in their way of work. It is crucial
reveals generational differences: users want to carry with them in their car: to understand how mobile a workforce wants to be while on site and in their working environment.
The Generation Y, environmentally friendly, 1. Mobile phone With a high level of mobility on site, we are able to reconfigure the workspace and make it more agile,
is the most attracted to Hybrid cars 2. Laptop introduce various work settings and styles and promote new ways of working.
The Generation X, more mature and 3. Satellite Navigation system
experience, privileges Family cars
The plus 35 years old has the highest In terms of priorities when choosing a car, Results:
demand for large vehicle differences emerge again and are as follow:
1. Safety The level of mobility (versus static) in the way of working also demonstrates that females are slightly
2. Design more in favour of a flexible way of working against males, while in the UK the demand is the highest for
3. Technology the Generation Y, at 81%.

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
Figure 16: Pattern of Work: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old, unknown by this generation, while it may be a
all countries 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.
Figure 15: Choice of car per age group

54 55

Figure 17: Preferred Level of Mobility: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old Figure 19: Flexible Working Pattern – preferred vs. expected: per age group, all countries

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.

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:
Figure 20: Flexible Working Pattern – preferred vs. expected: per country all countries for 18-25 yrs old
43% of the respondents prefer a
conventional working pattern.
League table: Flexible Working Recommendation:
Women prefer more flexibility than men Flexible Working should be the norm
Figure 18: Pattern of Work: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old, all countries The UK and the US Generation Y prefer to for the Generation Y as it is a flexible
work the most flexibly while China and workforce with a high level of mobility
India expect to work flexibly. Raise awareness on new ways of working
The 45-54 years old group are the age and actively promote flexible working
group with the highest preferences for a
flexible way of working

56 57

:
Creativity e of
ct ion and us s
the produ creative idea
d
Creativity & Productivity unusual an
ity:
Productiv h we
Focus the ra te of whic s and
ce good
wo rk, produ ompany
What are the top three factors which would enhance your productivity and your creativity?
our c
output to
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

18-25yrs 26-35yrs 36-45yrs 46-55yrs 56-65yrs

Creativ- Produc- Creativ- Produc- Creativ- Produc- Creativ- Produc- Creativ- Produc-
Figure 22: Productivity: Generation Y, all countries
ity tivity ity tivity ity tivity ity tivity ity tivity

Top Technol- Technol- Technol- Technol- Ambiance Technol-
People People People People
ogy in ogy in ogy in ogy in & Atmo- ogy in
Around Around Around Around
1 office office office office sphere office Recommendations
Top Ambiance Ambiance Ambiance Ambiance
People People People People People People
& Atmo- & Atmo- & Atmo- & Atmo-
2 around around around Around Around Around Privilege team work to boost creativity
sphere sphere sphere sphere
Technol- Ambiance Technol- Ambiance Technolo- Ambiance Technolo- Ambiance Technolo- Ambiance
Provide a wide range of workspace to support productivity
Top
ogy in & Atmo- ogy in & Atmo- gy in the & Atmo- gy in the & Atmo- gy in the & Atmo- Provide the right technological support to employees to support productivity
3 office sphere office sphere office sphere office sphere office sphere Create a working environment with an ambiance and atmosphere which
promote interaction and team working
Figure 21: Creativity and Productivity: per age group, all countries

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
Technology + Ambiance & Atmosphere +
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.
People around = Creativity and Productivity
58 59

Behind Creativity & Productivity

Results:
One of the least understood implications of What is productivity and how does it differ from
the shift from an industrial to a service-based performance? There is twenty years of research on
design and knowledge economy is that the high-performance work systems centred around
physical workplace is becoming a key resource organisational structures, systems and processes,
in leveraging conversations, social learning, which all function together to create environments
collaboration and contemplation. Architects, that energise workforce competence33&34. This is
facilities managers, and furniture suppliers are consistent with CEO responses in recent global
leading the charge in recognising that workplace surveys. They said that business model innovation,
design influences performance. Strategic HR is creating organisational capabilities to engage
beginning to understand the role of the workplace in strategic partnerships and collaboration, and
and workplace design in new ways of working39. availability of talented people are top priorities for
them in these difficult business conditions45.
We all know from personal experience that
the quality of air and lighting in a workplace The physical workplace is now a crucial additional
can influence productivity. As the need for component to the high-performance work mix.
effectiveness in complex social interactions Environments for generating human capital are
replaces the efficiency demands of routine created by job design, support for continuous
work, the psycho-social aspects of the working learning, challenging and meaningful work, and fair
environment become significant in influencing reward. We have already noted that workplace design
productivity. Layout of primary spaces, can shape and influence work flows through layout
provision of common areas, and meeting and and spaces for different work modes. Organisational
learning spaces mediate our ability to interact sub-cultures can be so deeply engrained that co-
with colleagues in a visually and emotionally location does not prevent silo behaviour. Job design,
stimulating environment40&41. specifying joint responsibilities across cultural
boundaries, can be used to augment workplace
Measuring productivity is notoriously challenging. design to encourage collaboration.
Isolating the contribution of workplace design
characteristics from other elements of productivity According to the respondents, creativity in the
is not easy. There are suggestions that ‘knowledge workplace is triggered mostly by the individuals
and understanding of productivity and workplace around you and your surrounding area, the
design is its infancy’. Even so, there is accumulating workplace and its ambiance and atmosphere. The
evidence that workplace design impacts positively technology support is also nowadays essential and
on workforce performance42. becomes the third most important ingredient in
Photographer: Oriane Pesquier

the recipe of creativity at work.

60 61

When a campus is too big
it’s a waste of resources as
to
employees are not motivated
use facilities if they are not
et
Facilities Management Support Services easily reachable.... Don’t forg
to right size the ‘perfect
workplace’…
Focus Galith, 1984

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.

Figure 24: Level of services across the industry sectors, the age groups, per country.
The results:
The demand from females and males are equally very high, with male percentages higher than female.
Reception and Secruity We can observe some differences per industry sector, with the Finance and Media sectors having
higher requirements.
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 League table: Support Services
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). India is the most demanding
country
The 18 to 25 yrs old are the
The Generation Y preferences in particular are most demanding age group
very high compared to the rest of the sample, The Finance Industry and
with requirements for 5 stars to 7 stars services, Media, Communication &
requesting a high level of reception services as far Marketing Industry are the
as dedicated concierge services on-site. It follows most demanding industry
the Generation X requirements, but to a higher sectors
service level. Male employees are more
demanding than female
employees

Figure 23: Reception Services: Generation Y 18-25 yrs
old, all countries

62 63

Catering and Social Facilities

Access to on-site catering services is also very broad, ranging from conventional staff restaurant / The workplace becomes more than just a place to work: it is social structure. Equally 29% of the
canteen to snack bars and coffee shops on-site. Access to social space is also a preference: from shops Generation Y would like to have a gym on site and as well as communal facilities, demonstrating that the
on site, which reflect a demand for multi-functional and mixed use facilities, to various type of venues workplace is more than a place to work, but also a place to socialise. The evidences demonstrate that
like bars, clubs and sport facilities. the younger generation is far more willing to engage with their workplace than older generation and use
the space a social playground.
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%).

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
Figure 26: Social Facilities on site, Generation Y, all countries
2% of the 18-25 years old choosing not to
have any catering facilities on site.
Recommendations
Figure 25: Food Facilities on site, Generation Y, all countries
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

64 65

Environmentally Environmentally friendly Environmenta
lly aw are
Compliant LEED or BREEAM assessed (in
cluding BREEAM In-use self Encourage sta
ff to have an
Compliant with environment
al nmental considerations into any environmental
ass essment tool) Incorporate enviro ff in
awareness See
king
legislation Compliance maint
ained Actively engage and educate sta LEED or BR
Environmental issues workplace changes/procurement align
EEAM assess
ment
by resources required and ly in the workplace Certified or Compliant with
how to be environmentally friend with
environmental
integrated into workplace Management Systems Compliant legislation Mo
with ISO 14001 Environmental nitor the envi
ronmental
management where appropria
te nmental improvement targets and performance
env ironmental legislation Set enviro of
of the workp
lace Have
Focus Annually assess compliance. nitor environmental performance some environm
programmes to achieve these Mo programmes in
ental managem
ent
tinuous improvement options.
the workplace and look for con place to minim
ise impact.
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:
Figure 28: Environmental requirements for the workplace – per age group, all countries
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 But they are not the only generation calling for green employers. The older generations are even
new way of living with 96% of the 18-25 years old aspire to work in a greener office against 98% of the greener, with a mere 2% of our 26-35 years old looking for barely compliant employers.
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 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
Figure 27: Environmental Workplace: Generation Y 18-25 yrs old, all countries must adopt a green office environment to attract and retain these young employees.

66 67

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
Figure 29b: Environmental requirements for the workplace per industry sector, 18-25 years old 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
If we look closely to the 18-25 years group per country, we can notice some differences, but overall, the physical aspects of the workplace, but also in their way of working: flexible working, travel patterns etc,
generation Y is expecting a green deal from their employer and evidence of environmental solutions as we noticed earlier.
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 Recommendations
beyond minimum compliance.
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

68 69

A crisp, clean, private when
necessary - both visual and
noise distractions must be
able to be shut out entirely.
Workplace Brightness of work space
must
ise.
be as controllable as the no

Focus: Moxie, 1992
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 well-
being 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.

70 71
Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.

Figure 30: Preferred style in the workplace per age group and country 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.
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.

d
No matter how much time an
the
effort you put into making
s,
Figure 31: Colours on the wall – 18-25 yrs old, all countries quality of the surrounding Figure 33: Finishes per gender – 18-25 years old
it’s the mood created by
e
Overall, the generation Y tends to prefer subtle, relaxing and
the workers which make th The level of finishes is something we notice very easily when entering any workplace and clearly
rce
clinical colours on the wall, contrary to common belief that this workplace. A happy workfo it matters to the generation Y. They prefer more natural and soft finishes and do not aspire to see
generation is extravagant in their style. is a better one! 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.
Alex, 1988
60% of the US 18 to 25 years old prefer natural finishes like wood against 40% of the Chinese.

72 73

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 environment46&47.

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
Figure 35: Level of Lighting in the office
and feel on their environment.

74 75

Art @ work

The question of Art in the workplace is very controversial as not everybody appreciates nor likes Art. Exactly the same answers applied to the Generation X. These
Often Art is an exhibition of wealth and the common understanding is that if an organisation can afford results demonstrate that the Generation Y does not differ from
to invest into Art, then it is a wealthy organisation. Although the reality of corporate investment into Art the overall global sample and overall Art has a little importance
is somehow very different: in the workplace. However if we breakdown the answers per
industry sector, we can start to observe major differences.
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 37: Preferences for Art in the workplace per industry sector, 18-25 years old, all countries

Recommendations:
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
Figure 36: Level of Art in the workplace - 18-25 yrs old, Privilege natural fittings and lighting around the working environment
all countries Consider Art in the working environment

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.

76 77

g
“Engagement is about creatin
to connect
opportunities for employees
rs
with their colleagues, manage
also
and wider organisation. It is
t where
about creating an environmen
Emotional Engagement employees are motivated to wan
t to
really
connect with their work and
.”48
care about doing a good job
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 Enterprises are fragmenting into eco-systems
ways. Achieving emotional engagement is the of partnerships and nomadic work-on-the-go is
holy grail of workplace design in the emerging normal. Consequently workplaces are themselves
innovation age, where knowledge is created and transforming, kaleidoscope-like, into patterns
shared through networks. Understanding how of distributed and virtual configurations. The
people work and socialise in networks, and how plethora of public spaces available through wifi
their workplace environments help or hinder them, allows permanently connected knowledge workers
is now fundamental and urgent. choice in where they work based on what mood
they are in, what they have to do and who they
Emotional engagement is an outcome of the have to be with. This self-determination satisfies
strength of feeling we have towards work, our their emotional needs.
colleagues and our physical surroundings, all of
which interact in non-simple ways. It is influenced “It is becoming commonplace for a cafe to be
by having the opportunity, desire and the right full of people ... more engaged with their in-box
sort of environments, which allow us to connect than with the people touching their elbows. These
with work and each other49. Achieving emotional places are physically inhabited but psychologically
engagement is the holy grail of workplace design evacuated ”
in the emerging innovation age, where knowledge The Economist50.
is created and shared through networks.
It is conceivable that there might come a day when
Understanding how people work and socialise in offices are no longer considered necessary and
networks, and how their workplace environments knowledge workers, like armies of freelancers
help or hinder them, is now fundamental and urgent. currently do, take responsibility for sourcing
their own workspaces. For the moment though,
An overwhelming amount has been written about the provision of appropriate workplaces remains
how to influence intrinsic motivation, a close largely with employers. Observations from hybrid
relative of emotional engagement, by focusing on ‘third places’, public spaces and workspaces away
combinations of social relationships, technology, from the office environment, show that emotional
job design and business processes. The role engagement is about much more than the physical
of the workplace is rarely considered. That is workplace. It is no longer enough that people
changing rapidly. The workplace is taking centre- are co-located; they are more often interested in
stage as people come together to socialise, what’s happening on their digital devices than

collaborate and learn. We also need space for the people sitting next to them. Space can be
isolation and contemplation. physically inhabited but psychologically evacuated51.

78 79

The environment should Quality over Quantity
be harmonious providing (of space, and amenities).
opportunities to learn, to Efficient workspaces
ployee
Workspace collaborate and help the em promote efficiency.
tivity
to achieve maximum produc Molly, 1982
as well as providing a good
own
opportunity for his or her
Focus growth and their goals.
What individual workspace would you prefer to have?
Would you like to personalise your desk? Nitin, 1988
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,
Figure 38: Comfort with Space: all respondents – per country
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 The level of comfort with space varies widely depending on the country, the culture and age groups.
considered, but that is changing rapidly. The workplace is taking centre-stage as people come together Overall, we can observe that the majority of people are comfortable in a measure of space of 10 to 16
to socialise, collaborate and learn. Simultaneously, we also need space for isolation and contemplation. 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.
Results:
Again, here amongst the generation Y, women feel more comfortable in a larger space than men.
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 workplace51.

Figure 39: Level of comfort with space, sqm per person, 18-25 years old

80 81

Brake the spatial design
rules. Cheaper and faster
e
is sometimes better for th
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
Figure 40: Individual workspace: Gen Y 18-25 yrs old, all countries Allow for moderate personalisation of individual spaces while at work

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

82 83

days
Too much emphasis these
e
is put on self. I’d like to se
people recognizing that team
goal
effort towards a common
Social Networking is in your best interest.

Ledine, 1970
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 Core elements of social networking technologies
operates through “self-constructed networks of are profiles, ‘friends’ that constitute a selfdefined
shared social practice and sets behavioural trends social group, and a comments function where
that influence people of all ages”. We know that public interactions and relationships with others
connecting, talking, sharing, tagging, and creating are displayed . How is Generation Y using social
and distributing content is a natural behaviour networking technologies? According to Joshua
for them. They are taking their social habits March, CEO of iPlatform and himself in the
into the workplace to the enormous advantage Generation Y demographic, “Generation Y is
of enterprises, which have not yet realised it! Facebook ‘friend’ widely. Status updates through
Employ a member of Generation Y and you get Facebook or Twitter begins to be more engaging
the advantage of their entire network, which they as you elect to follow what others say.
bring with them to work every day through their Communication within a wider network of weaker
permanent connectivity. connections creates opportunity for ‘water cooler’
conversations and the opportunity to get to know
Among the social networking sites queried in a larger and more diverse group than would be
Oxygenz, Facebook was the overwhelming choice possible face-to-face.”
of both females & males. There were slight
tendencies (maybe suggestive; maybe not) for So what’s the business advantage? Social
Facebook and MySpace to be slightly more popular technologies reveal who is connected to whom and
among females than males, while LinkedIn may amplify collective intelligence within and across
have been slightly more popular among males enterprise boundaries. Used in a corporate setting,
than females. the technologies connect previously unknown
colleagues around common interests and specific
Not that all employers see this networked topics, exchanging, sharing, learning and finding
sociability as an advantage. A fear of time-wasting answers. They show who the high-performers are,
has led to many organisations banning access to where value is created, who creates it, and the
social networking sites. This might just be a futile roles key people play in sourcing and acting on
attempt to hold back the tide. A swell of online new, value-creating knowledge. Another benefit of
articles, blogs, publications56, research and books the technologies is that they shrink social distance
indicate a growing appreciation of the business within a distributed workforce.
advantages of social networking technologies.
Generation Y themselves will force change as they Generation Y have unleashed the social
seek out employers of choice. networking genie. Smart businesses know that
technologies are not going back in the bottle and
Adoption of enterprise social networking will are learning to embrace the social revolution,
accelerate as Generation Y makes their presence adapting their business processes and ways of
felt in the workplace57. working and managing.

84 85

Everything depends on the
culture of the company. The
ould
policies of the company sh
be to encourage employees
Collaborative Working Environment to work in teams, to think
re
about their colleagues befo
themselves.
Focus:
Jaydeep, 1983
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. Figure 43: Access to collaborative spaces, 18-25 years old, per country

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.

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%
Figure 42: Collaborative Environment: Gen Y prefer to have access to breakout spaces. The
18-25 yrs old, all countries preferences are shifting towards the use of
informal spaces, rather than formal.

86 87

The US 18-25 years old appear to have the highest demand for dedicated team workspaces, compared to We can observe major differences between the Generation Y and the Generation X. The older generation
the other country we studied. With 47% of the respondents who prefer access to dedicated collaborative are moving away from traditional meeting places towards the use of more informal meeting spaces, even
workspaces, against 38% for the UK, 42% for India and 37% for China. Breakout spaces are also in as far as abandoning team spaces, most preferred by the generation Y.
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 45: Choice of collaborative space: per industry sector, all ages

Figure 44: Choice of collaborative space: per age group
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 most important The Engineering industry is focused on team based activities
thing for me is to feel The Media industry prefers access to a large amount of breakout spaces

as if the work I am
The Finance sector is more anchored in formal meeting spaces

doing is worthwhile and
appreciated by others. Recommendations:
Jacquelyn, 1989 Team workspaces should be present in every workplace
Access to informal collaborative spaces (like breakout spaces) rather than formal meeting rooms

88 89

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.

Very high Very high
Importance
expectations expectations
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 /
Top 3 46.0% 52.5% gave it: very high importance
Blackberry
Printer Top 4 38.5% 44.9% gave it: very high importance

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: Recommendations
The technology results demonstrate that it is important Mobile technology is a priority
to consider the role of technologies in tomorrow’s Mobile and portable technologies should
workplace and for the Generation Y. This generation be provided as a priority; laptop rather
of 18 – 25 years old has grown up with technology in than PC desktops, Blackberry rather than
their day-to-day environment and it is ‘normal’ and mobile phones
‘expected’ for them to have technologies at work, as Limit the provision of printers on desks and
good as what they have at home, if not better. promote clean desk policies
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.

90 91

How technology is transforming work

Enter any workplace today and you will find Technology is the most important factor Cloud Computing - Cloud computing is a Social Software and Social Networking
technology at the core of its operations. Whether influencing and enabling the scale of change style of computing that characterizes a model in Organizations should consider adding a social
it’s an office or industrial environment - wireless within workplaces even today. As a result of the which providers deliver a variety of IT-enabled dimension to a conventional Web site or
networking, automation, instant messaging and exponential technological developments, we are capabilities to consumers. application and should adopt a social platform
virtual meetings are all playing a fundamental witnessing unprecedented and irreversible changes sooner, rather than later.
role in transforming how business is conducted in our society. These changes are affecting the
globally. Moving forward, technologies will create way we work and live, influencing our strategic Servers - Beyond Blades -This evolution
a faster support infrastructure, more flexible business decision and direction of the workplace. will simplify the provisioning of capacity to meet Unified Communications - This change is
workplaces that enable businesses to meet growing needs. The organization tracks the driven by increases in the capability of application
the evolving demands from their customers. Research analysts at Gartner identify ten
59
various resource types, for example, memory, servers and the general shift of communications
Workplaces have undergone dramatic changes technologies they believe will be of strategic separately and replenishes only the type that is in applications to common off-the-shelf server and
during the last number of decades as society importance. Virtualization. Virtualization to short supply. operating systems.
makes the transition from an industrial age eliminate duplicate copies of data on the real
to a knowledge age. In the wake of these storage devices while maintaining the illusion
transformations, new work styles, locations and to the accessing systems that the files are Web-Oriented Architectures - The Internet Business Intelligence - Business Intelligence
patterns are underpinning the changes being as originally stored (data deduplication) can is arguably the best example of an agile, (BI) can have a direct positive impact on a company’s
experienced in the workplace today. This is giving significantly decrease the cost of storage devices interoperable and scalable service-oriented business performance, dramatically improving
rise to a better connected, more competitive and media to hold information. environment in existence. its ability to accomplish its mission by making
and increasingly complex work environment smarter decisions at every level of the business from
including key features like the emerging trend corporate strategy to operational processes.
of knowledge work; the changing demand for EnterpriseMashups - Through 2010, the
flexible employment contracts giving rise to leaner enterprise mashup product environment will
organisations; and, the increased number of experience significant flux and consolidation, Green IT - Shifting to more efficient products
mobile workers. and application architects and IT leaders should and approaches can allow for more equipment
investigate this growing space for the significant to fit within an energy footprint, or to fit into a
and transformational potential it may offer their previously filled center.
enterprises.

Despite the transforming potential of technology,
Specialized Systems - Heterogeneous systems attitudes and mindsets are much slower to
are an emerging trend in high-performance change. Supporting systems, structures, business
computing to address the requirements of the processes, and new ways of working and thinking
most demanding workloads, and this approach need to be put in place to realise truly radical
will eventually reach the general-purpose workplace transformation.
computing market.
Source http://www.gartner.com/it/page.
jsp?id=777212

Figure 46: The Smart Workplace 2030 – Johnson Controls © 2009

92 93

Conclusion

The 18 – 25 years old have never known anything Desk sharing should be introduced to
but economic growth and prosperity until last boost flexible working and increase desk
year. How will their expectations and behaviour to people ratios
change in the face of the unfolding mayhem in the
financial markets? We have yet to feel the full force The space allocated to each desk should
of this global event. Will Generation Y continue remain within average occupancy standards
to be such a special generation, feted and wooed of 8 to 12 sqm per head)
for their talent, if the balance of power reverts to
employers as labour markets tighten? The workplace should provide a broad
range of support spaces to support
It remains crucially important to understand different ways of working but most
what matters most to the 18 – 25 years old. importantly, should include informal
The data reveals a fascinating insight into this space to breakout and collaborate with
new generation and how they are and behave colleagues as much as possible
compared to previous one.
So, what has the OXYGENZ research told us about People should be allowed to work in a mobile
the workplace preferences of Generation Y. Based way (on and off campus/business park) with
on the data collected over the course of the the ability to flex their working hours
survey, we can summarise the following:
The facilities services should be of a
Buildings should be located in an urban or high standard with access to a range of
slightly urban setting on-site catering services from formal
There should be a provision for employees restaurants to cafes
to primarily use public transport to work,
car sharing schemes incentives policies and Access to communal facilities such as
limited car parking facilities if possible a gym, gardens, bars and clubs and
commercial facilities like banks and
The working environment should predominantly: hairdressers should be provided

Be modern with subtle and relaxing colours The workplace should be designed to
Have a blend of natural and artificial lighting support social interaction and provide
opportunities for learning
Have natural floor finishes
The ambiance and atmosphere of
Contain subtle art the workplace is also important – the

workplace should be used to communicate
Strong consideration should be given to corporate culture and values, engage
environmental measures and sustainable employees with their colleagues, a major
ways of working in the workplace factor to increase creativity

Workstations should be dedicated Technology in the workplace should be
to individuals with the ability to be incorporated to maximise productivity
personalised by the occupant facilitating virtual and face to face engagement

94 95

World

Conclusion Continued...

{
Representing 57.3% of the total sample

3011
It is conceivable that there might come a day when Recommendations:
18 to 25 year old
50.3% of males and offices are no longer considered necessary. For Having understood the workplace preferences of

respondents: 49.7% of females the moment though, the provision of appropriate
workplaces remains largely with employers. Our
Generation Y, it is important to understand the
implication of the findings for employers, facilities
55.6% of respondents are studying results and our observations show that individual managers and real estate owners and investors.
engage with their working environments and the Success will be about compromise and determining
people around them. the essentials versus the nice to haves.

There is a common belief that people are more Location:
Location often interested in what’s happening on their Urban to Slightly Urban
digital devices than the people sitting next to them.
71% would prefer to work in an urban But the Oxygenz results demonstrate again that
setting against 29% in a rural setting. work is inherently social. Organisations now have Design:
the opportunity to view the Generation Y sociability Modern, well light, subtle with natural and soft
A modern or contemporary style with as a source of business advantages, giving them materials
subtle; clinical, relaxing colors.
access to the collective intelligence available across
39% would prefer only natural light in organisational boundaries and contained within
their working environment. Generation Y’s extended personal networks. Sustainability:
Strong emphasis on sustainable ways of
All countries: 18-25 years old individual space Recognising the value of networked sociability and working
preferences. enabling it through the design of the workplace Provision for employees to drive and use
and organisational support environments will public
allow businesses to tap into the powerhouse of the Transport, promoting cycling to work
Generation Y energy, innovation, knowledge and
creative potential. Functionality:
Dedicated desks with scope for sharing
Travel Space per desk above average standard
40% by car of which 30% would prefer to Wide range of support environments
drive a hybrid car Range of different support environments
Supporting flexibility in terms of time and
14% cycling location is key
Support social interaction and opportunities
10% by motorcycle or scooter
for learning
19% by public transport

17% walking Facilities:
Very high standard of facility services
All countries: 18-25 years old preferences and Access to social facilities
expectations for working.
Top 3 priorities when chosing an employer:
57% would prefer to have an employer which 1. Opportunities for Learning Technology:
provides a workplace which goes beyond 2. Quality of Life Seamlessly incorporated to enhance productivity
environmentally compliance. 3. Work Colleagues Mobile technology should be a priority

96 97

India China

897
Total number of
Generation Y
respondents in India: { 80% are between 18-25 years old
(68% of males and 32% of females)
75% of respondents are studying 660
Total number of
Generation Y
respondents in China: { 74% are between 18-25 years old
67% of respondents are studying

Location Location

84% would prefer to work in an urban 70% would prefer to work in an urban
setting against 16% in a rural setting. setting against 29% in a rural setting.

A more modern rather than contemporary A more modern rather than contemporary
style with subtle; clinical and relaxing, style with subtle; clinical colors.
vibrant and colourful interior.
Only 28% would prefer only natural light
Only 30% would prefer only natural light in their working environment.
in their working environment.
India: 18-25 years old individual space preferences
China: 18-25 years old individual space preferences
75% prefer to work in mobile way but 92% would 77% prefer to work in mobile way but 94% would
like to personalise their individual space. like to personalise their individual space.

Travel Travel
49% by car of which 65% would prefer to 21% by car and of which 48% would prefer
drive a hybrid car to drive a hybrid car.

8% cycling 19% cycling.

18% by motorcycle or scooter 9% by motorcycle or scooter.

16% by public transport 31% by public transport.

9% walking 19% walking
India: 18-25 years old preferences and China: 18-25 years old preferences and
expectations for working patterns expectations for working patterns

Top 3 priorities when chosing an employer: Top 3 priorities when chosing an employer:
62% would prefer to have an employer which 59% would prefer to have an employer which
provides a workplace which goes beyond 1. Opportunities for Learning provides a workplace which goes beyond 1. Opportunities for Learning
environmentally compliance. 2. Quality of Life environmentally compliance. 2. Advancement and promotions
3. Meaningful Work 3. Quality of Life
98 99

USA UK

1217
Total number of
Generation Y
respondents in USA: { 44.3% are between 18-25 years old
77.9% of respondents are studying 607
Total number of
Generation Y
respondents in UK: { 47.1% are between 18-25 years old
(50.25% of males & 49.75% of females)
55.6% of respondents are studying

Location Location

79% would prefer to work in an urban 73% would prefer to work in an urban
setting against 21% in a rural setting setting against 27% in a rural setting

A modern or contemporary style with A modern or contemporary style with
subtle; clinical and relaxing colors subtle; clinical, relaxing and vibrant colors

47% would prefer only natural light in 48% would prefer only natural light in
their working environment their working environment

USA: 18-25 years old individual space preferences. UK: 18-25 years old individual space preferences

78% prefer to work in a mobile way but 89% would 82% prefer to work in a mobile way but 89% would
like to personalise their individual space. like to personalise their individual space.

Travel Travel
51% by car and 34% would prefer to drive 34% by car, and 30% would prefer to drive
a hybrid car a hybrid car

7% cycling 12% cycling

9% by motorcycle or scooter 7% by motorcycle or scooter

15% by public transport 16% by public transport

18% walking 30% walking
USA: 18-25 years old preferences and expectations UK: 18-25 years old preferences and expectations
for working patterns. for working

Top 3 priorities when chosing an employer: Top 3 priorities when chosing an employer:
51% would prefer to have an employer which 61% would prefer to have an employer which
provides a workplace which goes beyond 1. Meaningful Work provides a workplace which goes beyond 1. Work Colleagues
environmentally compliance. 2. Quality of Life environmentally compliance. 2. Opportunities for Learning
3. Work Colleagues 3. Meaningful Work
100 101

ITWeb2.0 Platform
Way of Working
Sustainability
Socialability
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
Location consider the following issues:
Cost Real Estate
Efficiency
Real Estate
Infrastructure
Travel It is clear that Generation Y would prefer an urbanised location however this conflicts with their
preference to drive to work.
Support Services Facilities
Reception Management An urban location will contribute to meeting a number of other key preferences such as:
IT
The ability to leverage public transport networks contributing to more sustainable ways
Environmental Policies
of working.
Design
Image Workplace
A Workplace to Access to social and commercial facilities such as gyms, restaurants and bars.

Style attract and retain The city can be an extension of the working environment facilitating collaboration and creativity
Atmosphere talent from the in a non-office environment.
Work settings Generation Y
Human An urban location will most likely be the more expensive location when compared with business
Individual space Resources parks and rural locations however the urban location does allow an employer to tick a number of
Collaborative space the Generation Y boxes.
A sustainable
Shared space
and social Hidden costs such as providing dedicated, on-site facilities may need to be considered when
Support space
Social structure and comparing potential locations.
Virtual space
Structure a physical
Work style and virtual Facilities Management
Mobility status environment in
HR Contract which people FM today is just as much about supporting people as it is managing buildings. The preference of
Working patterns Technology Generation Y suggest that this will need to go further in the future providing high quality people focused
work, evolve
Managerial Style Platform services akin with a hotel concierge.
and grow as
individuals and FM will need to work closer with HR and RE to clearly articulate the business benefits of improving
teams. 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
Green
Networked
Mobile
Cloud

for the generation y when choosing an organisation and an employer.

102 103

Workplace
There is a clear preference for flexible working and being able to choose when and where to The workplace can directly support and influence these findings through an office environment that
conduct work with the ultimate aim of achieving a sustainable work / life balance enables individuals and teams to collaborate and engage with each other. It remains crucially important
This contrasts with the Generation Y’s preference for dedicated workstations and the ability to to understand what things matter most to the 18 – 25 years old. The data reveals a fascinating insight
personalise their work space as they are able to personalise their web applications to establish into this new generation and how they are and behave compared to previous one. The initial results
their own identity confirm the characteristics that are attributed to Generation Y. There are five aspects of the initial
The desire to work with slightly more than the recommended amount of space per workstation findings we should draw attention to:
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 Their desires and expectations of mobility and flexible working
Generation Y to help them to trade their dedicated desk for mobility and team oriented spaces Their focus on team working and collaboration (both formal and informal)
Because the possibility exists (due to technology) for the Generation Y to work in any location the The high value they place on opportunities for learning
workplace needs to be less structured and focus on supporting a mixture of work settings The importance of the physical environment in which they work
Work setting “choice” is key not only in the designated office but also in urban space in the form How strongly environmentally concious they are
of public amenities and community spaces supported by technology Their sociability
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”, The generation Y is inherently social, team focused and embraces flexibility. Organisations now have the
Their creativity and productivity is triggered by three major factors: “The people around them”, opportunity to view the potential in the Generation Y at work, embrace their environmental consciousness
colleagues and collaborators, “The ambiance and atmosphere” in the workplace through the and consider their emotional engagement with their workplace as a source of business advantages.
design, layout and facilities but also people, and “The technology” solutions they are provided with.
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
Information Technology / Web 2.0 platform and our observations show that individual engage with their working environments and the people
around them.
Employees must provide the latest range of mobile technologies
Sharing printing facilities must be widely accepted and promoted There is a common belief that people are more often interested in what’s happening on their digital
Access to social networking tool during work is recommended and should not be neglected as a devices than the people sitting next to them. But the Oxygenz results demonstrate again that work is
powerful tool to support team building and networking within the workplace boundaries 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.
Human Resources
Recognising the value of networked sociability and enabling it through the design of the workplace and
Flexible working contracts must be the norm and are expected from most employees to enable a organisational support environments will allow businesses to tap into the powerhouse of the Generation
better work life balance, minimise constraint to work and reconcile family life with working life. Y energy, innovation, knowledge and creative potential.
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

104 105

Footnotes

1. http://www.spectator.co.uk/business/the-magazine/entrepreneur/654421/part_3/the-workplace- 17. http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2005-11-06-gen-y_x.htm
diva-has-arrived.thtml
18. http://www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?productid=1282382
2. Martin, C. And Tulgan, B. (2006) Managing the Generation Mix, 2nd Edition, HRD Press.
19. U.S. data are based on official estimates and projections. Population estimates for 1950-1999 are
3. KPMG International Research Report, 2007. The Impact of Digitalization: A Generation Apart. 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
4. Castells, M., Fernadez-Ardevol, M., Linchuan Qiu, J., Sey, A. (2007). Mobile Communication and using vital statistics through 2007 and survey data on international migration (supplemented with
Society: A Global Perspective. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. administrative data) through 2007.

5. http://www.accenture.com/Global/Accenture_Blogs/Ed_Gottsman/November_2007/ 20. http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/your-money/2009/07/21/a-financial-roadmap-for-
Talking+About+my+Generation.htm generation-y.html

6. http://www.spectator.co.uk/business/the-magazine/entrepreneur/654421/part_3/the-workplace- 21. http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/erickson/2009/02/global_generations_focus_on_in.html
diva-has-arrived.thtml
22. http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62042726,00.htm
7. Martin, C. And Tulgan, B. (2006) Managing the Generation Mix, 2nd Edition, HRD Press.
23. http://www.primacy.com/primetimes/200804/asia.html
8. Ask Gen Y Research Report, 2007. http://www.askgeny.com/research.php
24. http://www.primacy.com/primetimes/200804/asia.html
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 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-
10. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22727730-2,00.html 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
11. http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/10/17/the-real-deal-about-gen-y-theyre-inherently- administrative data) through 2007.
conservative/
26. http://www.publiclibraries.com/authors/mico14/chinageny/
12. http://www.accenture.com/Global/Accenture_Blogs/Ed_Gottsman/November_2007/
Talking+About+my+Generation.htm 27. http://www.gallup.com/poll/15934/Chinas-Gen-Bucks-Tradition.aspx

13. It’s 2008: Do They Know Where Their Talent Is?, Deloitte Research Report, 2004 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-
14. U.S. data are based on official estimates and projections. Population estimates for 1950-1999 are 2008 are for the resident population and are based on Census 2000. The estimates are produced
based on the resident population plus the armed forces overseas. Population estimates for 2000- using vital statistics through 2007 and survey data on international migration (supplemented with
2008 are for the resident population and are based on Census 2000. The estimates are produced administrative data) through 2007..
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

15. Making Talent a Strategic Priority, McKinsey Quarterly, 2008 30. http://www.publiclibraries.com/authors/mico14/chinageny/

16. Age structure of the world – 2006 CIA World Factbook 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

106 107

Footnotes Continued...

32. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/LMS_QandA.pdf 47. Gensler, 2008 Workplace Survey, United Kingdom; 2008 Workplace Survey, US.

33. U.S. data are based on official estimates and projections. Population estimates for 1950-1999 are 48. Chartered Institute of Personnel Development Research Insight Reference 4678. Employee
based on the resident population plus the armed forces overseas. Population estimates for 2000- Engagement In Context. December 2008.
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 49. http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/2008_UK_Workplace_Survey_11_19_2008.pdf; Towers
administrative data) through 2007. Population data in the IDB for 2009-2050 are projections of Perrin, Attracting And Engaging Talent. http://www.2017.uwaterloo.ca/
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 50. The Economist, Nomads At Last: A Special Report On Mobility. April 12th 2008.
statistics data through 2003 and administrative data on legal immigration through 2002.
51. The Economist, Nomads At Last: A Special Report On Mobility. April 12th 2008.
34. The Impact of Digitalization – a generation apart, KPMG International Research Report, 2007.
52. http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/2008_UK_Workplace_Survey_11_19_2008.pdf
35. Making Talent a Strategic Priority, McKinsey Quarterly, 2008
53. Towers Perrin, Attracting And Engaging Talent. http://www.2017.uwaterloo.ca/
36. It’s 2008: Do You Know Where Your Talent Is?, Deloitte Research Report, 2004
54. Castells, M. et al (2007). Mobile Communication And Society: A Global Society. The MIT Press,
37. http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/en/About-Design/Design-Disciplines/Workplace-design/ Cambridge, Massachusetts.

38. Florida, R. (2005). Cities and The Creative Class. Routledge, London. 55. http://www.accenture.com/Global/Accenture_Blogs/Ed_Gottsman/November_2007/
Talking+About+My+Generation.htm
39. CIPD (Charted Institute of Personnel Development), September 2008, How Smart Is UK plc? Findings
From Organisational Practice. 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;
40. RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), Property In The Economy: Workplace design and http://www.joshuamarch.co.uk/search?q=mukund+mohan; http://www.enterpriseirregulars.
productivity - are they inextricably linked? July 2008. com/2993/swiss-re-one-of-the-smart-companies; http://www.boozallen.com/about/article_news-
ideas/42033790.
41. Gensler, 2008 Workplace Survey, United Kingdom; 2008 Workplace Survey, US.
57. Financial Times, 27th January 2009.
42. CIPD (Charted Institute of Personnel Development), September 2008, How Smart Is UK plc? Findings
From Organisational Practice. 58. http://discovermagazine.com/videos/interview-danah-boyd/

43. D. Guest, SSDA (Sector Skills Development Agency) Catalyst, Smarter Ways of Working: The Benefits 59. http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=777212
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
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46. RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), Property In The Economy: Workplace design and
productivity - are they inextricably linked? July 2008.

108 109

Key Sponsors

Johnson Controls, Global WorkPlace Innovation

Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions is the leading global facilities management solutions iDEA is an independent multi-disciplined design and communications company based in UK and USA.
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. We offer specialized consultancy in the fields of property, workplace, environment and communication
Our approach to facilities management outsourcing is unique. We work with our clients to understand to national and international clients undertaking business transformation.
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 iDEA comprises a mobile team of twenty designers with a combined expertise in workplace, interior
our recommendations. What we deliver are comprehensive solutions that are good for our customers’ design, sustainability, graphic, digital and print media.
organisations.
Over the past fifteen years we have gained a reputation for our leading edge approach to design and
Global WorkPlace Innovation (GWi) is the research and development programme of Global WorkPlace for the inspired and creative ways we present work to clients through interactive user engagement and
Solutions and aims to drive innovation and thought leadership in workplace solutions, globally; support intuitive interface design.
customers’ needs and deliver advanced solutions. GWi also aims to challenge the status quo, leading
change and delivering added value through innovation excellence. iDEA has a superb portfolio of case studies. To view them, visit www.thinkidea.co.uk

Contact: Dr. Marie Puybaraud, Contact: Simon Russell,
marie.c.puybaraud@jci.com simon.russell@thinkidea.co.uk
+44 (0) 7966 563 167 +44 (0)1743 719070

www.johnsoncontrols.co.uk www.thinkidea.co.uk
www.globalworkplaceinnovation.com
www.oxygenz.com

110 111

Partners

Industry: Academics:
BBC
CEPT
Deloitte
Haworth, Inc. is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of office furniture and organic Chulalongkom University
workspaces, including raised access floors, moveable walls, systems furniture, seating, storage and The Smart Work Company
wood casegoods. Family-owned and privately held, Haworth is headquartered in Holland, Michigan, and Cornell University
serves markets in more than 120 countries through a global network of 600 dealers. The company had e-Work
net sales of US $1.11 billion in 2009. Fraunhoffer Institute
NEW WOW
www.haworth.com & www.organicworkspaces.com Hope College
Corenet Global
Contact: Paula Bedford, Paula.Bedford@Haworth.com Liverpool John Moore University
eOffice
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

112 113

Authors

Dr. Marie Puybaraud, Johnson Controls Dr. Anne Marie McEwan, The Smart Work Company
Dr. Marie Puybaraud is Director of Global WorkPlace Innovation (GWi) for Johnson Controls Global Dr Anne Marie McEwan is CEO of The Smart Work Company Ltd, which combines practical work-based
WorkPlace Solutions. Marie has managed the GWi Johnson Controls R&D Programme since 2002, leading learning and new management thinking to help senior executives and middle-level managers make the
around 15 annual projects to successful completion and disseminating all the findings both internally transition to new ways of working. She has over a decade of experience researching and working with
across the global business and externally through marketing and communications activities. Marie businesses, nationally and internationally, making the transition to new ways of working.
has more than 14 years of track record as an active researcher in the field of the built environment, She is a visiting fellow at Kingston University Business School in the UK, also a visiting academic at the
spanning over a career in academia leading a postgraduate course in facilities management and teaching Academy of National Economy in Moscow, and is member of the UK Work Organisation Network (www.
across Europe, in Asia and developing a global network of partners she collaborates with on research ukwon.net). She also co-facilitates Johnson Controls’ Global Mobility Network, a learning network for
projects. She also continuously publishes articles in the press, academic publications and specialist senior IT, FM and HR executives, where her work has included tracking workplace trends.
journals on her research projects, particularly in the field of workplace, mobile working and flexible Her forthcoming book, Smart Working: Creating The Next Wave, will be published in November 2010 by
working, and new ways of working and futures. A regular speaker at both national and international Gower. ISBN 978-1-4094-0456-9.
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 Eline Leussink, Johnson Controls UK
in innovation her colleagues and corporate clients worldwide and members of the research network. Eline Leussink, MA. has an extensive academic background and practical experience within the
Knowledge management is core to her success and a continuous activity. Marie holds a BSc (Hons) in Facilities Management arena. Eline has a BA in Facilities Management and an MA in International
Construction Management and a PhD in Fire Safety Management. Marie obtained her PhD in July 2001 Business. Before joining JCI as a senior consultant Eline has had operational experience managing FM
and was awarded the MacFarlane Medal for best doctorate of the year, excellence in research and major projects for KPMG and Rabobank. Currently working on a variety of consulting projects and business
contribution to research. 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
And with the input of: 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.

Simon Russell, iDEA
Simon has a depth of understanding for the aesthetic and technical possibilities when starting a project Lewis Beck, Associate Director, Johnson Controls UK
from the first initial stages. 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
Being able to communicate at a senior level and manage with disparate organisational groups enables extensive experience of property strategy development and helping global organisations to deliver
concept through to delivery. Simon has run high profile new media based communication projects since and sustain productive and effective working environments.
the late 80’s.

Simon Helped create a new division within iDEA to specialise in offering a media service to existing and And we would like to thanks the following collaborators for their invaluable expert input in the
new clients. This role involves working with a team of designers and programmers to deliver IT focussed delivery of this project:
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 Dr. Jay Brand, Haworth
workplace and communication campaigns, print design solutions, and digital communication projects. Kate North, eWork
Malavika Kamath, Johnson Controls Singapore

114 115

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 Kieren Nason
Media Designer Design & Production Specialist

01743 719070 Johnson Controls
amber.pimm-jones@thinkidea.co.uk Global WorkPlace Solutions
www.thinkidea.co.uk kieren.nason@jci.com

Photography
Oriane Pesquier
iStock
SXC

116 117


Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.

Oxygenz report 2010

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