Commercial real estate firm Cassidy Turley recently relocated its Minneapolis headquarters to the IDS Center in downtown Minneapolis. Prior to this move, Cassidy Turley engaged its younger employees – known as millennials – in the office space conversation to gain an idea of what they had in mind for the future of the company.
Millennials have already become a fixture in the workplace. By 2020, they will make up roughly half the nation’s workforce, and 75 percent by 2030. This rapidly expanding demographic means companies will look to revamp their workplace practices based on needs of these employees.
Here are some aspects of Cassidy Turley’s new downtown office that reflect the suggestions of millennials and their growing influence on the workplace:
- Central Location – The new downtown location means Cassidy Turley is now in a more strategic location for engaging potential clients. The employees “wanted to be in the middle of the action and excitement,” says Dennis Panzer, Managing Principal at Cassidy Turley.
- Collaboration – Millennials are less keen on the traditional “cube farm” office design. “Where we used to work, it felt very closed off,” says Jon Engel, a 27-year-old transaction manager. The new office space features zero cubicles, and has centrally located tables to encourage collaboration. The new space provides “more energy and activity and collaboration among teams,” an approach that appeals to millennials because “everything we do involves a team approach,” says Engel. Collaborative workspaces also save money, as less space is used up.
- Flexibility – Cassidy Turley’s millennial staff placed an emphasis on flexibility in all aspects of the office. The new workstations are adjustable so employees can work standing up. There is also new technology in place that allows millennials to easily share a workstation to collaborate on a project.
For more information, check out Cassidy Turley’s Blog or the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
