Have you ever gotten a haircut at work? Or played hopscotch indoors with your co-workers?
Well if you work for any of these uber-cool companies, those are just examples of the many perks you get to enjoy, all just a few steps away from your desk. These companies put that little extra effort into designing their office space to be enjoyable for their employees, and the results are pretty incredible.
Below, take a look at the 10 coolest office spaces we’ve ever seen.
At Highland Software, employees are treated to an in-house hairdresser and surprise work breaks, where managers host activities ranging from dodgeball to classic carnival games.
There’s also a daycare on-site for employees’ children, which provides the toddlers with an alternative private school education, worth thousands of dollars a year.
Employees say they love the casual work culture at Highland, and that it never feels like they’re ‘at work.’ Apparently, the CEO even knows every employee by name!
Over at Adobe Systems, the maker of Photoshop and Acrobat, employees can take a break from work to enjoy a nice climb on the company’s indoor rock wall.
Employees say that they truly enjoy the work they do at this company because it is so creative and “endlessly interesting.” All the perks on top just sweeten the deal!
At Autodesk in San Rafael, California, employees of this computer-aided design company are encouraged to enhance their creativity in any way they can. The company promotes creative thinking by offering bonuses of up to $2000 to any employee who files a patent for a new technology.
And you know what else enhances creativity? Being able to snooze on a hammock, inside a nature-themed relaxation room, like in the photo above. Amazing.
Activision Blizzard is the creator of some of the biggest video games in recent years.
But the company is also one of the best places in the world to work… as long as you’re a nerd. Employees say the office is an “epic” place where you can be “100% nerd without any restraint.” Aside from just gaming, the company also has specialized clubs for employees that include fencing, brewmastery, and even skateboarding. I think I’m in nerd heaven!
At Intuit, this maker of financial software provides employees with a chance to move around and play as much as they want. Not only are the hopscotch courts a fun distraction, employees get a free membership to an on-site gym, as well as access to company bikes that they can ride to work every day.
At O.C. Tanner, there are “Ideation Stations” throughout the company’s huge, colorful campus in Salt Lake City, Utah, where employees can keep track of ideas using iPads.
This company really tries to appreciate its employees. “It’s not uncommon to hear clapping and cheering, because somebody is always being appreciated,” says one staff member.
Here’s something to tweet about: employees at the Twitter headquarters in San Francisco can come enjoy the company arcade at any time during the day.
Employees at the Whole Foods headquarters in Austin, Texas can choose from a wide variety of comfy seats, and sit wherever they want in the office.
Over in Southfield, Michigan, the headquarters of the auditing firm Plante & Moran has a stylish modern design. This company believes in the “golden rule” that employees should treat others how they want to be treated – and they even prove it by giving a miniature ruler to every new employee on their first day.
“It’s more than a symbol,” says one employee. “Caring for others is the cornerstone of our culture.”
You knew it was coming, right? Employees at Google, which has been voted the best company to work for by Fortune Magazine in 8 out of the last 11 years, enjoy a wide range of benefits that keep company morale incredibly high.
The company is known to respond to employee concerns like adding more paid vacation for working moms, and providing active support to employees who are marginalized, like black individuals and transgender folks. Employees say they feel Google is a very “safe and inclusive” place to work, and it only seems to be getting better every year.
