With the sudden rise of co-working spaces and virtual offices, we thought we’d look into the wonderful world of startup offices.
One of the most exciting parts starting your own company is choosing and designing your office location. We’re ignoring virtual offices in this article, but we’ll get there soon.
We’re focusing on the power collaboration and having a physical space that represents your brand. Here are some things you have to consider first:
The effect on your team
Your workspace design could affect your employees positively, so it all depends on the decisions you make. Even subtle differences in your office layout, furnishing and structure can motivate your staff and make them more productive.
The factors to consider
So which workspace factors are most important? These range from major structural components to subtle ambient differences, and you can’t perfect them all, but you should keep these in mind for your office.
Openness
The degree of openness your office presents could affect how people work individually and collaboratively. Open office designs that have limited walls and bigger, wider spaces for teams are more popular now and seem to foster collaboration. However, you know your team best, so think about what works for them.
If your team needs to be in constant communication with each other, or if your brand prioritizes transparency and warmth, this may be the right choice for you. Co-working spaces usually have open concept designs so this might be useful for you.
Furniture
Ergonomic furniture is a must for your employees. Comfortable furniture designed to support work activities will keep your employees in good posture and focused more intently. They can also reduce the chance of employee injuries and chronic pain, especially over the course of years or decades.
Spend the extra money here.
Branding
Your office needs to match your brand. Showing off the brand not only makes a great first impression for new clients and new employees, but keeps the company on the same track. This could mean colourful furniture for a colourful brand or a sleek look for others.
The pantry or breakroom
Your employees need some time to relax and restart, so a great pantry or breakroom is necessary. They can use this time to mingle, and set away from the grind for a minute. Having someplace that’s relaxing and offers a break from the office is essential.
Plants
Surprisingly a great way to create a lighter and fun atmosphere in an office is to have some office plants. They are a great way to communicate freshness and helps alleviate some of the stress.
Clutter and cleanliness
A tidy office is one that supports productivity, but unfortunately, there aren’t many initial design choices that can help you here. Instead, you’ll need to institute office rules and expectations that demand employees to clean up after themselves and keep their individual desks and work stations in order. Include plenty of filing and storage systems to help guide your employees toward maintaining a cleaner and more organized workspace.
Noise and music
Noise and music have an enormous potential impact on your employees’ productivity. Music, at a reasonable volume, or ambient noise can make your employees more productive, filtering out unwanted and inconsistent noises and providing a peaceful backdrop for their ongoing tasks.
In some case though, loud music or an office environment that requires silence (offices with a lot of calls, and precision work), should limit the times you can play music. So keep those in mind.
Meeting rooms
Even if you’ve gone with an open office layout, you’ll still need at least some rooms and offices for private meetings. You’ve got to make them distinct, but still a part of your brand.
In your meeting rooms, make sure they are quiet. Most important is to make sure you have strong internet in all locations in your office.
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We could go on for ages because setting up an office is a crucial part of your business as it grows. These factors will help guide you through the process.
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