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How Companies Are Making The Physical Workplace A Perk Of The Job

The battle for talent is driving employers to get creative.
Nature inside. Lego rooms. And sleep pods.
FutureSpace
Nature inside. Lego rooms. And sleep pods.

From salary packaging to unlimited annual leave, more and more companies are coming up with new ways to get an edge over their competitors.

The latest innovation to attract staff? The physical work space.

"One of the biggest challenges workplaces face is this war for talent. Employment is low and it's been really tough for a number of years to try and recruit people and build a talented team," Angela Ferguson, managing director of leading workplace architectural firm, Futurespace.

So much so that they are looking to design firms to capitalise on the physical environment.

"New companies and start-ups may not have the funds to offer big salaries, so they are looking at ways to make the workplace fun and edgy," Ferguson said.

From sleeping pods, recreational game spaces to food offerings and bar spaces, Ferguson explains no two work environments are the same.

Step into our kitchen.
FutureSpace
Step into our kitchen.

"On top of that, individuals have different work styles. We have introverts, we have extroverts and we have people who like to collaborate," Ferguson said.

Which is why building a "smart workplace" to suit different people's needs is becoming more and more attractive, if not tantamount to productivity.

As you might have guessed, when it comes to building said smart workplaces there isn't a cookie-cutter approach.

"We really work hard to make sure there's authenticity around the client's brief and what it is they want to provide for their company and what their staff are looking for," Ferguson said.

For example, while a tech start-up might want a beanbag station for independent work, at a law firm a bar space for networking would be more appropriate.

"Diversity of settings is a major element as workplaces move towards a more varied environment," Ferguson said.

An environment that goes way beyond the idea of desk and computer (OK, maybe two).

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