Blog topics are sometimes hard to come by, nine times out of ten they’re usually a cathartic exercise used to expel some of the recruitment demons we’ve experienced in the week. The importance of packaging a candidate, counter offers or salary expectations are brought into focus by a wayward candidates, a blog on dress code may come from a client’s off-hand comment that it was “nice of you to make an effort” This weeks blog is something that has hungover the Rice office for about a month and now the day is here. After 8 glorious years in The Generator, we’re heading out into the big wide world. Having spent the final 3 years with the crew at Generator I couldn’t speak higher of the staff and the environment they’ve created. But all good things must come to an end. Plus, as a recruitment agency in a shared office space, we stand out. The sight of a consultant in a sombrero bouncing a stress ball off walls while holstering a nerf gun is commonplace on any sales floor, not just recruitment. However, when you have somewhat conservative organizations sharing the same space, they can be confused by the dramatic swings in mood experiencing first hand those champagne avec razor blades we bang on about.
In that spirit I am very much looking forward to our own space, the ability to talk about candidates & clients freely, play tunes that won’t be tutted at and have that ‘everyone pushing in the same direction’ feeling. Quietness is infectious on a sales floor, we’ve all had the buzz of being in a lively office and at the same time we’ve been in offices where you can hear a pin drop, I know what I’d prefer. Which is why I’m thinking that our own contained office will harness the frantic proactivity that comes with agency recruitment, that’s the plan anyway. Moving offices aren’t uncommon in our industry; the number of staff and revenue are factors that constantly fluctuate so what may fit you in the first year may not suit in your fourth year of business. I remember tales of the ‘old Hays’ office before the PWC Tower. Split across two floors in the old ASB building, everyone agreed that the move to Quay St signaled a positive change, but what is it about a workspace that people hold dear?
I went to visit Lee Marshall of Hunter Campbell yesterday and was impressed with their new offices, they’ve moved just over the corridor into the old Yahoo HQ. They’ve inherited a pool table and in what is one of the coolest things I’ve seen in an office; a microbrewery! They also have an abundance of what was listed as #2 on workplace wellness perks that matter to employees; comfortable light. A recent Harvard study surveyed 1,600 workers revealing that air and light-matter much more than things like fitness facilities
These little things contribute to a healthy and harmonic workspace and considering the dizzy highs and plummeting lows we consultants experience on a day to day basis the environment we occupy must be as stress-free as possible. Business owners may even scoff at the idea of a bit of natural light making any difference but research found that high-quality workplaces; with natural light, good ventilation, and comfortable temperatures can reduce absenteeism up to four days a year. With unscheduled absenteeism costing companies an estimated $3,600 annually per hourly worker and $2,650 each year for salaried workers, this can have a major impact on your bottom line. Another study found that employees who are satisfied with their work environment are 16% more productive, 18% more likely to stay and 30% more attracted to their company over competitors.
For what we do here at Rice the most important thing for us is location, we need to be central so we can quickly meet with clients and candidates at a moments notice. However, after all these years spent avoiding the stigma of being a ‘high street recruiter’ Rice’s new home will be Number 5 High St. Feel free to pop in with some pot plants and or motivational posters for decor
