Fit-out sector turns bespoke to meet millennial demand

ALKESH SHARMA / Emirates Business

UAE’s commercial fit-out sector — which is the leading the market in the entire GCC region — is bombarded with bespoke designs that meet the discerning requirements of millennial generation. New trends have marked an end to the cubical structures donning the office corridors, and open spaces that allow free access of ideas, communications and movements are in vogue.
“We are operating in the city that is known worldwide for the fastest filling of office space. Therefore, we have to stay competitive when it comes to offering innovative fit-outs that are away from traditional set-ups. In one of our external surveys, we have recorded that millennials have 74 percent more say in deciding the fit-outs as compared to other age-groups in the office,” Mayur Sidhwani, Chief Marketing Officer of Blossoming Properties in Dubai, told Emirates Business.
Fuelled by a booming construction sector, GCC region’s interior and fit-out contracting industry is expected to grow by nearly 20 percent and the market is expected to reach whopping $10 billion by the end of 2017. UAE is clearly spearheading this market in this region and it is expected to add more impetus as many event management and communications brands are setting up their hubs in this region.
Talking about the survey findings, Sidhwani stated that millennial generation is more inclined towards having green structures that make full use of natural light and wind. “Sample size of our survey was 1000 millennials, working in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. 92 percent of the respondents prefer green fit-outs while 70 percent say they want more free space in the office
as it will add to their creative thinking,”
he added.
By 2020, millennials will constitute nearly 50 percent of the global workforce. As per World Economic Forum (WEF), the UAE is the top emerging market destination for young professionals looking to further their careers.
Summertown Interiors, the UAE’s leading fit-out contractor specialising in green interiors, has also experienced a greater demand for office workplaces that meet the expectations of the millennial generation.
“We have observed that millennials are reshaping workplace design. They are ambitious and tech-savvy, and have different working styles and preferences than other generations. We have observed that they place much higher value on the office environment and workplace culture,” said
Marcos Bish, Managing Director of Summertown Interiors.
Bish added that millennials vouch for supportive surroundings where they can share ideas and learn from their colleagues. They also want the set-up that allows them to make optimum use of technology. “As digital natives millennials rely on constant connectivity to technology so they feel less reason to be tied to a desk. Offices that are designed to encourage collaboration via integrated sharable digital spaces help to foster collaboration and improve creativity and productivity within the workplace,” said Bish.