To make a move on millennial jobseekers, businesses make the move downtown

Dive Brief:

In hopes of recruiting more workers with a hip office locale, The NRP Group has relocated its headquarters to downtown Cleveland, moving 10 miles northwest from its previous location in Garfield Heights, a suburb of the city.
The NRP Group seems to have taken a cue from other businesses in making the leap downtown. Businesses like Brandmuscle, Inforce Technology, Dakota Software and BrightEdge have also moved deeper into the city. According to the Downtown Cleveland Alliance’s annual report, more than 69 businesses took up an address within the city, creating 7,529 new jobs, in 2017.
"Talented people, specifically millennials, want to work in environments like Downtown Cleveland, and having an office in Cleveland's thriving city center is increasingly being used as a recruitment tool," Downtown Cleveland Alliance's president and CEO said of The NRP Group's move. "We have long known that younger workers are excited to be downtown and desire to live and work in a walkable city. But what we are finding is that our older, senior workforce are also eager for this change."

Dive Insight:

Millennials have proven themselves city dwellers, filling up subway cars and buses that take them to urban office buildings, trendy restaurants, popular shops, and their tiny fourth-floor walk ups. Business Insider previously reported that traditional office parks studding the suburbs preferred by working boomers can’t lure the young worker with dreams of city dwelling.

“We’ve had great success in downtown Cleveland in drawing companies from throughout the region, whether that’s through relocation or opening satellite offices,” Michael Deemer, executive vice president for business development at Downtown Cleveland Alliance, told HR Dive. “We’ve also seen larger, global brands opening offices here to give them a stronger pull for talent attraction.”

Deemer noted that The NRP Group is the third employer to move its corporate headquarters to downtown Cleveland in 2018.

“The workers [these businesses] are trying to recruit, they want to be in a live-work type of environment so they can live close to where they work so they don’t have to drive,” Deemer said. He added that the city allows the work day to spill out into a less formal time in which employees can exercise, eat and socialize with their friends.

And while moving might not be a solution for every employer, those nestled in a more suburban setting can still appeal to a younger generations of employees, especially older millennials who have shifted from too-cozy apartments to houses in which they can raise a family. These companies will still need to find ways to cater to these workers, which may include flexible work policies, clear development paths and competitive benefits.