Why Working at a Startup Could Save Your Sanity
If you think work means: waking up, putting on drab clothing, commuting, pushing papers, working with terrible people, and then going home - you may want to consider a change for your sanity.
Many startups in NYC are taking a so called ‘Google’ approach by creating a healthy fun productive work environment. By increasing the team morale you’re inevitably increasing your team’s output.
The new wave of startup companies are providing perks such as; Nerf Gun battles, free in-house lunches, MetroCard’s, flexible work hours, remote working options, drinks on the company, dogs at work, and the list goes on.
A great example of a NYC startup using this approach is Crowdtap. Great Place To Work (a great website for work culture) says 98 percent of Crowdtap’s employees rate it as being a great working environment. They cite company trips to the South by Southwest festival, beach days, bowling, and overall commitment to their employee’s careers as the reasons that this startup is firing on all cylinders.
A study in 2011 by Gallup-Healthways estimated that unhappy workers were costing the US economy $300 billion dollars a year. Unhappy employees are also 12 percent less productive than their happy colleagues.
Aside from the nice perks that come with a company, giving employees a voice and listening to what they want to get out of their work is something Google, and startups, are doing to retain and create a more passionate team.
Google’s founders identified the SAS institute as having the best work environment (ranked by the Great Place To Work Institute) and met with the company directors to find out the company’s values and how they attained such a title.
They found that by showing their team that they are valued and supported, employees remained loyal. Valuing the work of your employees validates them and gives purpose. Supporting the people around you and nurturing what they are achieving, stimulates productivity.
Startups are also offering a great tight-knit team environment. Being a small company allows you to create a more personal group. Office politics will always play a role no matter the size of the company, but working in a smaller organization will hopefully eliminate most if not all of the unnecessary politics.
By harmonizing the people within your company, you’re creating a bond between colleagues that is fuelling a higher yield. Because of your team’s belief in each other and the company’s values they can more accurately navigate the business plan.
Many older organizations are coming around to the idea of offering extracurricular activities to boost morale. Still, some rest on their past and believe in the company’s abilities to stand the test of time as they have done so for many years.
The New York City startup scene is booming and companies are offering a different take on the windowless 9-5 some are still stuck with. Varying roles within a company and a serious change to work culture is sparking more innovation, and is something offered for those longing for that rewarding position. And who knows it may just bring back your wandering sanity.