StartupTalky

Tag: office setup

  • 9 Office Rules That Are Hated by Everyone

    Rules are a part of our life, we are expected to follow them everywhere. From schools to our office, every organisation have a set of rules that one associated with them has to follow.

    Office rules are a set of written rules for employees to be professional and polite person. While office rules depend on the company, generally, some office rules are made to allow employees to correct their behaviour in the office. These office rules affect everyone.

    In this article, we will talk about the rules that one needs to follow in office but doesn’t like. So, let’s get started.

    Attendance Policy
    Restricting the Internet Policy
    Time Policy
    Bathroom Policy
    Counting With Miles Policy
    Overtime Policy
    Rigid Ranking Policy
    Banning Cell Phones Policy
    Dress Code Policy

    Attendance Policy

    Attendance is a significant part in any organization. It is basically the record of how many days you have been in the office at the proper time and how many days you were late for the office. It also determines the day that you have come to the office. All these records are saved in any kind of tool for attendance that particularly depends on the organization.

    The company expects the employees to do the first thing after coming to the office is putting their attendance in the log of the office. However, those who want to cheat with the attendance log can, and the organization should use other tools for keeping a record of attendance.

    Restricting the Internet Policy

    There is no doubt that the internet has become a very necessary part in our life and on in any organization, it is much more important. Giving employees access to the web, however, is not a very trustable thing.

    Instead of working at their office,  employees will tend to pass their time by doing other activities and neglecting their office work. To make sure that the employees are working and not doing other things, companies restrict the use of internet for the employees in the office. However, just because one person at the office spent time watching other stuff rather than writing important mails does not mean that the other employees should get punished for this. The company should allow the responsible employees to use the internet in break time, as long as work does not suffer. Besides, these rules are preventing employees from doing research and using the internet as a useful tool.

    Time Policy

    It is being asked by the employees, “ what were you doing all day?” and it’s a very humiliating question for most and no one wants to answer this especially when they have to work all day in the office. Though the toughest challenge faced by a company’s management is to keep records of work and time spent by the employees.

    As un-tracked work hours could be costing massive losses that business incurs daily across the world. However, keeping a record of every employee can be difficult for any organization. A company manager is always concerned about the lost time and that’s natural because that directly impacts the company’s growth. Although the employees working daily don’t like to be questioned in turn. Trust is essential for successful cooperation in the organization. A company manager should trust their employees.

    Bathroom Policy

    Some organizations have a policy of how many times a person can use the bathroom in the office. Managers should not add these kinds of policies to the office. When an employee has to go, an employee has to go. Unless that employee is not abusing bathroom rights and spending unnecessary time without completing their work.

    A Chicago-based firm, a call centre in Scotland, Amazon have this policy which is criticised by employees as well as people around them.

    While there is a clear public policy of allowing employees access to bathrooms, it does not support that employees may leave their tasks at any time without responsibly completing them. Seriously, limiting people’s trips to the bathroom is only going to give them serious health problems.

    Counting With Miles Policy

    Some companies have the policy that any employee going on a work trip from the company side, they have to give a record of how many miles they have travelled. This policy is a bit unnecessary if the employee is going on their own expenses. There’s no need for keeping a record of how many miles the employee travelled.

    Employees generally hate to do this because there should be trust between the company and the employee and the employee feels like the company does not trust them. Plus if the company should not send an employee if they feel thr employee is not that trustworthy.

    Overtime Policy

    Overtime is the period in which an employee has to work more than their working hours. Under the overtime rules and policies defining work hours, an employee should work 8-9 hours per day in India which equals a total of 48-50 hours a week. The company sometimes offers employees more work to do as overtime and also the company pays for it. Employees do not like to do overtime but they have to fulfil the company’s requirements.

    Rigid Ranking Policy

    We live in a world where benchmarks and rankings are set to judge the performance of a person. When rankings are used at the office for praising employees’ performance, many managers think that doing this can inspire them to become more competitive. This will help them in working hard to catch up more.

    Although in reality, the opposite happens, employees become demotivated. People who ranked highly will always think that they are already in the highest position, and are the best. While people who are ranked too low can become depressed about their work and might give up.

    Companies like IBM, Amazon, and Facebook use this policy to rank their employees.

    Giving feedback is another thing but comparing employees to other employees is not good for the company’s growth. Companies can compare the individual performance of an employee and that will help them in growing their confidence.

    Banning Cell Phones Policy

    The use of cell phones at the office can cause extended personal interaction during working hours. The banning of cell phones is used to protect company secrets. Cell phones cause various kinds of distractions in offices while people are working.

    Employees talking on their cell phones, sharing pictures and videos, and loud ringtones are annoying factors that result in banning cell phones at the office. So companies follow this policy. However. banning cell phones will always result in employees finding other ways to use them. Some may have legitimate reasons to use their cell phones which may affect the employee’s ability to work. Anyone who uses their cell phones just to avoid doing work will find another way of using a cell phone or wasting time.

    Companies like Concentrix, Genpact, American Express, Accenture and Fidelity have the No Cellphone Policy in their offices.

    Companies just need rules to protect their privacy. So they should allow cell phones during break time. So that in an emergency, employees would be able to use them.

    Dress Code Policy

    The debate over whether or not companies should have a dress code policy or not is going on for a long time. Some organizations believe it’s essential that their employees should have certain standards regarding the way they dress up at the office. This is mandatory when employees have to attend face-to-face interactions with the clients on a daily basis.

    While many employees don’t mind following the dress code, others feel that as adults, they are more than capable of deciding how to be at the office without having a formal dress code.

    Companies like Wipro, Wells Fargo, and JPMorgan Chase have a strict dress code. Wipro and JPMorgan Chase allow their employees to wear casual clothes on Friday.

    If the company is deciding to implement a formal dress code in the office, the company should try to get a balance between guidelines that give the employees the need for comfort and style and also a policy that requires them to dress in a way that reflects the values of the company. If the dress code is implemented in the right way, employees will have no reason to oppose it.

    Conclusion

    Employees should be trusted at the office by the manager. Employees are all adults who should not be treated like under-performed employees by the company. Just because of the mistake of a few employees, not everyone should be punished.

  • The Complete Office Setup Guide for Entrepreneurs

    “Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.” – Belva Davis.

    The words above laconically describe an entrepreneur’s ethos, entrepreneurship is all about turning even the most paradoxical dreams or ideas into practicality. But the space between these two things might appear to be infinite if you don’t step on the right road from the start. And if you do all of it right, voila you have a startup. Congratulations! But the work doesn’t end here, the road ahead has a lot of steps and the first one is to set up the right office.

    Startups usually begin with a small team so you don’t need to have a huge space, just a well-constructed area in an apt location would do. Let’s dig into some must-haves in a new working space. Let us see the complete report on the ultimate office setup guide for entrepreneurs.

    Who Is An Entrepreneur?
    The Structure Matters
    What All You Might Need?
    Let The Office Speak
    FAQ’s

    Who Is An Entrepreneur?

    Before moving on, let’s try to understand what is entrepreneurship? Who is an entrepreneur? How to become an entrepreneur?

    According to the Entrepreneur website, an entrepreneur is-

    Someone that creates something new, either an initiative, a business or a company. He or she is the beginning (and sometimes the end) of a venture, project or activity.

    The entrepreneur might not be the ideator, but he or she is definitely the one that decides to make that idea a reality. An entrepreneur is a driver, a starter is accountable and responsible.

    The video below clearly explains all these questions in brief. Have a look into it to understand entrepreneurs better.

    The Structure Matters

    Cool, open office spaces are now the new trend, the layout isn’t considered of that much importance. But, the fact of the matter is that structure matters a lot. The structure is the first and the foremost point which should be in the checklist of the ultimate office setup guide for entrepreneurs. You need to divide the space diligently. You got to maximize the utility even after realizing the limitations of space, budget or maintenance.

    Open space doesn’t mean interference. Every employee should get a proper working area where they can isolate themselves and think. Remember, the environment influences the quality of the work.

    Office Setup for Entrepreneurs
    Office Setup for Entrepreneurs

    You got to fade away noise. Whether it’s from your own office, or from somewhere around you. Lay carpets to dampen the excess noise. Use curtains, if you have employees who constantly need to be on the phone with the clients or give them a separate space.

    Proper partition of space is super crucial. You need a formal meeting room, you need a brainstorming area, you need an informal briefing area, the paperwork room, you need cabins for the founders, a small kitchen, washrooms and what not. You see, a small office has a million smaller rooms. If you don’t manage the space cautiously chaos is bound to be your first client.

    What All You Might Need?

    1) Reception Area

    The most important thing if you’re setting up an office as an entrepreneur is a welcome space i.e. The Reception Area. This is the first impression of your company, this sets the theme in your client’s mind, in your employees’ mind. You don’t need to overdo it, just add a fascinating backdrop, a classy desk, some pictures, figures on display, and your company’s name in a stylish, unique manner that stays in the client’s mind for long.

    2) Work Desks

    Rows of individual cubicles with desks and chairs, don’t make their hellholes. Choose the ones, which feel more open and connected to the whole space but also give you the room to function. Place ergonomic chairs and tables so that they will be comfortable while working for long hours.

    3) Board Meeting/Client Meeting Room

    This space where you’ll talk to your prospective clients, this is where you lay down the work, where you persuade them to go with your ideas. The room should be professional, of course, but should it be nerve whacking? No. Make the room formal but don’t lose touch. Make it comfortable. Add a plant or two in the corners. Let it have glass partitions. Remember you need a projector, a great conference table and comfortable chairs.

    4) Brainstorming Zone

    This might just be the most important space. Startups are made up of ideas. They feed on ideas, nurtures ideas, if not ideas then why even call it a startup? The brainstorming area is where dreams are born, this is where plans are made, this is where the foundation of the building called success begins. This is the place where your journey of becoming a successful entrepreneur begins in the first place. You need to focus on the energy in the room, it should be motivating, it should spark something. Add up a bookshelf, fill it up with amazing books relevant to inspirational content. Put up posters, which contain a spirit that resonates. Set the room up with whiteboards, beanbags, a small swing maybe.

    Benefits for a Coworking Space
    With the state of the world at the moment, most companies are opting for acoworking space instead of having a building all to themselves. This saves themon the rent and utilities plus it’s fun to work with different companies in thesame space! A coworking space is a space shared by more than one …
    StartupTalkyShubham Kumar

    5) Briefing Area

    This is the zone where communication happens. This might be the space where you design the outline for the day, set the targets, assign jobs or just talk. Talk about progress, loopholes, improvements anything at all. Space should be comforting and informal so that the employee feels free of any barriers to expression. Just add a few chairs arranged in a circle or something with a table in the middle for paperwork and you’re good to go.

    6) Kitchen and Coffee Area

    Startups usually don’t stick to the 9 to 5 regime. They have flexible working hours with some going on even the night. You need to fuel your employees so that they can deliver. Make a small kitchen with an induction stove, coffee maker, snacks, 2 minute noodles, energy bars. Keep a small fridge for some fruits or something. Keep it stocked. Let your employees contribute to the fridge.

    7) Play Area

    As much as it is about work, startups are also funky and friendly. Design a small relaxing area, where there’s music, a small tv, a foosball table, UNO, Jenga. If you have the budget, make the office pet-friendly, dogs are the best stress-busters, maybe all that the mind-blocked employees need is an escape for a while to make the productivity race. This will improve the overall vibe of the office, give it a playful impact.

    Let The Office Speak

    The company vision should echo in the space, the employees should feel the work that does, and the environment gives them that vibe.

    Casual is the key, but remember your office nurtures your work. The office should resonate with the motivation behind your startup. It should be a little version of the big mountain, that’s your inspiration. Put up motivational stickers, posters, add up the flavor with your company name. Anything that adds a personal touch. Keeping it bare would make it dull faster than quicksand.

    Organize team-building events, fun activities, co-curricular activities, surprise them with gifts that will allow your team members to interact with each other and will also keep them off from their work for a while.  

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    When you have a small space, it’s very easy to make it monotonous, because why take the effort. But, a few months into the work and the monotonicity will start suffocating. So, it’s better if you make every room different. For example, add colours. Choose the brighter ones for the brainstorming area, obviously the decent ones for your cliental meeting zone. Add wall decor, wall art to make it more classy. Green adds life to space, so remember to have indoor plants.

    Your office should be a combination of industrial and cozy. The office environment should allow people to socialize and communicate with each other, interact with their fellow colleagues to be more efficient and comfortable at their work. Falter here, and all you get is a boring space. Startups create magic, so let be unique, let it be flawed, what matters the most is that it should be personalized.

    FAQ’s

    Who is an Entrepreneur?

    The entrepreneur might not be the ideator, but he or she is definitely the one that decides to make that idea a reality. An entrepreneur is a driver, a starter is accountable and responsible.

    Where do entrepreneurs work?

    The workplace of an entrepreneur will be office-based, but it can vary.

    How big is the workplace for entrepreneurs?

    The size of the workplace will depend on the size of the venture and may start at home or in a small office and grow to a large corporation.

    What is the work environment of an entrepreneur?

    An entrepreneurial work environment is one in which people are not afraid to take calculated risks, and in which they can embrace the idea of learning something valuable from a failure.

    How many hours does an entrepreneur work?

    Lots of entrepreneurs work 60 to 80 hours a week.

    Why are coworking facilities attractive to entrepreneurs?

    Coworking can greatly ease the path to starting a new business and also provide flexibility when your business is growing. You can add team members at any time without the costs and commitment of commercial lease space.

    Feel free to reach us and share your feedback. We would love to hear from you. Do comment us in the comments section below. Happy Reading.

  • How to Organize your Workspace to increase Productivity?

    Workspace design has impact on employees and work environment. A well organized workspace has various benefits. It makes you feel in control and clearly focus and define areas that may need proper attention. Organizing workspace can help eliminate distractions, gives you confidence, save you time and stay super productive. Here are some tips on how to organize your workspace to get more productivity.

    In fact, many office workers can’t find the time to organize their office. You’ve become so busy and tired that going back during the weekends to organize is tough. But there’s no other choice. If you want to make your work situation easy, organizing workspace is a must. Now the question is, how do you start organizing your office? There are many work office organization ideas to go for. But here we have curated some of the office organization tips and tricks.

    Why Organize Your Office?

    Organizing your office seems like an unnecessary task. After all, you have reports to do, meetings to attend, and bond with your family. But without proper organization, you can end up losing important files. It is easy to misplace something when everything is all over the place.

    When you have everything finally organized, your workspace looks cleaner. An organized office can be relaxing and help boost your mood. Potentially, it can boost your productivity as well. You can save time as you don’t have to spend a while trying to locate a file or scour through your documents.

    Once you know where things are, you will have a general idea where to find specific files and folders. There will be no client on hold or late meetings.

    Now that you know how important organizing your office is, here are some of the best office organization ideas.

    1. Declutter

    First of all, get rid of things you don’t want and need. These include unnecessary documents that are of no use. Don’t make it a habit to save every paper you see because you think it’ll be helpful soon. The more paper and stuff you have, the more cluttered your place becomes.

    Start from your desk and then move on to each corner of your office once you’re done. Put away things you don’t need to charity or the garbage. Put documents you need in an Expanding File Folder.

    The Ultimate Office Setup Guide for Entrepreneurs
    “Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dreamit, you can make it so.” – Belva Davis The words above laconically describe an entrepreneur’s ethos, entrepreneurshipis all about turning even the most paradoxical dreams or ideas intopracticality. But the space betwe…
    StartupTalkyYash Gupta

    2. Sort Documents

    Think of ways to sort your documents. It can be by year, by name, by type of document, and so on. For example, you can put the papers of your existing clients for the year in one expanding file folder.

    You can put receipts in one. Make sure you also label each file and folder so you can easily identify them. Follow a naming scheme consistently, so everything is organized.

    3. Break Bad Habits

    Most importantly, break bad habits. Stop putting things anywhere to sort them out later. You should also stop hoarding things you don’t need for work. Don’t bring everything from your house to your office.

    Apart from breaking bad habits, you should also start developing the good ones. For example, make it a habit to clean out your desk at the end of the day, or put necessary files in their respective folders. It can be a little hard at first, but once you get used to it, staying organized will be your habit.

    4. Use Storage Boxes

    The office space can be optimized with the use of storage boxes. You can store almost anything in containers to help you stay organized. Plastic containers and cardboard boxes are perfect for efficient storage. You can group and label your office items for better clarity to better organize different items. When needed, you can easily find them in the boxes.

    5. Put a Trash Can near Your Desk

    It a good practice to keep a trash can by your desk. So, whenever you have used paper or any other stuff, instead of letting it be on your desk, you can throw it in the trash can right away. This practice will prevent from spreading mess on the desk.

    5 Tips for Finding the right Office Space for Rent
    Finding a professional office space for lease can be one of the most difficulttasks that one can endure. Finding and leasing an office space [/tag/office/] that both meets your needs and your budget can be stressful for entrepreneurs.There would be times that you could go online, thinking you cou…
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    6. Always Organize Desk before You Go Home

    Not but not the least. At the end of the day when you are ready to leave the office, clean and organize the office before you leave. Throw away any unwanted trash, stack your papers in a pile, and put pens back in their place. It won’t take longer than five minutes to complete, but it will save you such a headache when you come next time.

  • 5 Tips for Finding the right Office Space on Lease

    Finding a professional office space for lease can be one of the most difficult tasks that one can endure. Finding and leasing an office space that both meets your needs and your budget can be stressful for entrepreneurs. There would be times that you could go online, thinking you could find the best online brokers only to fall for prey to some sort of scam. Keeping the rent terms and costs in check can prevent your business financially. So, here are 5 tips for choosing right office space on rent.

    A good office makes it easier for you to book a co-working space, meeting rooms and hot desks. You can even get a virtual office which includes a commercially recognized business address. If you’re considering leasing an office for rent, but you’re not ready for commitment, then you need to consider some things before renting an office space.  

    How to Find an Office Space for rent?

    When you’re ready to lease the office space for your business, you need to consider certain things that will suit your needs. You can also decide to search online for a space that is near you.

    1. Evaluate your Office Needs

    When you’re choosing an office for your business, the first step that you need to do is to define the needs of your business and those of your employees. You should decide how much space you need and the amount that you will be spending. You need to determine parking requirements, the parking fees, and the office layout before you start searching for potential office space.

    The Ultimate Office Setup Guide for Entrepreneurs
    “Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dreamit, you can make it so.” – Belva Davis The words above laconically describe an entrepreneur’s ethos, entrepreneurshipis all about turning even the most paradoxical dreams or ideas intopracticality. But the space betwe…
    StartupTalkyYash Gupta

    2. Determine the Size of Space you need

    Your spatial needs depend on the number of employees that you have and the kind of workspace your employees need. Whether you need a conference room or other bigger rooms, you should be able to determine the kind of space that you need to go for. Use an estimate of the square feet that each employee will use or may need (estimated to be around 75 to 150 total square feet per person).

    Try and evaluate if you will also need conference rooms or other rooms. You can decide to add in space for office services such as a break room or kitchen.
    When searching for a company that offers office space for lease Los Angeles, you should put a lot of consideration into the amount of space that you need.

    3. Choose a Good Location

    Most people commit mistake by skiping this criteria. Remember one mantra ‘Go Where Your Customers Are’ while choosing the location. Identify who your target customers are and where most of them are located. Also make sure your new office space stands out in their mind for the right reasons, making attractive surroundings.

    It is important to choose a location where required amenities are available because office on such location will leave a good impression on your customers’ minds. It is better to contact broker or agency that has a good network so that they can help you find the best possible location for your new office.

    4. Stick to your Price range

    Price is probably the most important factor to consider while choosing a new office for rent. If you spend too little, you’ll either end up with an office you’re not happy with, or you may have to look for another office. On the other hand, if you spend too much, you might struggle to pay the rent or you have to move again to downsize.

    Thus, you must ask yourself a crucial question whether or not the price is right for you and your business. It is important to feel confident that you aren’t pushing yourself too much on the lease. Also, you must bear some things in mind such as considering any hidden costs that come along your new office space, such as parking, internet access or any other bills and so on.

    Also remember that everything is negotiable even the rent can also be negotiated. Make sure that moving forward in terms of acquiring the office space you want doesn’t actually slow your business’s growth in other areas, due to the price tag attached. Don’t settle for the new office space with compromise with your budget.

    List Of Office Rules Which No One Likes
    Office rules are a set of written rules for employees to be a professional andpolite person. While office rules depend on the company, generally, some officerules are made to allow employees to correct their behavior in the office. These office rules affect everyone. But there’s no need to give t…
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    5. Evaluate your Employee and Clients’ needs

    Try and consider the needs of your employees and those of your clients. Depending on the type of business that you have, you may benefit from some good interiors.

    The following are some of the things that you can consider when evaluating your employees’ and client’s needs.

    • The interior layout. The ideal layout for your office building will depend on the type of workspace your employees need. It will also be governed by the meeting space and client service areas that you need.
    • Availability of parking. Most of your parking needs will differ based on the number of employees your business has. It will also be governed by the number of clients that visit your office.