It’s well documented that some of the most successful brands in the world have amazing offices. Tech giants such as Google, Apple, Facebook and Dropbox are well known for their impressive workspaces, as well as for the enviable productivity levels they’re said to create.
There are many reasons to aspire to have a great office. Not only can the right office seriously impress potential clients, it can also completely change the ethos of your workplace and ensure your staff are more effective, happier and more loyal.
This is a key consideration for companies of any size, as happy employees are “an essential starting point of a sustainable business.”
What can we learn from the best offices in the world?
Google’s office is undoubtedly one of the most engaging workspaces in the world. It has indoor trees, slides, themed breakout areas, a stage and even a cinema.
Though most businesses may not have the office design budget to create something on the same scale, there’s still a lot to learn from how Google and similar companies have put together their workplace.
1. Choose your office wisely
The space you choose for your office will have a big impact on how successful the final environment is. For best results, look for a space with plentiful natural light that’s big enough to house your current team, plus space to grow.
If you’re looking for a new home for your business, why not come and check out some of the best offices in Leeds here at Carrwood Park? We’d love to give you a tour of our space and talk about what you could create here.
2. Build fun breakout spaces
From Airbnb to Urban Outfitters, the owners of the most effective offices in the world know that break out space is vital. They have also come to understand the importance of collaborative spaces that are fun to work in. Why not take inspiration from BBC North’s padded work pods or Zynga’s artificial indoor grass?
3. Incorporate greenery
Speaking of grass, abundant greenery is another common feature of successful workspaces. Plants in the workplace have been proven to reduce stress, increase productivity, reduce absence, increase creativity, reduce noise and improve air quality. Companies already enjoying all these benefits include Amazon, who have 40,000 plants in their Seattle biodome campus. As well as plants within the office space in Leeds Carrwood Park, there are over 1200 trees surrounding our offices here - perfect for green immersion during break times!
4. Encourage employees to exercise
We all know that movement is good for us, but it isn’t always easy to incorporate this into our working day, especially for those of us who work sedentary jobs. Many companies have worked to counteract this by building exercise spaces into their office. This could be a gym, such as they have at Dropbox, basketball hoops like at Google or even pool tables like Nokia. Carrwood Park is set among over 100 acres of green space, which we encourage residents to walk in and enjoy during their lunch breaks.
5. Offer private spaces
Though open collaborative working has many benefits, it can also be good for employee morale to offer the option of quieter more private spaces when they want it. Google’s honeycomb pods and Pallotta Teamwork’s pallet offices are great examples of this.
What could you learn from all this?
Inspired to create your own iconic workspace? We’d love to work with you to make it a reality. Take a look at some of the benefits to investing in our serviced office suites here at Carrwood Park.
