How Millennials are Changing the Face of Today’s Workspace

Metro Offices is committed to providing workspaces that satisfy the way our clients want to work. That means changing as the needs of our clients change. One demographic that is driving the current evolution of office space are millennials, the generation born from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. Experts estimate millennials will comprise nearly half of U.S. employees by 2020, and as Entrepreneur magazine notes, “Millennials are changing the way we do business.”

Like No Other Generation

Millennials have never known a life without digital technology. With cellular and Internet coverage becoming increasingly widespread and devices becoming more powerful and more portable, they dislike restrictions – and this preference carries over to the office. The millennial generation wants creative freedom, to have important, interesting roles and to have a say in their company’s activities. They want to learn from their senior coworkers, not be separated from them, and they value sustainability.

The impact of millennials on the workforce is aptly demonstrated in a recent article in the Washington Post titled “End of the corner office: D.C. law firm designs its new space for millennials,” which chronicles the move of large law firm Nixon Peabody from a formal Washington, DC office space designed for prestige to “an airy and open one designed not for baby boomers … but with up-and-coming millennials in mind.”

The design committee for the law firm’s new space involved everyone on the staff – attorneys, paralegals and receptionists – with the ideas of the young heavily incorporated. In Nixon Peabody’s new space, all offices are the same size, with glass walls in front to promote transparency and connection. What were once corner offices are now team spaces designed to encourage the kind of group collaboration millennials relish. A living green wall and solar panels are a nod to millennials’ desire to nurture the environment.

Leading Workspace Solutions

The elegant yet informal atmosphere captured by the Nixon Peabody staff isn’t limited to large law firms – it’s enjoyed every day by clients at Metro Offices. For years, Metro Offices has been on top of the workspace changes inspired by millennials. Our groundbreaking Tysons, VA office space, Greensboro Station Place, embodies our understanding of the need for flexible workspace options that promote connectivity, creativity and community among workers. Building amenities include lounges, cafes, relaxation and game rooms, a fitness center and more. Best of all, our clients don’t have to work with a high-dollar architectural firm to attain this space. It exists right now and is move-in ready for you – and a long lease is not required.

Who will your Metro DC office space serve five, 10 and 15 years down the road? Call Metro Offices at (703) 871-5208 to learn more about all of our 10 Metro DC locations, including office space availability, workspace options and amenities.

tags: Blog | Office Space