Companies battling to attract high performers may need to improve their workspaces — or risk losing the war for talent.
“South African workplaces need to feel like a getaway, not a grind. We’re designing spaces with integrated cafes serving flat whites, full shower suites for post-gym fresh-ups, and rooftop gardens with Jozi or Cape views that turn a lunch break into an event,” says Linda Trim, director at office design consultancy Giant Leap.
“Picture kicking off your day with a workout downstairs, grabbing a bite on-site and winding down with colleagues under the Highveld sky.”
She advises:
- the Covid-19 pandemic changed how people feel about work, as they embraced the flexibility of remote and hybrid work;
- to encourage workers to embrace office culture, the office must offer more than they have at home;
- high performers who can pick their employer are unlikely to agree to commute to an office that has little to offer;
- the shift is about more than adding a ping-pong table; it involves holistic ecosystems, including well-equipped meeting rooms, quiet spaces for deep focus and other amenities that improve workers' days.
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