Business Forum • 30 May, 2024 at 4:03 PM
Eight out of ten Gen Z employees spend personal free time with their teammates, with social relationships in the office being a key factor for many of them in choosing or keeping a job. Nearly 80% of Gen Z employees engage in activities with their co-workers during their free time at least once a month. Among Millennials and Gen X employees, percentages are 56% and 52% respectively, according to a survey of 1,247 respondents nationwide by Genesis Property.
Regardless of generation, employees want quick access to activities and places where they can spend free time with their team or friends close to the office. More than 87% of respondents want options within a 30-minute walk of the office, according to the Genesis Property survey. In addition, when it comes to the types of activities they want to do in their free time, over 45% want to spend time outdoors, over 35% want to pursue hobbies, and nearly 27% want to take on some personal project, according to the survey.
”At Genesis Property, we understood even before the pandemic that leisure time spent pleasantly has become people's most valuable asset, and especially employees. Socialising and a sense of belonging to a community in which to share diverse activities have become fundamental, especially for young people just starting out. And at our office campuses, YUNITY Park and West Gate Business District, we're able to build experiences and destinations for the employee community that simply make their days at the office better”, says Marcela Stancu, Community Director, Genesis Property.
More than half of the respondents pointed out that leisure facilities and spaces in or near office buildings help both to achieve a better balance between work and leisure time and to feel good and unwind after work. Moreover, if they had the necessary facilities close to the office, 44% of respondents said they would do more outdoor exercise, over 34% would have more recreational activities, and about 26% would devote more time to hobbies.
The importance of managers' involvement in building and strengthening team connections, both on the job and after work, is recognized by all generations. Thus, approximately 75% of respondents believe, to varying degrees, that greater involvement of managers in team activities after work would bring people closer together in teams.
Genesis Property meets the needs of employees of all generations with YUNITY Park, a real estate concept that completely redefines the employee experience. Alongside state-of-the-art office spaces, YUNITY Park includes a 1,000 square-foot urban forest and a 1,500-seat outdoor amphitheater for social and cultural events. In addition, pedestrian walkways and a 2,000-metre-long tiered promenade have been built, as well as cascading water mirrors and creative spaces for outdoor work, relaxation, meetings, and events. Phase II of the project was completed last year, following a €20 million investment, and YUNITY Park entered its final phase of development this year.
The Genesis Property survey analyzed what Romanians think about office life and was conducted in March 2024, nationwide, through the iVox platform, with a total sample of 1,247 internet users in Romania. Some 48% of participants are female and over 51% have a net income of more than RON 4,000.