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ANALYSIS: Millennial mores prompt developers to focus on “business communities”
The rise of the millennial generation has become a challenge for many businesses, but office developers across the globe, including in Romania, see business opportunities from the realization that adapting to the new lifestyles could be a win-win strategy.
According to experts, millennials want employers to grant them autonomy and flexibility in their work schedule, and they like workspaces with places dedicated to socialization and interaction between teams.
These new lifestyles have been carefully analyzed by office developers, which are now designing projects adapted to younger employees, the Business Review analysis reads.
Socializing places, a key aspect
Millennials are more connected with technology and social sites than older employees. At the same time, they like to have socializing opportunities during the week and at the weekend.
These young workers enjoy meeting friends and colleagues after work, in cafes and restaurants, for fun and socializing.
Millennials are also known for being receptive and involved in social projects, eco projects and sports competitions, and they enjoy having facilities and services in the immediate vicinity that help them save time.
Romania is well known for the excessive bureaucracy that erodes people’s spare time. For developers, adapting to local realities and saving time on bureaucratic procedures may prove to be a key aspect in attracting the interest of millennials. Access to quality medical services is also a strong incentive for young employees who typically pay more attention to their health than previous generations.
As regards the millennial generation’s desire to be involved in social projects, eco projects and sporting competitions, Iulius has sought to develop and focus on a community through its projects. It supports partner companies in their work projects, but also offers a rich calendar of events and actions, on varied themes, according to their concerns, passions and rhythm of life. For them, but also for their families, it organizes social campaigns such as afforestation (so far the company has planted over 10,000 trees), greening, blood donation, fundraising and charity. In addition, it regularly holds sports competitions, inter-company video or board games, Valentine’s Day Cooking Workshops, cross-company cake baking, etc.
Compared with the past, employees now carefully look at both the work environment and workplace inside the office, as well as the location where the workplace is and what it offers in terms of services, HR experts say. Developers have therefore begun to focus on integrating office buildings into mixed projects where employees can access facilities and services that are useful both during and after work. In Romania’s secondary cities like Timisoara or Iasi, location is considered one of the most important criteria when choosing an office space. That’s why developers are looking for ultra-central locations with good access to the city and suburban road infrastructure, and good connectivity to the public transport network and cycle lanes. As a consequence, companies spend more than they did in the past on office space.
In many cases, developers in Romania are also investing in infrastructure modernization to ease access and traffic.
Remote working is still a rare option in Romania, but studies conducted by experts in more advanced economies show that employees are more productive and attached to their company if they interact with the rest of the team on a regular basis. However, the growing number of people working remotely and new technologies have led companies to adapt and make changes in office space management. They have designed large areas and devoted regular sums to social spaces or unconventional work areas.
Other firms that offer their employees the option of working from elsewhere rent offices in coworking spaces. This gives employees flexibility in choosing where to work, but also the chance to interact with other professionals or team members. At the same time, developers are concerned about facilitating employees’ access to green spaces, where they can relax in breaks and after work.