Ninety-six percent of professionals don’t care about the corner office, according to a new study from LinkedIn about success and what motivates today’s workforce.
With half a billion professionals on LinkedIn, the new study takes a closer look at why people are “in it.”
So what is driving today’s professionals? And how are leading companies like the most in-demand firms from LinkedIn’s Top Companies Startups list — including ride-hail apps Uber and Lyft and office instant-messaging service, Slack — bringing these insights to life into their office spaces?
All about me
Success is no longer defined simply by the title on your business card. More than 40 percent of millennials feel successful when they are able to carve out “me time” — dedicated time spent on one’s own or doing activities to help relax and restore.
Next-generation workspaces will give employees the opportunity to enjoy self-focused time as part of their daily work schedules. From meditation rooms to on-site spa services, the emphasis on self-care as a key measure for feeling successful is helping drive a new era of office wellness.
Skills to pay the bills
Professional development is increasingly important to today’s workforce, in fact, nearly 90 percent of professionals feel that skills are more important than job titles. And “learning a new skill” actually ranks as the No. 1 career goal in 2018.
To meet increasing demand for career development, companies can create space in the office for employee training sessions, lunch-and-learns and more to foster employee development. Companies are also partnering with educational portal startups like Coursera, General Assembly and Udacity to help bridge the skills gap.
Flex what you got
When it comes to work schedules, today’s professionals want flexibility — so much in fact, that more than one in three would take a 10 percent pay cut simply for the ability to design their own schedule.
Companies are encouraging employees to embrace a schedule that works best for them. Mattress startup Casper even offers amenities like nap pods in their offices so employees can recharge throughout the day.
Hustle on the side
More than a third of professionals today (36 percent) find success in pursuing a passion project or side job. Employers can embrace this phenomenon by creating unique spaces for employees to explore their passions without having to leave the office. Credit Karma’s office, for example, features everything from music jam spaces to art rooms for employees to tap into their creative pursuits.
Get schooled
The majority of today’s professionals (87 percent) say success isn’t just about what you accomplish in your life, it’s about what you inspire others to do. Putting this into action, nearly 40 percent of professionals feel most successful when teaching others. Try fostering this by adding more spaces for one-on-one meetings, small group collaboration and hands-on teaching among employees.
Work from anywhere
With nearly 40 percent of millennials saying they would take a 10 percent pay cut if it meant they could travel the world, the desire to travel and ability to work from anywhere is fueling the co-working craze.
Companies large and small can benefit from understanding what their employees want and considering ways to infuse these preferences into the offices of tomorrow. From self-care to family time to professional development, today’s workforce is driving innovation — one nap pod at a time.