Success is often defined by the quality and effectiveness of an organization’s employees, and workplace design can be a primary driver in employee recruitment, satisfaction, and retention (Gensler, 2013). Since understanding employees is requisite in providing for employees’ needs and desires in the physical work environment, this study seeks to build upon the generational research by taking a more in depth look at employees through the lens of adulthood stage of life. The stages of life in adulthood are broadly defined as early middle and late adulthood (Levinson, 1978). With the demographics of the workforce shifting, this study focuses on employees in early adulthood as they make up the largest portion of the workforce population and have the most working years left (Fry, 2015). At a time with increasing pressures on the business bottom-line and a heightened awareness for employee well-being, many employers are turning to amenities to combat the digitalization of work, aid in attraction and retention, and improve employee satisfaction, health, and well-being (Smart Growth America, 2015). With a growing emphasis on workplace amenities and their role in supporting employee attraction and retention, this study explored the workplace amenity preferences of employees in early adulthood and how valued amenities can be provided in or near an existing high-rise office building. To identify the amenity preferences of early adult employees, this study’s methodology surveyed early adult employees currently working at a technology company located in metropolitan Washington, D.C. The survey addressed participants’ stage of life characteristics and their workplace amenity preferences. From this survey the researcher was able to identify the workplace amenities the sample population valued most. These findings informed programming and site location decisions to develop a design solution that illustrates how the most valued amenities can be provided to employees. With a shift towards a walkable, urban future and many companies relocating or opening new offices in urban locations, the design solution explored how the discovered amenity desires could be provided in an existing high-rise structure. With a better understanding of employees and their amenity desires, employers can make more informed decisions about office locations and amenity selections that support employees daily lifestyles and provide choice while also improving the fabric of our growing urban communities. To identify the amenity preferences of early adult employees, this study’s methodology employed a survey to employees currently working for a technology company in metropolitan Washington, D.C. The survey addressed participants’ stage of life characteristics and their workplace amenity preferences. From this survey the researcher was able to identify the workplace amenities the sample population valued most. These findings informed programming and site location decisions to form a design solution that illustrates how the most valued amenities can be provided to employees. With a shift towards a walkable, urban future and many companies relocating or opening new offices in urban location, the design solution explores how the discovered amenity desires can be provided in a existing high-rise structure. With a better understanding of employees and their amenity desires, employers can make more informed decisions about office locations and amenity selections that support employees daily lifestyles and provide choice while also improving the fabric of our growing urban communities. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Interior Architecture and Design in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts. / Summer Semester 2016. / June 28, 2016. / Early Adulthood, Generations, physical work environment, Retention, Stage of Life, Workplace Amenities / Includes bibliographical references. / Steven Webber, Professor Directing Thesis; Marlo Ransdell, Committee Member; Amy Huber, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_366096 |
| Contributors | Millican, Kristen D. (Kristen Danielle) (authoraut), Webber, Steven B. (professor directing thesis), Ransdell, Marlo E. (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Fine Arts (degree granting college), Department of Interior Design (degree granting department) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource (184 pages), computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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