The 2013 Workplace Trends Report from Sodexo offers an insight into some key factors influencing the people, workplace environment and community. Some of these issues are debated frequently by business and HR leaders across the world. The survey represents a sample size of more than 1000 respondents.
The Report takes a deep dive into issues ranging from recruiting and mentoring talent to the corrosive effects of workplace bullying, and from the distinct benefits of sustainable working environments to integrated people and facilities solutions that deliver increased individual and organizational performance. Total 12 key areas are identified.
One of the key findings is the huge difference in the way the industry engages with the prospective employees. Today social media and mobile communications dominate over traditional e-mail campaigns. In fact, a recent study released by Jobvite found that 92 percent of U.S. companies used social media networks in 2012 as part of their recruitment efforts. Additionally, seven out of 10 employers report having successfully hired a candidate through social media – up from 58 percent in 2010.
While significant time and resources are spent on recruiting top talent, the Report notes that once onboard, 35 percent of the U.S. workforce report being bullied at work – defined as repeated, harassing behavior that is deliberately intended to cause harm to individuals and prevent them from excelling at work.
Amongst, other factors, the Report notes that facilities management is essentially now a strategy and not just a tactic, or worse yet, an afterthought. Sustainability – an office feature once considered distinctive – has become table stakes. Whether it’s economics, environmental consciousness or both, must-haves from clients, even those with no interest in green building, now include recycled products (including buildings), locally sourced and sustainable materials, energy-efficient HVAC systems, and better indoor air quality. The trend is an unmistakable shift toward offices designed to attract and retain top talent while emphasizing productivity over cost savings and quality of life per square footage.
According to Michael Norris, COO, Sodexo North America - "The workplace, and the environment it creates, is now a key tool for supporting work, for shaping the experiences of the workforce, and for producing competitive advantage,”, "Facilities management has evolved and is simply no longer about just managing the facility, but rather it’s now about engaging and enabling people to be productive, and creating value for the organization and its communities."
Integration 2.0 is another forward-looking concept identified by the Report. The needs of the current working generation are significantly more complex and dynamic, and creating efficient, effective, and flexible work environments that take into account total well-being has become a critical decision point for organizational leaders. The Report finds that progressive organizations are now understanding and solving for human needs when developing workplace services and solutions in unique ways, such as designing strategic Life/Work Ecosystems and evaluating the impact of these ecosystems on improved service and people effectiveness and well-being.
*complete report including additional content, expert sources and b-roll available at http://www.multivu.com/players/English/59261-sodexo-workplace-trends-2013/
Source: Sodexo , Excerpts from the Sodexo Release.