There are a lot of ducks to get all lined up in a row when it comes to getting your tech startup off the ground. There’s no denying that you need to focus on the quality of the services you offer, but have you spent any time thinking about your employees?
Your employees are what will make or break your startup. They can help you soar to new heights, or they can be the reason why you come crashing to the ground. It really pays to make sure they’re comfortable and happy so the latter isn’t the case.
As you’re getting the ball rolling, spend a little time creating a comfortable work environment that encourages your employees to do their very best with these four tips.
Let Them Listen to Music
You may be hesitant to allow your employees to listen to music while they work. Isn’t it a distraction? Actually, the opposite is likely to be true, especially if you work in an open office environment.
Listening to background music can actually help your employees focus on the task at hand, especially if there are other distractions near their desk. Focal Elear headphones can drown out all that extra noise, further enhancing concentration.
If you’re worried about music becoming a distraction, consider setting up special times throughout the day when employees can listen to music, or consider playing a little background music in the office.
Have a Little Fun
You’re at work to get the job done, but that doesn’t mean you and your employees should have your noses to the grindstone 24/7. This kind of work ethic may seem commendable, but it is actually harmful. Not only is it harmful to your bottom line, but it’s harmful to the well-being of your employees too.
The solution? Have a little fun in the office!
- Schedule a Nerf gun war, or have Nerf guns laying around a particular area of the office so that employees can blow off steam. You can even integrate Nerf guns into a meeting.
- Keep board games and decks of cards in the break room.
- Schedule office Olympics and host games like chair races and paper stacking.
- Encourage employees to bring their well-behaved pets to work.
- Integrate team building activities into meetings and host retreats throughout the year.
Don’t forget to ask your employees for their recommendations! You may even want to create a fun committee so a special event is always just around the corner.
Make It Feel Like Home
Offices have a way of feeling cold and barren, especially in an open office where the entire room is just filled with plastic furniture. Strive for a different kind of environment by making the office feel a little bit more like home.
Instead of relying on fluorescent lighting, position lamps around the office. Hang pictures and artwork on the walls, and position live plants throughout your office space.
Keep windows open during the day to take advantage of as much sunlight as possible, and consider swapping out the plastic furniture in the break room for couches and chairs that are a little bit more comfortable.
Making a space feel more like home means allowing your employees to decorate and modify their desks too, so encourage them to bring photos and hang decorations.
Create Some Privacy
Nothing beats an open office floor plan when it comes to collaboration, but you and your employees aren’t collaborating all day, every day. There are times when everyone needs to buckle down and get some work done, which means creating a little privacy in the office.
To keep interruptions at a minimum, designate special quiet times throughout the day when everyone is to remain undisturbed. You can also create signs that employees can use that indicate the need for privacy.
Tall decorative items placed near desks can provide a greater sense of privacy. You can even go above and beyond by investing in privacy screens that can be placed around desks when needed.
The office is an ever-evolving place, especially for innovative tech startups. Start by giving one or two of these tips a try in your office and see how things go. We bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how effectively they can boost performance!
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