What does your office environment look like when you first walk in? Is it organized? Fun? Stimulating?
People should be able to get an idea for what it’s like to work in your office from the moment they walk through the front door.
If you don’t bother with first impressions, believe me, people notice.
One of the companies I’ve mentored for years is called Nurse Next Door. The very first time I visited their office in British Columbia, paper and boxes were everywhere. As their business coach, I honestly told them that it was a disaster.
They listened, and every Wednesday ever since then, they have held “Wasteless Wednesday,” a day where they throw out anything they can to make the office, the walls, and people’s desks look clean and neat.
The difference in their space and the mood of employees has been profound: the energy is different, and they can actually fit more people into the same space without feeling crowded at all. Best of all, just recently, they were named #1 Company to Work for In British Columbia!
Oh and here’s a tip, since it’s 2010 and all: GO PAPERLESS!!
For more information on this topic, check out: Building a World Class Culture.
Some of you will balk at the suggestion to make it easier to socialize at your office, but it will quickly help you develop culture. Provide your people with a BBQ that is always kept clean and ready to use with propane so people can cook casually for lunch or dinner. This kind of interaction builds culture in an authentic and relatable way. With even less effort, have your kitchen stocked with free fruit, cereal, various coffees, teas and more. You can even have the food delivered weekly by the grocery store. Whatever you do, make people feel at home and they’ll work longer and harder for you.
