According to the Financial Times, the UK start-up revolution shows no sign of ending. In 2016, “nearly 660,000 start-up companies were established, up from 608,000 in 2015.” So, what does this mean for office interior design in 2022/23? There’s a big focus on the way offices are structured and designed for sustainability, mental health, work-life balance, comfort, and flexibility. Start-ups want to take a people-centred approach to office interior design, pushing the workplace to be a place of nurture and progression, rather than somewhere you just complete tasks at and then go home.

How are start-ups redefining how we look at workplace design?

Start-up offices are doing things differently to most. Think beer taps, unlimited snacks, and gaming areas on display. From multi-purpose rooms and breakout areas to focus booths and standing desks, they are all about flexibility in the office. By giving employees the option to work from wherever they’d like, they are able to have control over their surroundings, resulting in a happier, more comfortable work environment, boosting job satisfaction.

Unlike larger, more established companies, a lot of start-ups can sometimes lack in floor space, so they need to get smart with what they have. Office design solutions, such as breakout spaces, are great as they can be used as laptop work areas, meeting areas for teams that can’t book a meeting room, or even lunch areas. Modular furniture is another great addition to their office interiors because it can easily be moved around to accommodate various needs, increasing the flexibility of places like collaboration rooms. Brands like Bene offer the PIXEL Rack, the ideal office design solution, which can be used as storage, as a room divider, a presentation wall, or a neat mobile solution.

When it comes to sustainable interior design, start-ups are doing their part to make the planet greener. Investing in paperless offices, creating zero waste policies, and using sustainable materials are some of the popular ways that start-ups implement sustainable interior design, but a lot tend to take this one step further and make sustainability part of the company culture. For example, the London cleantech start-up, PleaseCycle, offers a ‘bike miles’ reward system where employees can track the miles they commute on bike and use them to redeem rewards. By making sustainable actions part of everyday life, workplace design is positively impacted as it is no longer just that, but also a hub for charity, community, and sustainability.

A lot of start-ups are doing things differently. Whether it’s through workplace design or how they run their workplace, the newer generation of CEOs are figuring out new ways to put employees first through people-centric office design solutions. To take a look at some of the new start-ups and workplaces that we’ve helped to design and fit-out, click here.