With low unemployment and a generation of employees who expect far cushier conditions than their forebears, you have to grab any advantage you can when attempting to lure talented staff to your start-up.
While few new ventures can compete with large businesses when it comes to salaries, incentives such as flexible working and favourable workplace conditions can prove crucial.
But how can you make your office a place that your staff will relish, rather than dread, turning up to?
According to Martin Nally, founder of consultancy HR Anywhere, it’s all about getting the basics right.
“You need to provide the facilities that allow your people to do their jobs – so if you work in design, lots of space to lay things out or lots of meeting rooms if you hold plenty of meetings,” he says.
“You don’t want your staff to be cramped, but at the same time you don’t want to wear a ball gown to a barbecue. You can’t compete with the top end of town in that way.
“Just make things convenient. If your business works irregular hours, good public transport and an air conditioning system that doesn’t switch off at 5pm is important.”
“If you don’t have good coffee within reach, you’ll struggle. Facilities, food and transport – lots of small businesses overlook these things. If there’s a problem with the restrooms, for example, and you don’t get it fixed quickly, it will become a big distraction.”
While it’s important to have these staples in place, there are other flourishes that you can add, given the right budget, to make staff feel happier and, therefore, more productive. Here are 10 examples from some of the best in the business.
Your office may require you to interact with customers about quite mundane things. You can enhance the experience by adding some nice touches to set you apart from the competition.
This can work for the terrifying, too – this US dentist has TV screens, comforting open-plan spaces and plenty of foliage to help turn something potentially unpleasant into a more relaxing experience.
An investment bank in Sydney may not feel like the most creative place to work, but Macquarie has gone out on a limb to help staff collaborate.
The office is a highly flexible space, with employees able to meet at one of 26 different “meeting pods”. As a result, more than half of staff change their workplaces every day, aiding interaction within the business.
The health and fitness of your staff doesn’t need to start and end with vague encouragement to cycle to work or take a walk at lunch.
Australian design firm Hassell won a competition to design the office of Thai telco Dtac. An eye-catching element to the workspace is a running track, where sedentary employees can take a brief jog.
Another seemingly dowdy Australian bank has created a rather wonderful office.
While it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to afford a vast, split-level workspace, you can take some valuable lessons from the ANZ office.
There are 44 different working hubs centred around communal facilities such as a café and public art, with employees also able to escape to quiet working zones.
If you’re looking for a well-designed office, you will do well to top Skype’s office in Stockholm, Sweden.
As well as being fabulous to look at, the Skype space also ties in with the cloud-shaped logo and lettering of the brand. Could you also integrate your brand into your office design?
