Do you really know what makes your staff tick?

Research by co-working developer, Areaworks, has found that flexible and comfortable working zones are a top priority to employees. Half of the workers surveyed wanted to swap fixed desks for hot desks and casual seating. 64% of office-based respondents also stated that having access to good outdoor facilities or the ability to work on a roof terrace were important productivity and well-being factors.

Other items that made the list for dream office features included:

• Good kitchen facilities
• Plants
• Games, e.g, table tennis
• Pets
• Sleeping Pods
• Water Features

A study conducted by Perkbox, found that Generation Z – those born between the mid-1990’s and 2000 – place a high importance on perks when deciding where to work.  The research also found that 32% of Gen Z prefer smaller benefits with a higher frequency that they can benefit from year round, rather than one bigger annual event such as a Christmas party.

The top 3 most popular perks were annual leave on birthdays, free hot drinks and flexible working hours. These were closely followed up by free lunches and access to private health and dental care.

Capital One recently conducted a survey of 3,500 full-time US employees. The aim of the research was to understand employee’s thoughts on workplace environment and design in relation to productivity, innovation and collaboration.

According to the results, many employees highly value flexibility and good office design. They also value up-to-date technology, agile work spaces and personal well-being investments.

These factors were found to be particularly important when employees were considering moving to a new employer. For example, 73% of workers say that a flexible schedule is a top reason for choosing to stay with or leave an employer.

When it comes to office design, 57% value natural light, 37% feel they benefit from easily reconfigurable furniture, 30% value collaborative spaces and 25% place high importance on rest and relaxation zones. 66% of workers believe that the design of the office environment is more important that it’s location.

When asked to choose a health and well-being benefit that they would most like to keep or see implemented, 39% of respondents cited healthy food and beverage options as an important benefit, while 33% placed a high importance on on-site health and wellness centers or programs.

Next time you’re considering your staff retention rates or are trying to attract a new generation of workers, consider what it is that they value and implement as many of these factors as you can.