Overview
Rumour has it Google employees get unlimited “sick” days, but chances are only the most raging of hangovers would convince them to stay at home. The company in charge of ruling the world gave an exclusive tour of their NYC offices, and they make the idea of working from home in your pyjamas flicking tabs between Microsoft Word and Facebook while spilling toast crumbs over your MacBook look dreadfully boring.
CEOs everywhere, take note: The way to get employees eager to show up to work is not with fruit box deliveries or permission to cellotape cheesy family photographs to office cubicles. A more effective way to increase workplace morale is with Pac-Man arcades and game rooms where employees can fight brain block with a round of pool. For those who find silence more conductive to creativity the compound also features a Google Library eschewing books (so last decade) in favour of secret rooms. And for days when heating last night’s leftovers in one of the multiple “micro” kitchens (which are incidentally bigger than most people’s apartments) doesn't sound appetising there are cafés dishing up free hot meals. One of them even has a rooftop theme and an interior resembling a wooden sauna. Interesting to think what the disgruntled employees of Facebook would have to say about that wee perk.
Evidently the building is also occasionally used for working. This can take place in sleek cubicle spaces housing both actual humans and Star Wars B1 Battle Droid replicas, from the comfort of a lounge chair in a space modeled on an NYC apartment, or in the Broadway-themed New Amsterdam conference room. Scroll through the images, turn green with envy and try to think of one cooler office in which to have Friday afternoon drinks.
Google's "computer museum".
The game room.
One of the many "micro" kitchens, which appears to be connected to the Pac-Man arcade.
Free M&Ms in the micro kitchen.
The Google Library.
A B1 Battle Droid from Star Wars.
Inside the Five Borough Café.
These walls are a continuous impression of what's behind them, giving the impression of viewing the NYC skyline from a balcony.
A room poking fun at a cramped NYC apartment.
via Refinery29.