A fancy, expensive open-plan office is not a solution for most startups. But how do you set up your startup office so that it’s affordable and also attracts employees? After all, the startup workplace should offer a healthy, pleasant and varied workday.
It doesn’t have to be new, but it does have to be suitable
The first office does not have to be completely furnished with new furniture if the money is not yet flowing. Used furniture, including office furniture that meets high standards of ergonomics and comfort, is available in every city.
But the “StartUp home” must be functional and offer a certain feel-good atmosphere. For example, workstations can be set up at old dining tables with kitchen chairs or office chairs. If the tables and chairs are of different heights, each employee has the opportunity to choose a workstation that matches his or her height.
Relaxing and chilling in the office – why not?
Basically, a good office also includes a corner where you can sit and relax and talk. Beanbags are great, but they don’t have to be. You can also build a seating area out of Euro pallets and spice it up with garden cushions to make it more comfortable.
For the sporty founders and foundresses, crash pads that have been discarded at the local climbing gym are also suitable. If you buy new crash pads, you’ve also clearly defined evening company sports. And it’s cheaper than a real sofa set!
Fun in the StartUp office is a must!
If you want to live up to the cliché of a startup – and that’s not meant in a negative way! – should definitely think about a foosball table, a ping-pong table or an air field hockey table. These can be found cheaply second-hand at youth facilities and sports clubs, and they don’t have to be the latest model.
What also goes down well: a corner where you can play Playstation/Xbox together or watch DVD/Bluray or Netflix in the evening.
If there’s a bit of money to be had: set things up with foresight.
There are startups that can budget a little money for office furnishings right from the start. Here, it pays to plan ahead.
When a startup is up and running, it will grow quickly: two employees will quickly turn into ten or twenty, and two computers into a whole server room. So, as far as possible, the office should be suitably furnished from the outset.
Even with new, expensive furniture, computer workstations are only fun if they fit. Ergonomic office furniture and varied workstations, such as standing desks and reclining desks, make sense. At the “normal” desk for sitting, the tabletop should be height-adjustable, and the office chair should also be adjustable to the employee’s height. Planning a few more workstations will make it easier to integrate new employees.
Social areas must also be part of the furnishings. This includes everything from the checkroom to the kitchenette and lunch room that promotes social interaction in the company. The furnishings should be designed to meet the needs of the company and its employees. Those who like it conventional will find the appropriate social room furniture online from corresponding furnishers.
A feel-good atmosphere in the office?
With the Office 2023 project, the Fraunhofer Institute has succeeded in researching the development of future, employee-friendly and pleasant work situations. Everything from co-working spaces and home offices to new concepts for open-plan offices is being researched here.
The key finding here is that open, colorful and varied offices promote creativity and improve work performance. The trend will therefore continue to move away from the gray work office without distractions toward the colorful living space with flexible workstations.
One basis for this is that the office space can be adapted to the needs of the employees: Flexible walls should separate single or double workstations from the rest of the room, and humidity, light and temperature can be adjusted individually for each workstation. This ensures that employees feel good and do not perform less well because of the environment. Or quit unnerved after the probationary period.
Nowadays, a workplace – especially for startups – is more than just a place to slave away. Employees should feel comfortable, which then increases motivation and productivity. This is extremely important, especially in young companies that cannot compete with large corporations in terms of salary structure.
