As we approached one of the many buildings on the Google campus, we were immediately addressed by security. We told them who we were there to meet, and they led us through an elaborately landscaped courtyard, where Googlers were outside in the sunshine, enjoying their lunches under the shade of Google branded umbrellas. Occasionally someone would whiz by on a motorized scooter.
When we finally entered the building, we were greeted by the receptionist, who instructed us to type our crucial information into a computer that then printed out a visitor badge for us on a Dymo printer. While we waited for our host to emerge from the depths of Googledom, search terms scrolled by, projected on a pane of glass. They apparently weren’t censored heavily.
We were led by our host past offices decorated with Google-colored chinese lamps, Google-colored bean bag chairs, Google-colored giant rubber exercise balls, Google-colored lava lamps, Google-colored couches, and a coffee room fully-stocked with breakfast foods and complimentary sack lunches laid out in rows of Google-colored sacks. We entered the lunch room and grabbed our lunch trays, each of a different Google color, and filled our plates with Mediterranean, Mexican, and Indian food, cooked by top chefs that are selected through chef cook-offs and “Iron Chef” style competitions. We could eat as much as we wished ‚Äì Google provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner FREE to its employees (and guests).
Jerry Underwood Jr. said,
October 13, 2005 @ 7:37 pm
How ironic. Food network had a great piece on the Google kitchen.
It was an amazing look at how quality companies do thiings beyond pay to make life easier for employees. They had interviews with the head chef as well as management. Both discussed how making a wide variety (which looked awesome IMO) of options retained people during meal times and boosted productivity.
In this case good design is building in a competitive advantage over your competitors. I suppose rainbow coded trays and lunch sacks don’t hurt either.
kadavy said,
October 13, 2005 @ 7:56 pm
Yeah, the meals provided is a no-brainer: doesn’t cost much, keeps your employees happy, on the premises, and well-nourished for thinking. Keep in mind though that Google is very selective with their employees, interviewing people something like 40 hours total before making a hire. They want the best, and that’s what makes this a no-brainer. Honestly, not all companies need the best people to stay in business.
Lisa Teet said,
October 15, 2005 @ 5:50 pm
Wow, I’m celebrating the first birthday of my second child, you’re entering a branded realm unheard of outside science fiction novels and Munchkin Land. Google-colored lunch sacks?
Wonder how many hours of unpaid overtime these peeps work to get all these perks…I used to get free lunch and dinner when I was working in hell, too.
Joe said,
October 17, 2005 @ 1:56 pm
Apparently they’ll let just about anyone into Google these days.
But... said,
November 2, 2005 @ 9:13 am
Why were you there? Just for a free lunch?