Everybody wants to work at Google, from engineers to designers and marketing specialists, the list goes on and on. There are many reasons for this. For one, Google is a fast-paced, always evolving, innovative company. Second, it provides plenty of opportunities for growth and learning and a competitive salary. Finally, it looks good on your resume. It has that “cool” factor that a lot of younger employees care about.
One thing that is often overlooked though with companies like Google, Apple, Slack, and Nike is the office itself, the work campus. People fail to realize how big a role a “great place to work” plays in attracting and recruiting qualified staff. Sure, people want money and flexible hours, and names like Facebook, Goldman Sachs, and McKinsey bring along with them high prestige and recognition. But they also want a healthy workspace, an office with a comfortable chair, a cafeteria with good food, and a place to relax for a few minutes after lunch or enjoy a conversation with a colleague.
So what constitutes a healthy workplace? It starts with natural environments, access to physical activity, and fun areas.
Finding a Balance with Nature
Among other things, the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon has a “beautiful running trail through some of the area’s native greenery.” The Googleplex is “filled with elaborate ponds, fountains, and parkways.” The Apple 2 campus is “covered with fruit trees, a pond, and greenery.”
Why is that? Why do some companies spend vast amounts of money to include green areas on their campuses? It is for the extra oxygen so employees can breathe better and thus work harder?
Probably not. Instead, they do it because they understand the importance of a good work environment. When people are connected with nature they feel less stressed. They can also focus better, minimize mental fatigue, and be more creative. Nature has a way of healing people, both physically and emotionally. As a result, they are happier and feel better.
For companies, investing in corporate and commercial landscaping services for their campuses is one of the best decisions they can make.
The Importance of Movement
One of the drawbacks of technological development is that it has made a lot of us more sedentary, more passive. People spend countless hours at work, hunched over their desks, typing away at their computers, not moving their legs. The result is an array of repetitive stress injuries, in the long-term affecting not only our bodies but also our overall quality of life.
Successful companies understand this, how important it is for employees to move. Movement is not about walking from one meeting room to the next. It’s about engaging in exercise, even for a few minutes at a time. As such, many corporations are now including gyms, yoga studios, and wellness centers in their facilities.
Take Your Mind off Work
If a gym provides a workout for the body, an opportunity to stretch and ease tension, you also need one for your mind. Even at the office, it is crucial to find a way to take your mind off work. Though being at work but thinking about something else might sound counterproductive, it is beneficial, both to the employee and the organization.
When employees see that companies care about them as people, that they are not thinking just about the bottom line, they develop a sense of family, a sense of belonging. Hence, they are committed, motivated, and work harder.
The significance of an adequate company office or campus cannot be undermined. It helps employees relax, feel valued, and be more productive. Businesses can do this by incorporating natural environments, places to move and do exercise, and areas to have fun. You might not be Google, Apple, or YouTube. But your company can become a wonderful place to work as well.