How to Make Your Tech Company’s Work Environment Less Boring
Technology companies, especially startups, are fast-paced, ever-changing environments that keep employees on their toes. In the tech world, employees are challenged to keep up with the latest developments to make their product the most cutting-edge on the market.
While this makes working at a tech company sound exciting, the nature of the work can often make it feel the opposite. Even though technology is constantly changing and new discoveries and accomplishments can be exhilarating, the day-to-day tasks of tech employees can be pretty mundane. While some departments in a tech company, like marketing or sales, spend their time meeting with potential clients or coming up with creative ways to promote their product, developers have less rotation in their tasks. Developers are coding, dealing with numbers, and performing the same tasks over and over again.
This is why so many tech companies are now striving to make their office environments more fun and interactive. One of the most famous examples of a fun, engaging work environment is Google. Google treats employees to free food in their office, and even go as far as offering them cooking classes. Employees say this is a great way to save money on groceries and also participate in activities with coworkers outside of work. With an on-site gym, Google makes it easy to get a workout in, which is valuable to many employees. What’s more, they even bring in celebrity speakers for employees to listen to and engage with. These perks make the mundane tasks worth it!
A more local example is SimplyCast in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. SimplyCast is a marketing automation software company that employs many new graduates and young professionals in the province. Still in its first decade of operations, the company has tons of clients and is always working on new modules for its application. This means lots of coding, with developers working diligently to work out bugs quickly and release new versions of the software. Employees at SimplyCast are treated to perks like in-house gaming systems, an indoor basketball net to shoot hoops and relax during breaks, free coffee, snacks available, and more. These perks make the work lives of developers much more manageable, as they’re encouraged to take a break and step away from the code every once in a while.
RedSpace is one of Canada’s top SME employers, which doesn’t come as a surprise considering the perks of working there. Educational opportunities like Lunch and Learns and professional development allowances show employees the company is committed to continuous learning. It doesn’t hurt that the RedSpace office has an on-site gym, either.
From gaming breaks to learning opportunities, it’s clear Atlantic Canadian companies are committed to making their work environments pleasant, and in turn, more productive for staff. If you’re an office manager and are wondering how you can immediately implement some of these tactics and more to make your employees happier at work, read on.
How to Make Your Office a Happier Environment Today
Encourage breaks and make activities available. Many developers feel they can’t take a minute to breathe when they’re in the middle of a big project. When employees are encouraged to take breaks and even do other activities (even for 15 minutes), it actually boosts productivity, not to mention workplace happiness. Make a few games or puzzles available for your staff so when they’re feeling stuck on something, they can recharge and reset.
Make your office an attractive work environment. We get it, expensive redesigns aren’t an option for many small-to-medium sized offices. Currently, we work out of Volta, an incubator in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and with funds focused on business and product development, there isn’t always extra cash to spruce up our end of the office. Luckily, Volta has incorporated plants into their decor, making the whole office a fresh, more productive space. Plants are proven to reduce stress and improve air quality, so we suggest adding some greenery to the decor mix in your office.
