In the best place i've ever worked ( and was in the running for the best employer award ) we had:
  1. No cubicles, no offices, not even the MD had an office
  2. Small meeting rooms with no ceilings (we were in a converted warehouse)
  3. 1 private room with lockable door and only outward facing windows (ie outward to the street, not the office)
  4. A dedicated kitchen area with a coffee machine, tea and a fridge
  5. Open plan, everyone had workstations, and you could standup and look from one end of the office to the other.
  6. Some bright colours and "nice asthetics"
  7. People, good people. Everyone in the office got along with each other, and were excited about what we were doing
  8. Great leadership. The MD was a charismatic and strong leader who knew alot about leading and organising. The fact that he didnt know _that much_ about the technology (IMO) made it even better
  9. Top Communication. Everyone had at least a small view on the "Big Picture (tm)" and knew how they were _personally_ involved.

The company was also very good to its employees with frequent team building exercises (small things like bowling and bbq's), and offered free softdrinks and a pool table, which was kind of like out water fountain.

IM_O_ probably the single biggest thing in creating a healthy, happy, productive company would have to be the culture. Sounds strange and even foreign to some, but i actually _enjoyed_ getting out of bed and going into the office to face the next challenge.

Update: If you get it "right", make me an offer.. :-)

In reply to Re: On Creating an Effective Work Environment by Ryszard
in thread On Creating an Effective Work Environment by Anonymous Monk

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