The Future of Work Happens Everywhere
On a recent workday morning, LA-based game developer Victoria started her day with a quick make-up application, picked up a strawberry matcha latte and headed to her open plan office dressed in athleisure. She attended meetings, grabbed lunch from rotating on-site food trucks (chicken curry if you were wondering) and spent some time gaming in her company’s PC Cafe before finishing the day with a group fitness class and a dinner of leftovers.
But why do we know the mundane details of this random 20-something’s workday, not to mention thousands of others? Because they show it to us. And millions of their peers — your potential employees — are watching.
While CEOs are busy cajoling Millennials back on site, Gen Z is ready to live their best work life and eager to share #adayinmylife on #careertok showcasing their routines. Some 40% of college students and recent graduates prefer to work fully in person and 39% want a hybrid schedule, according to Generation Lab, a polling and research firm that studies young people.
Maybe Gen Z’s love for all things office space has to do with the fact that it’s a formative experience they were denied when the world shut down amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Or they’re young enough to not have families at home and crave connection. Or maybe working in sweatpants on the couch just makes for terrible content.
Whatever the reasons, a dynamic workplace is a novel and rewarding experience for plenty of young employees. If you give them the fodder to share online, they can become powerful culture evangelists willing to build your employer brand — free of charge.
This excitement for sharing office life presents an opportunity for companies as Gen Z moves toward becoming nearly one-third of the workforce by 2025 and unemployment rates remain at a historic low of 3.5% as of July 2023. Social media content featuring the right physical workplace can set businesses apart and have an outsized impact on recruitment and retention.
With a young, tech-savvy workforce and social media-friendly perks, tech companies have been prime beneficiaries of this trend. “Another day in the life working at Google,” shares one LA-based Gen Z TikToker, who goes on to mention complimentary valet service, free lunch and a Harry Potter-themed conference room among other perks. But engaging environments that Gen Z loves to show off aren’t limited to giant tech companies, particularly on an amenitized campus.
As more Gen Zers enter the workplace, employers should carefully consider social media’s impact on their recruitment power and the enormous potential impact of making social media friendliness a consideration when selecting or designing a work space.
Here are three ways to make your workplace #officetok worthy
1. Prioritize gathering spaces
To appeal to Gen Z and land in their feeds, comfortable meet-up spaces are a must-have, and the inclusion of colleagues in content can amplify reach. Inside the office, think breakrooms with cozy furniture, small huddle rooms for one-on-one meetings and flexible interiors that can evolve with workers’ needs, from workstations one day to team-wide gathering spots the next. Across the campus, look for amenities such as fire pits, outdoor kitchens and open-air workspaces to inspire ongoing collaboration and group selfies.
2. Consider on- and off-site amenities
State-of-the-art gyms with spin studios. Tasty, organic meals from top chefs. Work-ready, poolside cabanas. Self-pour bars. The more envy-inducing the better for Gen Z. But don’t just focus on in-office perks. When sharing a day in their lives, the local environment matters too. Situating your business close to walking trails, resort-style living, high-end shops and restaurants creates a halo effect on your brand.
3. Don’t forget the view
And since we’re talking about content production, don’t overlook the appeal of a good backdrop. Maybe Harry Potter-themed conference rooms aren’t on brand for your company, but creative details, statement art and residential-inspired interior design all pop on camera. So do outdoor spaces from wooded paths and lush landscaping to water features and sweeping views of a city skyline.
