Melbourne has once again been named the world’s most liveable city by the Economist Intelligence Unit.  

Liveable cities make for desirable workplaces, and Melbourne is proof of how this fosters both innovation in business and a vibrant, engaging civic culture. It’s recognised that the quality of career opportunities and economic growth are essential to making a city more liveable. But to attract high calibre employees, businesses must emphasise talent management and create workplaces that contribute to a city’s cultural fabric.

We might make a decision about where to live based on a great job, but the quality of our day-to-day experience at work determines whether we choose to stay. That’s why progressive talent management not only shapes successful businesses, it helps cities flourish. Many employers are awake to the fact that building an engaged, motivated workforce is essential to attraction and retention of quality employees: They know that high levels of engagement also increases productivity.

Knowledge workers can live anywhere
In a report about the impact of digital disruption released by the Centre for Economic Development of Australia titled ‘Australia’s Future Workforce?’, Professor Steven Callander writes that, “Workers who produce ideas capable of being sold on the global market live where the living is good.” He argues that a liveable city is also a starting point for innovation that feeds on itself. “A more liveable city attracts knowledge workers who affect change that makes the city ever more liveable,” Callander said.

When people possess skills that are in demand globally, only organisations with clear values-based employee brands and attractive working conditions can compete. The population of Melbourne, Australia’s second biggest city, is growing rapidly—in large part because the companies that choose to operate there are cutting-edge. Forward-thinking workplaces are beacons for talented minds, but talented people also want to work in a city with beautiful green spaces, desirable neighbourhoods and a vibrant culture.

Location and culture combine to make great workplaces
We spend a lot of time at work, so it makes sense workers are not just drawn to roles in great cities, but also to work environments that offer a stimulating and rewarding professional life. A study of US technology workers by job-search site Indeed.com found many people were only interested in working in cities that had a ‘tech culture’ as well as a lifestyle and community they wanted to be a part of. For instance, Silicon Valley was a popular choice thanks to a reputation built on unique and innovative talent management practices, such as employee-centric approaches to management, agile processes, and embedded innovation. Melbourne is quickly becoming one of the top destinations for talent, for the same reasons.