Generation Y surveyed to shape the future workplace

24 June 2008

Members of Generation Y (18-25 year olds) in the UK can to take part in OxYgenZ, a global survey of Generation Y designed to understand their preferences for their future workplace by visiting www.oxygenz.com.

Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions has launched Oxygenz in the UK, the latest country to be included in a global study that is already delivering initial findings from India, China, and Germany. The study will also be launched in the USA, Brazil, Hong Kong and other European countries.

Developed in partnership with Haworth, a global leader in the design and manufacture of adaptable workspaces, and iDEA, a specialist design studio offering expertise in workplace, communication and strategic sustainability - OxYgenZ investigates how, where and when young people wish to work. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, this new knowledge will inform businesses about the workplace attributes essential in the recruitment and retention of young people.

Some of the headline statistics revealed that:
 99% of young people would like their office to be environmentally aware / friendly
 79% of Gen Ys would prefer to have a mobile way of working
 83% would like to have at least a five star reception service

Creator of the survey, Dr Marie Puybaraud, Director of Global WorkPlace Innovation at Johnson Controls, comments: “This is fascinating research that pushes our boundaries of understanding when it comes to how young people view the workplace and the role it plays in their employment choices. The findings help explain the emphasis that Generation Y puts on the workplace, its design, the technologies they would prefer to use, the facilities they want on site, as well as their views on environmental issues. By undertaking this survey globally, we will gain a unique insight into the preferences of Generation Y, how they differ across continents and how these perspectives change and develop over time.”

Students and young workers can participate in an interactive online survey at www.oxygenz.com, building a profile of their ideal workplace which they can share with friends and other survey respondents around the world.

There are over 8m 15 to 25 year olds in the UK (2008), and 10.3m in the next generation aged 0-14 year old. Worldwide, there at 1.7bn generation Y young people, some 26.92% of the population.

To disseminate the survey throughout the world, Johnson Controls has already linked up with the University of Central London in the UK, Thammasat University in Thailand, University Paris La Vilette in France, The Hague University in The Netherlands, Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research in Mumbai India and Fraunhofer University in Germany. Johnson Controls and Haworth are also developing links with other institutions to promote OXYGENZ across all continents.

The full findings will be published on www.globalworkplaceinnovation.com in the autumn. To find out more about Generation Y visit www.oxygenz.com.