With over 600,000 businesses starting each year, you need to be on top of your game.
Part of being on top of your game means having a space that allows your employees to create and produce at the highest levels possible.
When you design a startup office, you have to think about not only how the office looks, but how the office functions. Continue reading to learn more about startup office design ideas that will be a hit.
Determine What Makes Your Company Unique
When you’re designing your office, you wouldn’t want it to work for anyone else but you.
Maybe you have a cute character that you use to promote your company. You could create a life-size version of the character to greet everyone when they walk in the entryway.
Even if you’re trying to create offline businesses with low startup costs, there are things you can do to showcase the uniqueness of your company.
What’s Your Company Story?
You can use your startup office to tell your company’s story and to remind your employees how the company formed. Think about your company’s long-term values and what you want to embody with your business.
Use your company’s story and your company’s uniqueness together to start sketching out some ideas for your space.
What Type of Talent Do You Want to Attract?
The way your workplace looks and functions will have a lot to do with the type of talent you’ll attract.
If you don’t spend time designing your space, it is going to show, and the best talent is going to pass over your company. You need to match the values of your company with the values of your dream talent.
Look at companies you admire that have great teams and values. Use these as inspiration, take things that you like, improve upon them, and put them together to create your own unique design.
Would the Design Be Attractive to Your Clients?
It’s no longer common practice to hide your office buildings because they are ugly or unremarkable, so keep in mind that clients will be interested to see your startup’s office.
Is the design going to be attractive to your client and make them want to work with you and your company? You can use your workspace as a way to market your company when you get it right.
Whether you have potential clients, visit the space, or just showcase it in your marketing, how your space looks and functions will make a difference in their decision.
Think about whether your design is going to be inspiring and relatable to the people that you want to work with. You want your ideal client to immediately resonate with your design for the best possible first impression.
Create Common Spaces
Most people don’t like working in cubicles anymore. Cubicles feel like you’re in a box and unable to breathe in many cases, no matter how much you decorate.
While you might still opt for cubicles in the workplace, creating common spaces will allow people to figure out how they want to work.
Some people are more social and need more interaction than others, and these common spaces are great for collaboration.
Use Color to Make an Impact
There’s no reason to have a dull and dim office. Use color to boost your employee’s moods and productivity.
When you put bright colors throughout your office strategically, it will increase the energy in the office, and make it a more fun place to work.
Don’t feel like you have to redo your entire office’s color scheme. An accent wall or even some cool decals can go a long way to bring color into the office.
Take Different Work Styles Into Account
Not everyone enjoys working the same way.
You might find people that like to kick back and relax with their laptops in their laps. On the other hand, you might look over and see another employee happily navigating the net sitting at their ergonomic-friendly standing desk.
When you’re designing the office space, you want to create spaces that make it easy for these different work styles to flourish.
Rent Furniture & Equipment
You never know when you might want to change things up, and renting is a great way to make that easier. Instead of sinking thousands of dollars in furniture and equipment that you might not want a long term relationship with, opt to rent.
If you get bored with your conference table or find it isn’t working, then swap it out for something else.
Stock Your Kitchen
You don’t want people at their desks hoping for their break. Stocking your kitchen will make it easy for your employees to grab a bite to eat and get back to work.
If you stock the kitchen with healthy food, your employees are going to be more likely to opt for ease and eat well instead of going out to eat lunch.
Start with a few snacks and see what people are the most excited about.
Design a Startup Office Everyone Will Love
Now that you know how to design a startup office, you’ll be able to create a space everyone will love. Having employees that are excited about coming in to get work done makes all the difference, and a great deal of getting them excited is having the right office setup and environment.
Do you feel like you need more help with your office space, design, or other business issues? Our site is full of articles that can help you as you’re advancing toward your goals.
Browse our site, find your favorite business section, drop a bookmark, and come back soon to read more.
