25 Ways to Get Your Site Eliminated - #23: Ignore How the Employees Will Spend Their Days
October 17, 2011 | by: Tim Davey, PE
Think about where you are working right now. What opportunities do you have to stretch your legs, run some errands, grab a cup of coffee, or meet a group of colleagues to discuss a challenge or opportunity you are struggling with. You may answer those questions with: a walk through the hallway/common areas of our office; a walk through the parking lot to a picnic table we use for breaks; or to the cafeteria that has coffee, vending machines, and tables for us to collaborate and solve problems. These are pretty typical answers for those working in traditional office, industrial, or technology parks. Very often, the employees in these traditional parks have no choice but to get in their car and scurry through lunch and errands in time to drive back to the office. They often return more stressed than when they left for a “break”.
Other employees may answer these questions with: a walk around the block with bustling street vendors and pedestrians; a quick 20 minute jog, a quick shower, and then back to work; or a walk just past the lake to the bookstore that is wi-fi equipped for a Go-To-Meeting to solve a particular problem. These are the answers of a younger, more vibrant workforce that is not interested in being trapped in a location without choices for how they re-energize during long workdays. This is also the perspective of many multi-national executives who operate facilities in other parts of the world. An isolated greenfield site may be a foreign concept to them, even though the real estate may be severely discounted through state or local incentives. They may not consider the isolated site as desirable as one where employees can bike to work, shop easily during breaks, and be willing to put in longer, less stressful hours.
Take a look at the sites that you are offering for Economic Development and imagine the employees perspective for a minute. Is this a place that you would want your 21 year old daughter to go to work every day? Better yet, ask your daughter if she will even consider going to work at that location every day!