Set your staff up for success by creating a work environment that meets their unique needs
Taking a leap of faith to begin your own business is a valiant decision. It means facing difficulty, investing time, money, and sweat equity, and working toward a goal with little guarantee of success.
Yet, when done well, it can be the most rewarding experience of an entrepreneur’s life.
Part of ensuring that your startup business has the greatest chance of achieving your goals is creating a work environment that your employees enjoy coming to. After all, 90 percent of workers believe that better office design leads to better overall performance and gives the company a competitive advantage.
And since startups are particularly reliant upon the productivity of their team members, it is imperative to create an environment that fosters the passion, dedication, and determination of your team.
How do you accomplish this?
By designing your startup office with a few key features in mind.
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Here Are Three Startup Office Design Ideas That Boost Employee Engagement:
1. Modular Design
When brainstorming your startup office space design, it’s vital to factor in how your business may change as you move forward. As your brand expands, you will likely have to hire new employees, shift workspaces around, and reconfigure your office more than you’d like to admit.
And when these changes are necessary, it can cause a lot of commotion and confusion amongst your employees.
For these reasons, going modular is one of the most beneficial startup office ideas.
Since modular design offers high flexibility, entrepreneurs do not have to commit to a permanent floor plan right away. Instead, they can simply install modular walls that are quick to put up and easy to customize.
Additionally, they can be moved in a flash - reducing the amount of time your employees have to spend displaced during the reconfiguration process.
Another added bonus? Modular office walls can cost as low as $40.00 per square foot - a price tag your startup budget will appreciate.
No wonder so many of the best startup offices incorporate modular design!
We recommend checking out the offices of Etsy and Buzzfeed for inspiration.
2. Quiet Space
Creating space where your employees can go to escape for a little while is one of the advantageous office design ideas for small businesses.
In fact, 63 percent of employees state that they lack quiet space at work.
This is especially concerning when you consider that 72 percent of workers say quiet spaces to make phone calls or focus on specific projects would improve productivity.
If you want your company to continue to be highly functional, investing in a startup office design that encourages quiet time is recommended.
Some design ideas for a startup office that promotes quiet time include:
- A private, soundproof, office phone booth
- Nap rooms
- Headphone stations where employees can listen to a selection of relaxing music
- Study rooms or meeting rooms that can be completely closed off from outside stimuli
- Using furniture and materials that reduce noise travel
- Proper signage to inform employees about quiet zones
If your business is starting out small, begin by designating just one or two spaces as quiet zones, like an employee lounge or a corner office that can be used to conduct private phone conversations.
But remember, it’s never too early to begin researching other cool startup offices to make note of what other companies are doing, what results they have seen, and how you can implement similar strategies for quiet space in your office.
3. Visual Branding
When we think of startup office decor, we often think of exposed brick walls, modern furnishings, and standing desks. But we rarely think of new and innovative ways to show off our brand.
This is often a missed opportunity, since only 50 percent of employees feel that their office design is brand consistent.
Yet, when a business does display a strong visual brand identity, it can actually creating lasting positive results.
In fact, 73 percent of employees who feel that they work for a purpose-driven company say that they are engaged.
So, why not use your startup office decor as a way of communicating your company’s mission and vision with your employees?
Some ideas for incorporating your brand in your startup office space include:
- Display mission statements in common areas like boardrooms, break rooms, or hallways
- Highlight the diversity of your employees with a wall of headshots (For added effect, include a short paragraph about each employee that visitors can read)
- Include copies of your annual report or other branded publications in waiting rooms, bathrooms, or other areas where people can browse them
- Having a statement art piece behind your reception desk that includes your company logo or another element of your brand
- Invest in custom-made vinyl graphics that can be displayed in windows
The more visible and present your branding is in your startup office design, the more connected and invested your employees will be in your business - ultimately leading to more productivity and better bottom line results.