Listen to this article now |
While the actual definition of a “Startup” is a company in its beginning stages of development, this word has begun to take on a much greater meaning among entrepreneurs and employees in the last few years.
Startup companies are chipping away at the rigid rules on how a business should be run and opting for a more creative, collaborative, and free-form office environment. Whether your company is actually in its beginning stages, or you’re just trying to develop a more innovative atmosphere, these tips can help you revamp your office space to promote the cool startup mentality.
Natural Light
Getting enough sunlight throughout the day can boost your mood and productivity. By enhancing the amount of natural light available in your office, you’ll be improving your employee’s overall happiness in the workplace and increasing your business’s efficiency and productivity levels.
Keep the windows open throughout the day and make sure every team member’s desk or “home base” area has access to natural light.
Fill up the Walls
Give your office personality by filling the walls with artwork, photos, and other wall hangings. Some great ideas for this include:
- Having your brand’s logo painted on the wall
- Displaying photos of team members – this helps your employees feel valued as an integral part of the company.
- Hanging fun and interesting artwork
- Exhibiting company awards and accolades
- Incorporating interactive wall hangings such as white boards.
- Include decorative wall pictures in the form of art prints, posters, or original paintings.
Spaces for Collaboration
Gone are the days of everyone being stuffed in their tiny cubicle for 8+ hours at a time. Startup offices are all about collaboration and it’s important that your office layout reflects that.
Try an open-concept office layout where employees can see each other throughout the day. Include a few designated meeting rooms for full team discussions and brainstorming sessions.
It’s important that these meeting rooms include plenty of space for every member of your team to gather to prevent anyone from feeling left neglected or overlooked.
Pay Attention to Color
Color can actually affect how you feel throughout the day. Different colors elicit different emotions such as red for passion or anger and blue for calm and restfulness.
So, before painting your entire office bright yellow, think about how that might make your employees feel. A great idea is to correspond the color of each area of the office to what you’re trying to achieve. For example, having green in the area where employees’ desks are located promotes productivity.
Considering CIO advisory services?
Make Room for Fun
Employee happiness is directly related to your company’s productivity and loyalty. Your office should be a fun place to be that team members are excited to come to each day. To achieve this, include exciting spaces for your employees such as a game room, on-site gym, barista service, or even beer taproom!
