New York City is a city of inventors. Tech startups in the city have grown immensely in the last few decades, thus giving the area around the Flatiron District the nickname “Silicon Alley,” meant to put it in competition with California’s Silicon Valley. A culture of its own has grown up around this new kind of business; one where an office filled to the brim with Lego blocks, a constant supply of snacks for employees, and an overflowing trash can with crumpled sketches and rough drafts is the norm. What is it about tech startups that makes them so different from more traditional businesses? Does a fun environment foster creativity, or is it the other way around?
STARTUP EMPLOYEES ARE INNOVATORS
The passion and the drive of tech startup culture comes from the go-getter attitude and the need to create that is so often found among the employees of successful startups. The psychology of these types of entrepreneurs is analyzed in Entrepreneurship: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management by Robert A. Brockhaus and Pamela S. Horwitz. Brockhaus and Horwitz state that the entrepreneur’s challenge is to start, find, and use new ideas. Implementing these new ideas is a risk but the ability to create something new outside of the traditional business model is what makes founding a startup fun, challenging, and scary all at once. This high-energy exciting environment leads startups to foster fun in the workplace for their employees as a stress reliever and motivation. Many do this by including perks, games, and social outings in their work environment.
FOSTERING FUN AS THE COMPANY MODEL
Tech startups thrive off of having a sense of community. With innovation being the thing that drives a startup to success, it’s only natural that startups would also be innovative in creating a unique community culture separate from the strict and rigid structure of many huge corporations.While no two startups are the same, many of them have found cool ways to keep employees motivated – such as posting shout-outs on the company website for jobs well done, or keeping chalkboards and whiteboards around the office which can be used to write motivational messages throughout the workday, or for pitching ideas. Small, growing businesses such as Brooklyn-based marketing agency Easypurl use these open-space methods to harvest employee creativity. They even have a pet cat in the office as mascot, a proven method of lowering blood pressure and stress. Popular micro-blogging site, Tumblr, provides yoga in the office two days a week and provides food and car service for those over-achieving employees who stay past 8pm, according to Mashable. One of their employees even mentioned monthly beer-pong tournaments with colleagues and other startups in the area.Birchbox is an innovative online e-commerce shop known for its beauty retail. Birchbox employees get a chance to participate in weekly workouts (they even have a workout wall!) and a free subscription to the service. New employees get a sweatshirt upon arrival, and a pair of customized sneakers for their one-year anniversary. Talk about perks!Quirky, a product-sharing website for interesting inventions, ensures their employees take a full week off by shutting the office completely down for the first week of every quarter. These mandatory vacations allow employees to recharge so they come back motivated and ready to work.These are just a few fun ways startups work to establish friendships in the company, keep stress low, and help keep the creative juices flowing.
A COLLABORATIVE CULTURE
These physical and social perks aren’t the only factors that keep employees happy. Collaboration with like-minded people is also a key to a successful startup. Startups usually consist of small, intimate teams, so there’s a need for peer-to-peer support to maintain a balanced work environment. According to Forbes, “successful startups require the sustenance of community.” It’s proven that having a strong network of support, mentorship, and collaboration outside of the company itself is crucial for growth.Even the popular multi-media blogging website Tumblr started off collaborating with other startups like Sherpaa, a healthcare service for business. This partnership proved to be beneficial for both companies starting out in the Big Apple.Companies are even using the popular networking and events website Meetup to share events and ideas. The most popular group in NYC is New York Tech Meetup, a group that supports and links NYC tech ventures and small businesses. With the support of other small businesses, startups can grow by sharing services and developing new ideas for growth.Another company which has built their business around the idea of co-working is TurnToTech. The company offers free space, WiFi, and even courses for anyone interested in tech development. Their unique service and program is the definition of collaborative culture.The startup company model is unique and always changing, but motivational activities and partnerships hold the culture together. A strong community of entrepreneurs is spurred by motivation through workplace fun, innovation, and collaboration. Maintaining that balance and creating partnerships with other startups boosts the economy, and fosters a brighter future.