Unicorns Eat Dinosaurs for Breakfast: Why embracing start-up culture could be the missing piece of the puzzle

Blockbuster, Kodak, Forever 21; what did these once globally iconic brands share in common? The answer: a stubborn, almost allergic attitude to change.

Change is inevitable, there’s no doubt about that. It can come in many forms, too, from economic vicissitudes to shifting employee attitudes on how, where and when we work. Businesses that refuse to adapt leave themselves vulnerable to a bottomless pit of problems. In a precarious business world, the new can swiftly replace the old. To put it more bluntly, unicorns eat dinosaurs for breakfast.

Preparing your business for industry and societal changes down the road is essential in the digital age, and the efficiency of your workplace has a huge part to play in that. In this article, Woodalls Design Principal Greta Kriovaite explores ways your business can learn from start-up culture and how you can open your mind to new ways of doing things. 

“If you start me up, I'll never stop”

Transformational change often starts at the bottom. Start-ups, confidently springing from the deep well of the digital age, have brought with them a can-do attitude that many larger companies have been ignoring for decades. In short, bigger businesses have grown increasingly complacent. Now they’re starting to pay the price. 

So, what can larger companies learn from start-up culture?

Uncover the ‘why’

The most crucial question is often the simplest: why? 

If you can find an honest, driven purpose behind the business, from the very bottom to the very top, you’ll be prepared for all the future has to throw at you. This often starts from a cultural perspective. What impact are you having on the world? Are your employees happy? How can you be a force for good? How can you act on all three of these questions and maintain success? These questions come from the top but end up seeping down into every aspect of your business. Employee mindset is driven by a clear, concise and committed intention that outlines who you are, what you stand for and why you do what you do. The roots of a brilliant workplace stem back to these fundamental pillars. 

At Woodalls, we help our clients uncover the ‘why’ using various methods, including visioning sessions, site visits and test fits. When getting involved early, we can really get our teeth into the foundations of the design. In other words, data is a firm basis for design. 

Remember: anybody can make changes to a business. The real question is why?

The balance between solo and collaborative work

In a world of uncertainty, there’s one thing that we can all agree on: work has fundamentally changed. The pandemic quickened the inevitable rise of home working, leaving many organisations unsure of how to deal with the consequences. Even so, homeworking did put the equal benefits of both solo and collaborative work (and the office's role in these contrasting forms) in the spotlight. 

Unfortunately, many spaces still don’t accommodate these social and solo working patterns. Always remember: they both have an equally vital role to play in your operations. Embracing them can be transformative, leaving employees not just happier but more productive as a result. Too many workspaces overemphasise the social aspects of the office, creating open, loud spaces without thought given to solitary work. Of course, collaboration and socialising are critical to a well-functioning team, and these designs are well-intentioned, but employees often feel that home is now where they knuckle down into deep, sharply focused solo work. 

Accommodating for social and solo work should never be left by the wayside. A workspace that finds that balance? *Chef’s kiss*.

We’ve got a few unique examples of our own. For instance, when working with Kantar, we separated quiet focus zones with walls and doors to secure maximum noise protection. TomTom is another prime example: in their Madrid HQ, we ensured that teams could separate the noisy cafe space with handy pocket doors. A sense of control over sound, light and smells can be transformative for these deep workspaces. Physical separation is the key.

The employee is always right

If the customer is always right, so is your team.

Trusting your employees and giving them the flexibility they deserve can deliver tremendous results in both the short and long term, especially in modern workspaces. Recent surveys have indicated that flexibility in where, when and how work is completed is at the top of employee agendas. In fact, the results from a particular poll are surprisingly stark: 77% of employees say flexible working is more important to them when considering a new role than a pay rise. Sometimes numbers speak louder than words.

It’s all too easy for leadership teams to retract into themselves, especially during periods of growth. At any company, whether it’s Sony or a burgeoning start-up, listening to your people and accommodating their needs is always the right path forward.

One size doesn’t always fit all. While the problem may be shared amongst your workforce, the solution will be unique to each individual. As an employer, you must ask the right questions and understand your people both separately and collaboratively. Everybody has a way of working that suits them: how best can you support each person to ensure broader business success? 

Explore, experiment and evolve

The future can sneak up on you. Fast. 

Start-up companies are known for their flexibility. They can adapt to changes not just in the markets but also in employee intentions and values. The climate crisis is one such example. Recent surveys have shown that a brand’s commitment to net zero can have a severe impact on attracting top talent. All businesses have a civil duty to cut carbon emissions, no matter their size. Even so, the level of this commitment is always noted and can be demonstrated within workspaces. 

Another example is our understanding of neurodiversity. Accommodating people with neurodiversity is a necessity and one that should consistently be implemented in workspaces. Not only is this the right thing to do, but it also opens your business up to a broader, more diverse range of creativity. 

These two issues have rightly gained traction over recent years, and those firms that have embraced new ways of thinking have benefited immensely. At Woodalls, we have in-house ambassadors focused on accommodating for neurodiversity in our workspaces and always connect with external experts to ensure all our designs reach the highest standards of inclusivity and accessibility. 

Our flexible, adaptable and multifunctional workspace designs for WeTransfer, TomTom and Vialto Partners lay the foundations for experimentation. They empower people to take ownership of their spaces, meaning they have the freedom to optimise day-to-day working patterns. Flexibility is the future.

Don’t be the dinosaur

In business, as in life, accepting change doesn’t always come naturally. Even so, those willing to embrace change consistently don’t just survive, they thrive. The perfect place to start? The workplace. Check out some of our recent case studies to understand how businesses are adapting and altering their workspaces for the better.