What could your office do to improve your working day?

[Biancadelriosback]

I've recently been given an office building to run. I have some relevant experience however it's always been as part of a brand with brand standards. Now I actually have freedom to do things. So I'm looking for some inspiration.
The building will be occupied by different companies and will be premium. So I'm looking at things like free networking events, high-end tea and coffee facilities, free fresh fruit etc so yeah! Just after some ideas :)

Oh and fresh fruit, biscuit tin and nuts / seeds to help yourself to

As well as showers, bike rack etc

Re plants

because they make a mess, need to be looked after, nobody waters them and they die.

Every office I've worked in that has plants rents them from a company who come in weekly to look after them. I've never worked anywhere with plants that were neglected because someone in the office had to water them. The maintenance means they don't make a mess and they don't die.

Greenery really makes a difference!

Oh and the company also has Friday massages (chair massage in a meeting room blocked out for it)

Summer Fridays (this is an employer rather than an office thing)

There's also charity initiatives - for example at the moment there's an office collection for a local homeless shelter, there's stickies with all the stuff they've requested and you can take whichever one(s) you like to support th charity. So I've taken stickies for hats / scarves and thermal undies in women's S/m, others have toiletries and San pro etc. Quite a few of us have done amazon orders of a load of stuff to come straight to the office where the office manager is collecting it all. That sort of stuff is nice because it encourages support for the community, but it's not enforced and no one will know who's taken which sticky off the wall and who's donated what.

Decent toilet roll and handwash, enough plug sockets at each desk
Friendly receptionist
Car cleaning service

Clean toilets - our's don't get cleaned properly :(
Comfortable chair, not something left over from 1960 that squeaks when I move
Friendly receptionist
Nice coffee, not cheap instant powder
Yes to dogs ;)

Why do people keep saying dogs. That's so selfish. Think of the team. Some people are allergic , scared of or dislike dogs.

The sofa spot in our office is hugely popular, four massive sofas in a square, coffee tables in the middle and we go there after lunch and watch Doctors on BBC1 (large flat screen on the wall) with a mug of decent coffee.

This thread is making me insanely envious! I want to work in a proper grown-ups' office!

Dishwashers

Why do people keep saying dogs. That's so selfish. Think of the team. Some people are allergic , scared of or dislike dogs.

I don't know why so many people are obsessed with dogs.

A comfortable work space for each person. We all need a certain amount of privacy, so if it has to be open plan put up screens between desks. Makes people feel so much better plus they can stick notes on the surface.

Work output goes down drastically when it's too open and too noisy. I couldn't work sitting next to one guy who shouted on his phone several times a day. I had to sit and day dream or go for a walk.

The ability to have two monitors is a godsend if you regularly updating several documents. Likewise, sufficient space at each desk ( and a gap between adjacent desks) so a colleague can sit next to you to work on something together - this implies spare chairs.

Accessible sockets so you don't have to crawl around on the floor looking for one and then accidentality turn off your neighbours PC.

All workstations to be the same, no hierarchy. Hot desks for visitors scattered around so they can be near relevant teams.

managed kitchen areas that are cleaned regularly, including washing up. Fridges cleaned out each week so Bob's mouldy, smelly cheese doesn't make you pass out when you open the door.

No eating of hot food at desks.

decent overhead lighting, plus the ability to have your own desk lamp, but not one that blinds everyone around you.

Clear desk policy, with sufficient lockable storage for business and personal items.
Proper coat hooks and hanger-rails.
No private offices for 'managers' - they should know what their underlings are experiencing. This implies plenty of bookable, small meeting rooms.
No meetings to be held in cafeteria areas.

...and changing facilities where cyclists/joggers etc can leave their dirty gear to dry. Showers too of course (with dispensers for shower gel and shampoo so that showers don't become full of other peoples' supplies)

Oh yeah, 2 monitors. I take that for granted. Please Please.

Someone who washes cups each morning. It's crap & adults shouldn't need a maid, but adults are pigs who leave their dirties about. Or a machine dishwasher.

Make is easy to get around. I go somewhere regularly that never gives you a pass to open the doors so you have to disturbe someone who is working each time you go to the look. Also, private/quite spaces and don't make the whole place look so similar visitors get lost because there are no landmarks. Make sure in-house catering is good, nobody enjoys been hungry when your stuck somewhere all afternoon. Where my daughter works they have access to snacks, she loves it.

If you have showers, then also hairdryers, or at least somewhere for people to plug in a travel hair dryer. I used to cycle commute to an office with lovely showers, but there was nowhere I could dry my hair and it was an utter pain.

Please don’t do the poncy nespresso thing; think of the environment and those nasty little plastic containers.

• Secure bike storage. In addition, showers - this doesn't bother me but I know others consider it essential.
• If the different businesses have their own separate areas, make it a dog friendly office (I choose serviced offices at work, and this is considered a massive bonus point for us)
• Good tea and coffee machines - perhaps with one of those boiling water taps for the tea
• Good canteen. I still miss the canteen from an old job that was run by Baxter Storey. Proper sized tasty hot lunch for £4 in central London - couldn't beat it.
• Microwave
• Nice loos - I always think it makes such a difference, be it in a restaurant or an office.

I no longer work in an office, but from times when I did.... Music! One place I worked had the radio on and piped through the communal areas; you could choose whether to have it on in the offices. I often worked in the break areas or booked a room and played it from my iPad. Can’t stand the morgue-like atmosphere of some offices I’ve worked in.

Radiators instead of the shite air-con/heating blower things. I feel the cold easily and hated sitting in a draught. Fridges that are large enough to store everyone’s food in and that are cleaned regularly.

Oh, and a canteen especially if in a fairly remote area. My old company moved an office from central London to a site on the outskirts and there was no shops/food places nearby but no canteen either.

Why do people keep saying dogs. That's so selfish. Think of the team. Some people are allergic , scared of or dislike dogs.

I've known dog friendly offices to attract members of staff to the business I work in. Not everyone shares your opinions.

Though I'd only suggest them in areas that are only for one company.

The desks are proper desks with screens and integrated sockets (several plugs and a few USBs). As a woman who regularly washes her hair, I never even thought about somewhere to plug in a hair dryer! Will look into this!

This is all amazing! Thank you very much. Keep 'em coming!

Why do people keep saying dogs. That's so selfish. Think of the team. Some people are allergic , scared of or dislike dogs.

I really dislike people and would happily work in a whole office of dogs. Just different views innit.

Free fresh fruit would probably appeal to maybe 1/10 people.

Free biscuits or pastries would probably appeal to 9/10

I would actively AVOID working somewhere where there were dogs. Not appropriate.