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Hear How These Entrepreneurs Are Changing the Way Office Spaces Work! Chuck cubicles, erase middle management, have pets at workplaces - New trends entrepreneurs have adopted at workplaces today

By Sneha Banerjee

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

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If you wish to join a startup and you expect a "Yes Sir" sort of an environment then you should definitely think again.

A vibrant set of entrepreneurs have definitely changes the way companies and office spaces function by completely demolishing age-old company structures. Transparency of company financials, no closed cabins, weekly tea lunches and even pet-friendly environments are the new office norms today!

Here are some interesting examples that might compel you to join a startup!

Chuck cubicles!

"At Edureka, we have a no-cubicle policy and every single employee -- irrespective of rank -- can talk to each other. We also focus on finding solution as opposed to having meetings. These two mantras, along with using Facebook At Work, has helped us differentiate our workplace from others," Lovleen Bhatia, CEO & Co-Founder of Edureka said.

Vanishing middle-management

"We have NO middle management, anyone can talk to anyone, anytime, regardless of hierarchy. We work hard and party even harder. Our team lunches are the experiences which bring us closer as a family.

To engage our employees we keep them motivated with rewards, spot awards, promotions etc. It motivates our employees go above and beyond their responsibility. Our employees are entrepreneurs in the making. Unlike large enterprises where you have hundreds working on a project, we have very few working as a team, which instils a great sense of ownership. Even if and when they walk out of our doors, they walk out with the battle tested strength, wisdom and experience which they can exhibit in the real world as entrepreneurs, which has been the case for a few," Sonia Sharma, Founder, Managing Director, GoodWorkLabs

A pet-friendly office!

"Empowering the team is very important. From day one I had decided to create a second level of employees on whom the company will stand on. Slowly we are moving out of me being involved in daily needs to me becoming the vision of the company. Whereas they (employees) are becoming the actual operational people of the company. We all use names, we encourage everyone to come up with ideas and exchanges ideas and thoughts between departments. The office also has the advantage of being a pet-friendly space!" Arpita Ganesh, Founder and CEO of Buttercups

When should one bring in the hierarchy?

"Startups are very flat in hierarchy and things get done very quickly and with speed. There is always a question as to at what point in the startup's growth should you bring in hierarchy because it always gives you structure, and not always speed and agility. With flatter structures, the time to market reduces significantly and time to customer is much faster. Having said that, hierarchy and reporting structures are very important when the startup reaches scale otherwise things will fall apart very quickly due to lack of ownership and not knowing where the buck really stops!," Sachin Shenoy, co-founder and CEO at Lets Service Automotive Technologies Pvt Ltd

Freshers pounce for jobs at startups

Freshers today have new expectations from their office environment and set their eyes on startups. IITians and IIM graduates getting lured by startups, despite the whole Flipkart –IIM saga goes to show how new operational trends set by these young entrepreneurs have changed the way office spaces work.

Sneha Banerjee

Entrepreneur Staff

Former Staff, Entrepreneur India

She used to write for Entrepreneur India from Bangalore and other cities in South India. 

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