Branded Office Graphics to Recruit and Retain Top Talent?

Hiring managers & HR professionals, read this and see if you agree.

Have the last several months brought new meaning to the phrase “employee disengagement”?

This appears to be a universal challenge, along with a higher than normal turnover rate; the reference to “The Great Resignation” is one that HR professionals of our time will remember for decades. No matter the industry, it seems more and more employers are struggling to retain and recruit top talent. Why? Employees are disengaged.

So how can an employer keep employees engaged and attract quality candidates?

Start with your workspace!

Foster a sense of belonging

What’s the phrase? Invite people over for dinner, it’ll force you to get your house in order? Does this still work if the “guests” are your coworkers? Trickling back to the office after over two years of remote work, the truth is, they’ve gotten by! What helps? The office should be a space they WANT to report to. 

A survey of 1,000 office workers, undertaken by YouGov, found that 32% of the workforce feels the poor design of their workspace is having a negative effect on their physical and mental wellbeing.

Employees who are engaged are more likely to have above-average productivity. Those with a strong sense of belonging report a higher level of job performance. These past few years, it’s been especially difficult to keep remote employees engaged. Perhaps some have yet to meet their teams in person! Do they feel immersed in your company’s culture?

“Environmental graphics are a way to engage, inform, and inspire employees about their company’s values and culture within the workplace environment.” What better way to reinforce your company’s purpose, values and vision – essentially, WHO YOU ARE, than by putting it on your walls, incorporating that message into your environmental branding? “According to JLL research, an employee’s experience in the workplace directly affects the way we engage with one other, and with the larger organization. In fact, JLL’s survey indicated 87% of respondents desired a higher ability to commit their own personalities to their working life.”

When it comes to environmental branding, don’t forget common areas like breakrooms or areas designated for group gatherings. Why not include photos from past company events to facilitate conversations between coworkers? Job hunters say they would turn down a position if they did not feel the office was a place they wanted to be, so “the better the working environment, the higher the productivity and creativity you’ll see.”

Physical Environment Matters

It’s true! Well-designed working environments really do help to attract employees.

Is your workspace working for you? Maybe not.

With external factors like a pandemic, social injustice, and more majorly impacting the lives of employees, there is no room for negativity in the workplace. Work environments need to contribute to a feeling of positive mental well-being in order to retain and attract top talent. According to a survey conducted by OfficeBroker.com, “72% of job hunters decide within 30 seconds whether they would accept a position with a potential employer.”It seems that hybrid work is here to stay as, now more than ever, employers are having conversations about how to get employees BACK into the office at least one day per week. Don’t allow your workspace deter employees from making a comeback…or encourage them to look elsewhere.

Branded office environments help employers gain an edge.

Attracting new talent

YouGov’s survey found that almost half of respondents agree that the room where they were interviewed would influence their opinion of whether or not to accept a job offer. This was particularly high in Medical & Health services at 69%, Sales & Marketing at 57%, and Finance & Accounting at 53%.

Your diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are a major factor when it comes to employee retention and attracting quality candidates. Don’t just leave this messaging in the company handbook, glanced at and forgotten. Incorporate this essential messaging throughout your workspace, on display for staff, potential candidates and customers. According to Vernon Mays at Gensler, “to attract talent, workplaces need to have a strong identity that telegraphs their mission…Cultivating a sense of purpose has other benefits. The payoff: employees at the top innovative companies report more meaning and purpose in their work.”

Be Prepared for your Office’s Return

Some have been working remotely full-time for just over two years. A lot has changed since then! Has much changed within your company or your brand? Brand refresh? Admittedly, this can be a ton of work if you weren’t anticipating it, but for your employees, the value in a smooth transition back to the office is almost immeasurable.

It’s time to prepare your office for flexible/hybrid work solutions.

Cushing and Sepia Studio can assist with design, fabrication, and installation of your return to office graphics and signage needs. But no matter what you determine to do, it’s clear, the phrase, “let’s get to work” will never be the same!

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!