As the automotive retail industry works to tackle the issue of hiring and retaining employees, some dealers may need to consider what each generation is looking for in their work environment.
A new study from Future Workplace, commissioned by Plantronics (or Poly), reveals that 55 per cent of Gen Z employees and 56 per cent of Millennials say they want open offices, regardless of the distractions associated with this layout.
“When you consider how many different work styles and different generations are thrown together in one place, it’s no wonder that almost everyone reports being distracted at work,” said Amy Barzdukas, CMO and Executive Vice President of Poly. “It’s equally clear that the right mix of technology and environment can reduce distraction and improve productivity — and that is what employees are asking for.”
The report also indicates that people, regardless of their age, would be open to working in an office (or general workplace) so long as there are no noisy coworkers around. “Loud talkers are among the greatest perils of life in the office,” said Poly, in a news release.
Nearly all people surveyed (99 per cent) say they have been distracted while working at their personal workspace, and 51 per cent indicate that distractions make it difficult for them to listen to others or be heard on calls. Forty-eight per cent said it impacts their ability to focus.
“Co-workers are to blame: Seventy-six per cent of all employees surveyed said their biggest distraction is a co-worker talking loudly on the phone, and 65 per cent say it’s a co-worker talking nearby,” said Poly. “Ninety-three per cent are frustrated, at least occasionally, due to distractions during a phone or video call.”
But even with these frustrations the survey shows that Gen Z and Millennials would still prefer an open office-style workplace, because they say they are productive in noisy environments, and they collaborate more than other generations.
More than half of the workers surveyed — 55 per cent of Gen Z and 56 per cent of Millennials — said they specifically prefer an open workplace floor plan. This is compared to 47 per cent of Gen X and 38 per cent of Baby Boomers that also prefer an open office setup.
The study also indicates that 60 per cent of Baby Boomers say they are more productive when it’s quiet, versus 52 per cent of Gen Z workers that say they are more productive around noise or when talking with others. Of course, around 20 per cent of Gen Z also spend at least half of their day on the phone, video or conference call, compared to only 7 per cent of Baby Boomers.
“Gen Z is bringing millions of people into the global workforce, and our research finds that they have very different working styles compared to previous generations,” said Jeanne Meister, founding partner of Future Workplace. “We now have four generations working under one roof, which forces companies to reconsider traditional definitions of what makes a productive office environment and how their employees can best collaborate with each other.”
Dealers can help reduce distractions by establishing quiet spaces or zones, setting guidelines on appropriate noise levels in certain areas of the dealership, and/or by changing the work area layout.
