Highland surveys tenants in effort to attract, retain talent

PREPPING: Scott A. Gibbs, president of The Economic Development Foundation of R.I., in the space it is outfitting for a national company. Bill Sincavage, of Domenic & Sons Floor Covering, works in the background. / PBN PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO
PREPPING: Scott A. Gibbs, president of The Economic Development Foundation of R.I., in the space it is outfitting for a national company. Bill Sincavage, of Domenic & Sons Floor Covering, works in the background. / PBN PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO

Business parks have traditionally been a place for offices.

But that’s changing – or has already – in many places, including Rhode Island, as businesses look for new ways to attract and retain talent, which forces business-park owners to find new ways to attract and retain businesses.

“We’re hearing more and more about the importance of having more resources in our developments as a means to attract a younger workforce,” said Scott A. Gibbs, president of The Economic Development Foundation of Rhode Island, which operates Highland Corporate Parks in Woonsocket and Cumberland.

“We want to make sure we stay relevant in the marketplace,” Gibbs added.

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In October, Gibbs created a survey for Highland tenants, which includes retail giant CVS Health Corp., asking employees what would make the business park a more enjoyable place to work.

The survey included questions about where employees buy their coffee and what kind of activities they might enjoy if more accessible from work. Gibbs created the survey because he sees the industry of business parks, or corporate parks, as they’re sometimes called, moving toward having a more diverse mix of uses, such as housing, restaurants, bars, fitness and more.

“We felt like it was time to go to the people who call Highland their home and ask them, ‘What do you want?'” Gibbs said.

Business parks throughout the country are typically located on the outskirts of cities in suburban, industrial, or even rural areas. The nonurban model has worked well for decades, as it has complemented suburban living where a large portion of the workforce has resided.

But studies are beginning to show that younger workers – specifically those of the millennial generation – want to live in urban areas in larger volumes than their older counterparts. According to a 2014 study by The Nielsen Co., 62 percent of millennials said they preferred to live in mixed-use communities – usually found in urban centers – where they could be closer to shops, restaurants and offices.

“Millennials like having the world at their fingertips. With the resurgence of cities as centers of economic energy and vitality, a majority are opting to live in urban areas over the suburbs or rural communities,” according to the research company.

The trend carries important implications for businesses, human resource specialists and corporate park developers, as millennials last year surpassed Generation X to represent the largest portion of the overall workforce, according to Pew Research Center. Gibbs would like to take a measured approach to this shift in workforce demographics.

“The objective is to promote the emergence of a pedestrian and worker-friendly environment that is competitive with urban locations. Younger workers are not inspired by traditional, suburban business park developments, and companies need to recruit younger workers to remain competitive,” Gibbs explained about the survey. “It is fundamentally a competitive strategy issue and we have to pay attention to these trends to ensure Highland continues to be a valued location for business investment.”

Some of the nation’s largest businesses in the last couple years have traded in suburban headquarters for more urban settings. Expedia Inc. is moving from its suburban home in Bellevue, Wash. to downtown Seattle. Motorola Mobility LLC recently moved its offices to downtown Chicago. And, closer to home, General Electric Co. is moving its headquarters to the seaport district in Boston.

Rhode Island-based Citizens Financial Group Inc. has bucked the trend somewhat, as it’s currently building a 420,000-square-foot corporate campus in Johnston. But its headquarters will remain in Providence.

Also, as Gibbs points out, Rhode Island is so small, it doesn’t take long to get from one part of the state to another.

“Ten minutes from my office is downtown Providence,” he said.

Gibbs, who midway through collecting data had already received about 1,500 responses, plans to analyze the results and propose any number of subsequent ideas for the next two years. He says some ideas that’ve been floated in conversations include a food-truck court in Cumberland, a coffee shop, or a gym. But he’s adamant about hearing from the employees before making any certain recommendations.

“The customers are the employees, so we’re really trying to get a handle on what they want,” he said.

Other business parks in Rhode Island, including Quonset Business Park, have already started to incorporate such nontraditional amenities. In 2008, Quonset Development Corp., the business park operator, established its “Gateway District,” a mixed-use center along Route 1 in North Kingstown with such establishments as Marriott TownePlace Suites, Kohl’s Department Store, Dave’s Marketplace, Wide World of Indoor Sports and more.

Steven J. King, Quonset Development managing director, says the group has also added four beaches for workers to enjoy, and he hopes as the park continues to grow, more public transportation will be added to expand options.

“As society shifts and the interests of the workforce shift, we want to be responsive to that,” he said. •

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