Organisations should strive to create an ecosystem of spaces that would foster innovation and boost productivity at work, writes Praveen Rawal
India is rapidly transforming from a low-cost labour destination to a huge knowledge hub, hence the work associated is becoming more advanced and sophisticated. Thus, for organisations that strive for functional excellence, the primary assets are highly skilled knowledge workers.
Unfortunately, India is witnessing a major shortage of knowledge workers. For Indian employers, retaining the employees and their talent has become an emerging concern. The key challenge is to keep employees not just happy but also highly motivated and inspired, which is a challenging task due to the traditional work setup in India.
The shortage and intense competition for creative knowledge workers is becoming a critical issue for organisations around the world. Hence, companies are scrambling to recruit these high skilled workers or working hard to equip their current workforce with the skill sets necessary to work in the knowledge economy.
There is an increased need for creative knowledge workers as companies push for innovation as a competitive edge to survive in today’s market. Work is becoming more complex and distributed, hence employees need to cultivate critical thinking skills and adopt collaborative work behaviours, and businesses have to undergo these vital transformations at a faster pace.
Volatile market conditions and the changing nature of work are pushing companies to adopt agility in their strategy and pay attention to the increasing attrition. Additionally, India’s workforce is growing rapidly and in the next 25-30 years, the number of people added to it could equal the entire population of the United States! This growing population will be majorly dominated by the Gen Y employees who are powered by technology, competition, flexible working style, prefer privacy, collaboration, and mix traditional values with a Western outlook. Their exceptional communication and professional competency is luring multinational corporations to explore them as an opportunity for research, engineering, and innovation. Hence, retaining this younger talent is vital for any organisation’s success.
To retain this younger talent, workplace should be designed as a catalyst for change. Workplace should be a place that nurtures workers’ physical, cognitive, and emotional needs. Retaining a positive and motivated staff is vital to an organisation’s success.
Here are some of the design considerations to create a progressive workplace which will help boost productivity, enhance well-being, and foster innovation at workplace.
SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS
All workers want control over how they lay out and work through their tasks, along with the ability to switch work modes easily. Superior connections and support for technology, array and storage capabilities, and an easy-to-adjust, high-comfort chair can transform even a small footprint into an appealing, effective space for individual work.
People also value being able to display their individuality at work, with space for photographs, awards, and other personal differentiators, including expressions of religious and cultural values.
AIMING FOR WELL-BEING
Company-sponsored family social events at the workplace are a common occurrence in India, so spaces for relaxation, recharging and socialisation are important as a way for India’s new-generation employers to acknowledge the importance of family and social obligations in employees’ lives.
DESIGN FOR CO-CREATION
It’s about transparency of thinking, providing for networking opportunities and helping people express their ideas. Shared workstations and group work settings encourage peer-to-peer interactions and team work. Providing enough work surface to spread out work plus ample whiteboards and tackable vertical surfaces help make concepts visible and support laddered thinking.
Onsite cafes, ping-pong tables, and other areas for networking and socialisation are increasingly important workplace amenities, especially if workers are allowed to do a portion of their work at home.
GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS
The Gen Y in India is highly competitive and eager to prove they’re equal to their global counterparts, and organisations can leverage this attitude to advantage. Technology enhances company and employee identity and supports global communication, so the more tech-rich the space, the better.
As India continues to invest in infrastructure, providing access to information and enhancing workplace opportunities to connect with people anywhere in the world is critical.
DESIGN FOR GROWTH
Collaboration and mentoring happen best when space supports interaction. Providing “pull up a chair” space in individual workstations or nearby enclaves supports the convening of expertise. Learning from peers while on the job is a norm with Gen Y.
Today, with the work getting evolved rapidly, the office environment is becoming an essential element which influences employees’ productivity, inspires people to do their best work, unleashes their potential and helps their organisations prosper. Multi-generational considerations, the pressure to innovate, and the need to attract and retain talent are forcing companies to better understand the importance of collaboration and the necessity of well-being in their office designs.
Hence, to keep employees engaged, it’s vital that the workplace be designed to nurture their physical, cognitive, and emotional needs. However, only the right kinds of spaces can make this happen. So, integrating these elements in designing a workplace will help organisations create an ecosystem of spaces that will foster innovation and boost productivity at work. It will also create a positive work environment and help employees feel motivated to come to work.
Source : News Agencies
India is rapidly transforming from a low-cost labour destination to a huge knowledge hub, hence the work associated is becoming more advanced and sophisticated. Thus, for organisations that strive for functional excellence, the primary assets are highly skilled knowledge workers.
Unfortunately, India is witnessing a major shortage of knowledge workers. For Indian employers, retaining the employees and their talent has become an emerging concern. The key challenge is to keep employees not just happy but also highly motivated and inspired, which is a challenging task due to the traditional work setup in India.
The shortage and intense competition for creative knowledge workers is becoming a critical issue for organisations around the world. Hence, companies are scrambling to recruit these high skilled workers or working hard to equip their current workforce with the skill sets necessary to work in the knowledge economy.
There is an increased need for creative knowledge workers as companies push for innovation as a competitive edge to survive in today’s market. Work is becoming more complex and distributed, hence employees need to cultivate critical thinking skills and adopt collaborative work behaviours, and businesses have to undergo these vital transformations at a faster pace.
Volatile market conditions and the changing nature of work are pushing companies to adopt agility in their strategy and pay attention to the increasing attrition. Additionally, India’s workforce is growing rapidly and in the next 25-30 years, the number of people added to it could equal the entire population of the United States! This growing population will be majorly dominated by the Gen Y employees who are powered by technology, competition, flexible working style, prefer privacy, collaboration, and mix traditional values with a Western outlook. Their exceptional communication and professional competency is luring multinational corporations to explore them as an opportunity for research, engineering, and innovation. Hence, retaining this younger talent is vital for any organisation’s success.
To retain this younger talent, workplace should be designed as a catalyst for change. Workplace should be a place that nurtures workers’ physical, cognitive, and emotional needs. Retaining a positive and motivated staff is vital to an organisation’s success.
Here are some of the design considerations to create a progressive workplace which will help boost productivity, enhance well-being, and foster innovation at workplace.
SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS
All workers want control over how they lay out and work through their tasks, along with the ability to switch work modes easily. Superior connections and support for technology, array and storage capabilities, and an easy-to-adjust, high-comfort chair can transform even a small footprint into an appealing, effective space for individual work.
People also value being able to display their individuality at work, with space for photographs, awards, and other personal differentiators, including expressions of religious and cultural values.
AIMING FOR WELL-BEING
Company-sponsored family social events at the workplace are a common occurrence in India, so spaces for relaxation, recharging and socialisation are important as a way for India’s new-generation employers to acknowledge the importance of family and social obligations in employees’ lives.
DESIGN FOR CO-CREATION
It’s about transparency of thinking, providing for networking opportunities and helping people express their ideas. Shared workstations and group work settings encourage peer-to-peer interactions and team work. Providing enough work surface to spread out work plus ample whiteboards and tackable vertical surfaces help make concepts visible and support laddered thinking.
Onsite cafes, ping-pong tables, and other areas for networking and socialisation are increasingly important workplace amenities, especially if workers are allowed to do a portion of their work at home.
GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS
The Gen Y in India is highly competitive and eager to prove they’re equal to their global counterparts, and organisations can leverage this attitude to advantage. Technology enhances company and employee identity and supports global communication, so the more tech-rich the space, the better.
As India continues to invest in infrastructure, providing access to information and enhancing workplace opportunities to connect with people anywhere in the world is critical.
DESIGN FOR GROWTH
Collaboration and mentoring happen best when space supports interaction. Providing “pull up a chair” space in individual workstations or nearby enclaves supports the convening of expertise. Learning from peers while on the job is a norm with Gen Y.
Today, with the work getting evolved rapidly, the office environment is becoming an essential element which influences employees’ productivity, inspires people to do their best work, unleashes their potential and helps their organisations prosper. Multi-generational considerations, the pressure to innovate, and the need to attract and retain talent are forcing companies to better understand the importance of collaboration and the necessity of well-being in their office designs.
Hence, to keep employees engaged, it’s vital that the workplace be designed to nurture their physical, cognitive, and emotional needs. However, only the right kinds of spaces can make this happen. So, integrating these elements in designing a workplace will help organisations create an ecosystem of spaces that will foster innovation and boost productivity at work. It will also create a positive work environment and help employees feel motivated to come to work.
Source : News Agencies
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