Launching a startup business is a herculean task, and you’re going to need your staff to be efficient, communicative, and productive if you want your business to succeed. The best way to make that happen is to give you and your staff an amazing workspace. Here are 10 things you should have in your startup office so that your team can produce great work.
1. Standing Desks
Lots of studies have shown that sitting for long periods of time is bad for your health, and that it can even prevent you from thinking clearly. Consider having standing desks for your employees so they always have the option of working in a chair or on their feet. When your employees feel like they’ve been sitting down too long, they can just move their desk into a standing position and get an energy boost.
2. Messaging Software
One of the best ways to foster communication in the office is to incorporate messaging software at your company. There are several benefits to using messaging software. First, your employees can communicate with each other in a way that’s faster than sending emails back and forth. Second, you can create different messaging groups for each of your departments, which helps to streamline and organize communication threads. Third, you’ll be able to maintain a quieter workplace when your employees are able to communicate digitally, and a quiet workplace is conducive to productivity.
3. Laser Printers
A good printer is a necessity for any startup office. But which printer should you get? For most startups, a laser printer is the best kind of printer for the office. Unlike inkjet printers, a laser printer uses a printing material called toner, which can yield a far greater amount of pages than ink can. Laser printers are optimal for printing a large volume of documents at high speeds, which is important if you’re trying to keep a fast workflow at your office.
4. Wine Coolers
If your startup is going to succeed, then you need to have the best possible team when you launch. Of course, there’s lots of competition for the best employees, so you should use your office perks to lure them. Wine coolers stocked with wine and beer are a great way to promote a casual office atmosphere. Additionally, they’re a reminder to you and your employees that if you work hard, you can play hard, too.
5. Keg
Who hasn’t dreamed of working in an office that has a keg? This is another great way to attract good employees. When 4:00 hits on Friday, you and your employees can de-stress and celebrate a week of work well-done.
6. Sofas
You should have a comfortable sofa or two in your office. There are a couple reasons why sofas are important. First, a sofa will make your office more accommodating for guests and for prospective job candidates who are coming to interview. Second, a sofa provides your employees with a cozy place to work if they’re feeling too rooted at their desk (on that note, be sure you give your employees laptops and not desktop computers).
7. Dogs
If you or your employees have dogs, you should enable a company policy that lets your employees bring them into the office. Having dogs in the office is a great way to boost your employee morale because those happy fur friends will infuse your office with life and help your employees de-stress.
8. Task Management Software
Task management software is one of the most important pieces of smart tech you can employ in your office. This kind of software, like Asana, lets you assign daily, weekly, or monthly tasks to employees or to employee work groups. It’s a great way to allocate tasks and to ensure that your employees are completing them by the deadline.
9. Snacks
Always have healthy snacks in your office so that employees have something to munch on when they’re in a snacking mood. This will keep your employees nourished and productive throughout the day. There are some online services that will send you snack packs by mail so you never have to go to the store.
10. Recycling Bin
Take the initiative to make your office environmentally-friendly. Have a recycling bin in your kitchen so you can recycle plastics and cans.
If you want a startup workplace that’s happy, productive, and sustainable, be sure to incorporate these 10 office must-haves.