Promoting start-ups, growing businesses with destination workplace

In response to the desires and demands of the millennial generation who constitute a sizeable proportion of the workforce and also manage many of the start-up businesses, DOTRubik Associates Limited, a workplace consultancy firm, is out with a destination workplace initiative to promote such businesses in Nigeria.

Recently, the company organised a one-day interactive webinar at which it highlighted the latest trends in office design and location and, according to its officials, the event was also designed to enhance creativity at workplace and attract opportunities for businesses.

Oladotun Olusola, head of workplace consultancy for DOTRubik project, explained that the event was inspired by the changes in the work environment. ‘‘We spend 70 percent of our week time in the office. People want to work in an environment that is conducive so they can perform better,’’ he said.

‘‘We hosted destination work place at Lagos co-work by 3Invest to promote flexible spaces for start-ups and growing businesses. The event was held to get people to understand the use of co-work and how to model their new workplaces to fit into the on-going trend,’’ said Ruth Obih-Obuah, the CEO of 3Invest.

In Nigeria, the millennial generation, those aged between 18 and 34 constitute over 50 percent of the workforce and Olusola says this is a reality that is being faced across the developed world.

‘‘This generation of workforce comes with a developed world and also comes with a different set of drivers and priorities from previous workforces,’’ he said, citing a Harvard study which shows 57 percent of the millennial is looking for a work-life balance and 45 percent describe flexible working hours as key.

Millennials demand real-time tools and flexibility in how they work with 81 percent of them in a survey also believing that they should be able to set their own hours at work.

‘‘These days, employees are selecting where they work. There are a lot of things employees are considering. They are considering the environment, the salary, commuting to work and things that motivate them,’’ Obih-Obuah said.

Continuing, she said, ‘‘the future of workplace is having work to be more flexible. It’s not just the work that is mobile, human beings are also mobile. Co-work makes it easier for people to come in, take a space and go’’

On what millennial look out for, Timi Adesanya, senior analyst, Jill West Africa corporate solutions said they want to work in an environment that is comfortable and very accommodating.

Adesanya said, ‘I think millennials want to go to work and feel relaxed like they are not in the work environment. You’ll hear people on instagram say; they love their job because in that environment, they are comfortable and inspired. They feel they are not working while they are working’’

According to Obih-Obuah, millennials are the ones that are making up the workforce and they want the work places to be fun.

‘‘If people need to leave their homes to go to work, it should be a destination where they can  get things done happily than just making it feel like a work place.  So, that’s why everything has to be incorporated into the workplace’’, she said.

Speaking on the trends and what a new work place would look like, she said, ‘‘some workplaces are introducing fitness centres, healthcare and a crèche for mothers who have to work and have their kids.