72% decide within 30 seconds if they want to work for a firm

Nick Elvin

Nearly three quarters of job hunters decide if they want to work for someone within 30 seconds, based on their first impression of the company’s workspace, according to a new survey by OfficeBroker.com.

The company asked 1,500 British job hunters what makes or breaks their decision to accept a job with a new company. 72% of job hunters decide within 30 seconds of entering an office whether they would accept a position with a potential employer, and 81% said they would turn down a position if they did not feel the workspace was a place they wanted to be, and they did not get a positive sense of the office culture.

Chris Meredith, CEO of OfficeBroker.com said: “If employers do not invest in creating quality work environments, it can make attracting talent difficult. The old cliché of first impressions count at job interviews actually works both ways as this poll shows.

“The recruitment landscape has changed, especially when you see offices like Google and Facebook on TV with obviously quite substantial effort and budget put into creating what they feel is the ideal work environment for their talent. Employees are looking for workplaces that inspire them, increase their productivity and are essentially an environment they enjoy coming to each day.”

While 41% of survey respondents said a fun and modern office design was the most important element of their work environment, 32% said natural light and colour would do the trick and make them feel positive. Motivating and inspiring break-out areas would win the hearts and minds of 17% of people, while free coffee and snacks for the office was an essential for just 10%.