Those startups have it made huh? Flexible hours, beer in the fridge, it’s a wonder they get any work done; yet somehow they do.
Once mocked for their unstructured work environment, startups are now gaining a lot of attention from business leaders who recognize that a positive workspace has an impact on profits.
This isn’t just a reflection of increased Gen Y in the workplace but it also points to a growing trend in the workplace: How do we create an environment that employees will want to work and excel in?
Here are a few tips on how to transform your corporate office space into a posh pad every millennial will be lining up to work for:
1. Allow for flexible work hours. A 40 hour work week doesn’t have to mean 9am-5pm. Permit your employees the flexibility to work from home evenings and weekends outside of normal banker hours. You might actually discover they work longer and are more productive.
2. Don’t micro-manage. Because startup employees tend to work in less structured environments they aren’t used to having managers breathing down there neck. Empower your employees and trust them to do the job they were hired for.
3. Get customer obsessed. Since they are so focused on defining who the customer is and what they want/need, startups are extremely connected to their customers. They often know them all by first name and are aware of challenges and glitches well before they escalate into heavy problems. Startups also rely heavily on customer feedback to drive the direction of the product.
4. Don’t feel obligated to provide desks. Everyone needs a space to work in, but this doesn’t mean they have to work in large desks in cubicles. Large tables and comfy couches are often all employees need to collaborate and get down to business.
5. Rock your culture. Successful startups are all about amazing culture. Their employees share in a common vision and are passionate about success. Because they don’t work in silos, their ability to collaborate is much higher than in established organizations.
6. Say no to politics. Great startup cultures are more about the recognition of others and less about everyone out for themselves. Find a way to shout-out the awesomeness of your staff.
7. Be frugal. Cutting costs not only makes fiscal sense, but can also eliminate unnecessary waste. A cost-conscious attitude can be fun and contagious. If your upcoming tradeshow is less than a day’s drive, pile the staff into a rented Winnebago and avoid costly airfare.
