November 17, 2015

5 Design Tips from Philadelphia’s Coolest Offices

Even when we know exactly what we want in our offices, it is often beneficial to check in with the experts for their top tips that can help your office reach a whole new level of productivity, efficiency, and style. Today, we’re sharing 5 design tips from Philadelphia’s Coolest Offices that you can use in your space.
Swap out your regular desks with ones that are adjustable
More and more studies are coming out with the same message: Sitting is bad for your health. Some Philadelphia offices are taking that message to heart by providing employees with adjustable desks that allow them to sit or stand throughout the day. Even if you use ergonomic chairs, keyboards, mouse pads and phones, they still won’t give you the benefits of standing for part of your work day.
Add a fully stocked cafeteria
When you include perks like this in your office, you encourage your employees to stick around even during their breaks. The benefit of this is that they will work harder and longer even when you don’t ask them to. Plus, they will feel more loyal to you because you are taking care of one of their most basic needs: food. It may seem like a large expense at first, but the potential return on investment could be worth it. If offering free lunches feels like a step too far, at least consider offering free sodas, coffee, juice and tea to help your employees avoid daily runs to the local coffee house.
Include elements of fun to promote play and inspire creativity
You could install large slides in the middle of the room like the offices at AWeber, or a huge trampoline like the lobby of RevZilla.com’s headquarters, but these ideas are a little much for most people. Instead, consider what Beyond.com, Inc. did for their employees. They didn’t just create a break room, they created a full game room complete with air hockey, arcade b-ball and kickball.
Design plush collaborative spaces
It’s not enough to just put a few tables and chairs in the office. Think large comfy couches and plush chairs that face each other in addition to those tables and chairs. The goal is to create spaces that allow workers to socialize even if it’s not work-related to promote feelings of camaraderie and bonding. When you feel more like a family, you work better together, and you stay with the company longer if your friends work there as well.
Brand your design
Logos on the walls, company-themed novelties on the desks, and photos of employees (or even customers) strategically placed throughout the office enhances brand loyalty amongst the staff. That’s an idea we can certainly get behind.
We hope you enjoyed a peak at the elements of Philadelphia’s coolest offices and would like to invite you to contact us should you ever need assistance in designing your space.
Not sure where to start? CLICK HERE for a free consultation.