The Leader - September 2007 - (Page 68) real e stat e maNaGemeNt Staying On: Employee Retention by Design by mark r. costello the pace of chaNGe IN the 21st ceNtury Global busINess eNvIroNmeNt Is break-Neck, aNd maNy compaNIes realIze to stay competItIve aNd profItable they must have a “ready-set-Go” Work force that caN quIckly, effIcIeNtly aNd cost-effectIvely chaNGe sIze, shape aNd dIrectIoN to meet Whatever challeNGes may arIse. leadING employers also recoGNIze the Need to create a Work eNvIroNmeNt that WIll stImulate the INtellectual GroWth of theIr collectIve Work force, WhIch Is ImperatIve for success IN today’s “kNoWledGe ecoNomy.” U nfortunately, most companies have discovered that their office space, designed with a conservative and inflexible 20th century vision of how and where workers should perform their daily tasks, not only fails to address their current work force dynamics, but cannot possibly sustain future needs. Poorly designed workspace also has a direct impact on worker retention, which is of great concern for employers desperate to hold on to talent in an increasingly competitive hiring environment with a rapidly shrinking pool of skilled workers. In fact, recent research by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) revealed that the workplace environment is one of the top three factors influencing an employee’s decision to accept or stay in a job – right behind compensation and benefits. Forward-looking companies already understand the power of a well-designed work environment, and for years have been trying to reinvent the “workspace wheel” as a way to retain valuable human capital. This has been especially true in the technology sector, where innovative thinking and keeping an eye to the future are essential to business success. Global companies such as Adobe Systems, Cisco Systems, Microsoft and Yahoo have been proacth e le ade r tive about instituting a work environment that will keep employees – their vital intellectual assets – comfortable, content, productive, and hopefully, immune to the lure of working for the competition. An employee-friendly workspace also can serve as a powerful recruiting tool. Many companies have recognized that providing a work environment both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional, and a culture that fosters creativity and collaboration, can have a direct and positive impact on their corporate reputation. In short, to be an employer of choice today, having and promoting an employee-friendly environment is 68 september / october 2007
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