5 Office Design Tips for Startups

by Startacus Admin

As a startup, most of your time and effort is often poured into getting the company off the ground - and with many businesses starting life from a home-based office, finding a practical workspace is something that usually comes months after a business has launched.
Aparently, a healthy working environment results in happy and productive workers - and with four in ten small businesses not making it to five years, it's crucial that companies do everything they can to encourage productivity in the workplace. With this in mind, Novell Coffee, share their top tips for creating an office space that is both cost-effective & encourages creativity...
1. Do it yourself
You might feel pushed for time as your business starts out, but by getting to know the interior designer inside of you, you can save big on splashing out on decorators’ fees. You’ll be spending most of your time here as the business starts to find its feet, so creating a stylish and functional environment can encourage productivity and stimulate staff. From personalised workstations to eye-catching feature walls, adding a splash of colour into your office design will make all the difference.
2. Inject some fun
While pool tables and bean bags are fun additions to any office, you needn’t spend big to help staff de-stress. With deadlines looming and the pressure building, it’s crucial that employees have the chance to take a timeout. Whether this is encouraging a company bake-off or simply taking part in a lunch time team quiz, find a way to add a touch of fun into the working day and see productivity levels soar.
3. Find inspiration
In times of high stress, it's always good to have some inspirational quotes and books scattered around the office to help raise morale. Encourage team members to share literature they find particularly uplifting and consider using stencils to add inspirational quotes to the walls around the office as a daily pick-up for your team.
4. Get energised
If motivational books and inspirational quotes aren’t doing the trick, then refreshments certainly will. From starting the day with a healthy breakfast to keeping topped up with coffee, drinks and snacks will help your staff stay on form throughout the working day - so it’s well worth investing in a coffee machine and keeping the fridge stocked!
5. Beat the silence
Office design goes beyond the physicality of a space - so think about what helps get your staff through the working day. While there’s much controversy over whether music helps us concentrate, for some people, it’s the perfect antidote to a busy day. Find your favourite playlist on YouTube or Spotify and encourage your team to put their requests in!
Integrating these simple design innovations into your first office space can be vital in boosting morale while creating a space where staff love to work. New businesses will almost always be faced with challenges, but creating a productive and relaxed environment will help to alleviate stress levels and make your staff feel right at home.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
The lowdown on OneThird, the foodtech startup that's tackling food waste via its innovative solution for predicting the shelf life of fresh produce.

Karen Meager, co-founder of Monkey Puzzle Training shares some insights on how leadership has changed in the last decade, and what it takes to be a great leader today.

Freight rate management platform Freightify raises Series A investment to support further international growth and mission to help more freight forwarding companies digitize their operations.

Crowdfunding success for Omni, the vegan dog food brand, reaffirms the recession-proof growth of the pet nutrition industry.

Want to learn a new language? Weeve is an innovative startup that has created an innovative, creative and effective way to help you do just that.

Want to build an investable, scalable tech startup? The Raise Accelerator programme is now open for applications and will help you do just that.

Want to increase visual engagement for your startup's Instagram account? These tips will help you do just that.

Fashion innovation thanks to Italian Artisan and its B2B one-stop marketplace that connects international brands with hard-to-get authentic artisans.

Want to gain an edge over your business competitors? Listening to your audience is an absolute must.

The Clothes Doctor mission to fight fast fashion continues as the innovative eco clothing care brand raises £1m to support further growth.
Published on: 27th March 2017
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- Freightify secures $12M funding round to power digital transformation for freight forwarders 2nd Feb 2023 Freight rate management platform Freightify raises Series A investment to support further international growth and mission to help more freight forwarding companies digitize their operations.
- Vegan Dog Food Brand, Omni Smashes £400K Crowdfunding Target 1st Feb 2023 Crowdfunding success for Omni, the vegan dog food brand, reaffirms the recession-proof growth of the pet nutrition industry.
- Raise Spring Accelerator programme seeking applications for next cohort 30th Jan 2023 Want to build an investable, scalable tech startup? The Raise Accelerator programme is now open for applications and will help you do just that.
- Leading French Travel Co. Offers Mentoring to two UK startups on its prestigious two-month programme 23rd Jan 2023 High-potential social impact startups from the UK sought for the 9th annual Les Tremplins by Voyage Privé programme.