Ascott and Oakwood upgrade serviced flats for tech-savvy ‘nomad’ millennials

Home is where the heart is. For millennials, it is also the place where technology is up to scratch, time-saving conveniences are a given, and, ideally, there are opportunities for wellness and social engagement within their own niche community.

They are not so inclined to want a “job for life”, nor plan to put down permanent roots in one place. According to PwC’s Millennials at Work research, the current generation of 20- and 30-somethings will represent 70 per cent of the global workforce in less than five years, and two-thirds of them would be happy to get an overseas assignment during their career (32 per cent more than Generation X.)

“This mobile generation of millennials grew up with technology, social media and the sharing economy,” says Mindy Teo, vice-president for brand, marketing and digital innovation, The Ascott. “They demand flexibility, openness and collaboration.

They no longer draw distinctions between business and pleasure, work and play. They have no qualms about being digital nomads, travelling frequently as part of work or relocating for work.

“More than anything else, they seek out experiences, and value being part of a community.”

So as millennials globetrot with higher expectations than generations before, they have raised standards for nomads of all ages. In housing, that means more value added being offered by the serviced apartments sector, the traditional provider of flexible, convenient leasing packages for the mobile workforce.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in Singapore, rated by expatriates as the best country in the world to live and work – for the third year in a row – in the annual HSBC Expat Explorer survey.

Appealing to the tech-savvy, Oakwood in Asia-Pacific provides an in-room tablet and mobile phone with 4G capabilities for guests’ use in both Oakwood Studios Singapore and Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore.