Ever watched the movie “Office Space”? If so you probably remember some of the character’s funny memorable quotes such as:
“I don’t like my job, and, uh, I don’t think I’m gonna go anymore”
“So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that’s on the worst day of my life.”
While the movie was hilarious, the office layouts, company culture, and employee mentality in some companies is still reminiscent of what you see today! In an effort to be efficient and save money the cubicle concept is employed to the extreme where managers are able to oversee a crowded room of workers sitting in cubicles in an open environment.
From 9am-5am everyday employees get to sit in a large open room with white walls, blue carpet, and a sea of boring cubicles. While the company may be saving money on office design and furniture costs they end up with employees who have a never ending case of the Monday’s, who are not motivated to go to or be productive at work, and are thinking about leaving the company.
How to Get Employees Excited About Coming To the Office Today and Tomorrows modern offices should consider the desk and cubicle to be the least important features. Companies need to consider generational and technology shifts. Mobile, wireless, collaborative, sociability, productivity, efficiency, green, hoteling, telecommuting, etc., are the new buzzwords. How and where we work has changed and to be competitive we must learn to adapt. Offices need to have the resources to support multiple mobile devices as not every employee will carry the same technology.
Companies who focus on building happy, and collaborative environments and in getting employees excited about coming to the office will save money on employee recruitment and retainment. Office perks such as fitness centers, medical clinics, learning centers where employees can further their education, daycare, and free lunches are things that could do just that.