Google offices are so cool.
Free food, indoor basketball court, music studio and did I mention the free food?!
I visited Google’s London offices the other day to see a good friend of mine and Google extraordinaire, Wilfrid. I’ve been there on a few occasions before but this time was the most I spent at their headquarters. I began to understand why Google has such a low turnover rate. As you explore the office, you totally get the culture Google are trying to achieve. It has a real collegiate vibe.
It’s your home away from home. If I worked at this Google office, I could see myself staying there beyond 6pm, 7pm even until midnight. The way it’s designed makes it supremely comfortable; sofas for where you can lay and do some work and free food (obviously the most important thing here). The office I visited had its own games room, indoor park and a music studio (for when you get bored and decide to record an album). Even the short time I spent there, it had me questioning my own ambitions. You could easily get lost in the Google sauce.
After spending my afternoon and evening there, I thought to come home and Google (ha) some of the other Google offices around the world. Not one Google office is the same, it’s interesting!
Googles offices around the world.
So why has Google put all this effort into making their like this, when they could easily set up some cubical with the white/grey decor. As aforementioned, it makes you feel comfortable, as if you were home (so you don’t want to leave!).
It can make work more interesting, you can work and lay down simultaneously, work in the sleeping pods. This gives you a sense of freedom that us humans need and we are seeing similar offices models (if that’s what you call them) at Facebook Inc too. Offices should not be boring, I’m glad these companies are designing their offices for happiness, around human thinking.
“Our offices and cafes are designed to encourage interactions between Googlers within and across teams, and to spark conversation about work as well as play.” — Google
It would be a dream to work at Google. I love the culture and the reasons for why they have designed their offices. As such, if you’re interested to see more Google office awesomeness, check out: GoogleOffices
