Ok, so everyone knows that Google offices are the best places to work in!!
A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to attend a Media Literacy Council’s networking evening where they discussed the collective effort to raise awareness of media literacy and promote good digital citizenship with their partners in the industry, community, and government. The session was held at the Google office in Singapore. So of course, I said yes.
Located in the heart of the business district, the entrance to Google Singapore’s office is on the 30th floor of Asia Square 1 (8 Marina View). Once inside, there are three levels to this multi-story fun house!! The host of the venue (Google) was very kind to give us an exclusive tour of their famous Google office before our MLC session. And I am delighted to share with you one of the coolest workplaces in Singapore I have visited!
Tour of Google Singapore
1) CREATE, INNOVATE, INSPIRE…
Everywhere you look, you are inspired by creativity. From the window, you get a beautiful view of the sea and the Marina Bay Sands outside. Inside, you are stimulated by creative motifs on the walls and a full display of Google Doodles submitted by students from different age groups. I am suitably impressed that they have Google Doodles from as young as 4 years old!!
Every nook and cranny of the office is dedicated to arousing the creative juices in you. Even the furniture seems to serve a purpose as a muse to ignite your imagination.
2) PLAYFUL, FUN, DYNAMIC…
Google’s office is well-stocked with pool tables and foosball machines in a common room; another room house a table-tennis table and a speed basketball game machine you find at game arcades. This is recess time for the adults, except that you can probably do it any time of the day as long as you can find partners to play with.
Check out the wall of Legos that we find in one of the many pantry areas in the Google office. I think my kids will love it here!
3) NURTURE, CARING, SUPPORT…
Did you know that weight gain is guaranteed for any newcomers who join Google initially? According to our guide, this is because Google ensures you are well fed. There is no need for Google staff to venture out in hot humid mid-day Singapore to jostle with other hungry office lunch-goers for food. They have a Kopitiam and two other restaurants within their office space to cater to their varying lunch needs. It is my understanding that lunch and dinner are provided and you can eat all you want. The food I hear is very good too! Look at how cute the restaurants are?!
And for those who are health conscious or into afternoon snacks, there is quite a selection of healthy snacks as well. Just help yourself… yum!!
4) Quiet Time, Down Time, Bed Time…
It is a well-known fact that Google takes GREAT care of its staff by providing them with a creative workplace-playground to inspire and motivate them. But at Google, they also make sure that you are not overly-stressed by work and play!!
Here is how they help their staff have some quiet time. They have a private massage room for some personal R&R time. Inside the room, you have a full-body massage chair that will knead every ounce of tension out of your body.
Missed your favorite movies due to work? No worries, Google’s staff can catch their favorite movies with their colleagues in a private screen room. This room also doubles up as a place for concerts or chill rooms for friends and colleagues to socialize in.
They say that a 20 to 30-minute midday power nap is all you need to rejuvenate. But if you can’t sleep in bright daylight, why not pop into their sleep chamber, a room with a couple of private cocooned bed spaces that let you snooze in peace. You will wake up feeling refreshed and ready for work.
Additional Perks for Google Staff
There is a long list of perks other than the free gourmet food, fun adult playground, and relaxing paraphernalia offered above. Here are others to keep the Google employees or Googlers as they are known happy at work:
- fitness center, the 24-hour gym with weights. And there are yoga classes
- speaker series
- the in-house doctor
- the nutritionist
- on-site laundry / dry cleaners
- commuting shuttles with Wi-Fi
- five months of maternity leave at full pay and benefits
Before you say “Lucky bastards!!” to those working at Google or make up your mind to “chope” a place to work in Google, make sure you understand that there is a price to pay for these perks.
The company expects your full dedication to the job. That is why the office is designed to keep you happy at work ALL the time. The entry process to Google is quite grueling with prospects having to sit through several rounds of interviews before they are finally selected. Those who passed the admission rounds to work in Google are probably some of the best in their industries and deserving of their postings.
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