I recently attended the Real Estate & Law (REAL) Symposium, where panelists from some of the leading social media companies, including Facebook, Twitter and Google, delved into the concept of creative office space and how it’s changing the way we work and live. The term “collaborative” or “creative” office space is not new to the real estate industry, but it is certainly changing the way companies operate and the ways in which they accommodate their employees.
For example, Facebook strives to provide everything that their employees could possibly need, eliminating the need to run errands, leave the office for lunch, etc. Real Estate Counsel for Facebook described the company’s new campus in Menlo Park – quite literally a town within itself. The campus features every type of food you could possibly imagine – BBQ, Asian, Pizza – and offers breakfast, lunch and dinner to its employees at no charge. They also boast an in-house nutritionist, servicing stations for cars and bikes, and dry cleaning services. The only thing that can’t be done at work is sleep….yet.
The panelists discussed the “reduction of friction” as a concept for cutting-edge companies looking to boost employee productivity. It functions on the idea that the fewer outside errands and responsibilities employees need to take care of, the more they can focus on their work. This doesn’t entail tying them to a desk in front of a computer all day, but rather it involves freeing up employees’ time so that they can work as they please – outside, on a couch, or while having lunch with several others.
How do we anticipate what’s next in this ever-advancing world? Is this it, or are there more changes to come? Will Facebook build housing and allow their employees to sleep on campus, providing an experience very similar to living on a college campus? It will be very interesting to see how these companies progress over the next few years.
Berbay Corp was selected to oversee the public relations for the Real Estate & Law (REAL) Symposium for the second consecutive year.
-By Berbay Account Manager Erica Hess
