Employing Baby-Boomers and Millennials in the same office can sound like a mighty challenge. Whereas one group is face-to-face interaction oriented, the other one likes to handle things remotely. Finding room designs that appeal to both demographics, and bring out their strengths, and keep them engaged can be as simple as adding a few agile workplace strategies to your office space design.
Understanding the Generations
The National Conference on Citizenship (NCOC) suggests that there are 77 million Boomers and 82 million Millennials. While the former are starting to enter their retirement years, the latter are at the peak of their productivity. Boomers have decades of work experience and made their way in the business world when interpersonal skills were the tools of the trade. Millennials see technology as the way of the future and place less value on face time.
Agile Workplace Strategies to Suit Both Groups
When you rely on a mix of employees to drive your business forward, bring out their strengths with office space design strategies. Take for example the meeting space. Also known as a collaborative work space, areas that you designate for team or group meetings is essential. Boomers may feel a bit out of their element because of the apparent lack of formality. Choosing movable walls such as glass or acoustic panels can make a huge difference. Alter the space as needed with a few tweaks to the wall setup.
Next, there are the teamwork zones. In this shared setting, members of one team work together on a project. Unlike the meeting space where multiple teams may connect, this is a smaller setting that is also quieter. It allows Millennials to get a break from the more socially taxing meetings while it gives Boomers an opportunity to observe some formalities like personal desk space.
If you are unsure whether a restructuring of your current office space is your best solution, or if your business would be better served by leasing a new space to accommodate both demographics more readily, contact us with your office space questions.