Space matters. A cool office setting can foster productivity and inspire creative energy — not to mention, it’s extra motivation to come into work every day. These three companies understand the appeal of a swanky workspace and make sure their digs are always up to par.
Meetup is a service that brings people together in thousands of cities to do more of what they love. When your company is focused on cultivating relationships in a fun setting, you’re basically required to have a cool office space — and they do. Dana Trader, Senior Director of Employee Experience, shares what the team loves about their Nolita office.
How many employees work at the office?
160.
How big is the space?
22,500 square feet, over three floors.
When did you move in?
2004, and we expanded to additional floors in 2011 and 2013.
What's your favorite part of the space?
It’s hard to pick just one! Tons of windows and light bring a positive energy to the open floor plan, and views of the Brooklyn Bridge and One Word Trade Center remind you that you’re in the heart of a fantastically diverse city. The roof deck is also a great place for employees to gather after work and keep the conversations going.
Is there anything unique about your office you'd like to share?
We like to weave the product into our workspace in creative ways. Our meeting rooms are decorated with wall-sized photos of the categories you’ll find on Meetup. It’s a colorful reminder of why we’re doing what we’re doing.
Most commonly known for their dog treats subscription service BarkBox, BARK launched in 2012 and has shipped more than 40 million products to their customers since then. We caught up with marketing director Rachel Mansfield to find out more about BARK’s office in Chinatown.
How many employees work at the office?
We have about 130 humans and 50 office pups. My dog Bijou is the cutest, but I may be biased.
How big is the space?
About 18,000 square feet.
When did you move in?
We moved into the sixth floor of our building in January 2014 and have since taken over the fourth floor, second floor and part of the fifth floor.
What's your favorite part of the space?
There’s always a dog to talk to if the other humans piss you off and you never have to have elevator chit-chat with dogs.
Is there anything unique about your office you'd like to share?
BARK's office — just like our business — is completely centered on making dogs and their humans happy. We’ve been celebrated as one of the most dog-friendly offices in America and have a pack of about 50 office dogs — many of whom have a product named after them or appear in our marketing. We have off-leash hours every afternoon, but our gated pup play area is off-leash around the clock and includes a mountain of our toys for testing. Nearly every desk has a bag of treats on it and every floor has a fully stocked kitchen of free snacks for humans (we even have labels so folks don’t get confused). The walls are covered with the hand-drawn doodles featuring dog jokes. A series of cubbies and couches make it easy for humans to cuddle with their dog as they work. Also, we have a free human lunch every Friday!
Playbuzz is a storytelling platform that provides publishers and brands with interactive tools to create content. Founded in 2012, the company has 150 employees spread across offices in New York, London, Tel Aviv and Hamburg. We caught up with Shachar Orren, Chief Storytelling Officer, to learn what makes the NYC office so special.
How many employees work at the office?
We have 20 employees in marketing, business development, sales, content, social and HR.
How big is the space?
5,564 square feet.
When did you move in?
Beginning of March 2017.
What's your favorite part of the space?
What we love most about this space is that it was designed to feel like home. There's a lounge room that we all wish would be our living room, with throw blankets, furry pillows and plants everywhere. It's everyone's favorite spot for meetings or calls.
Is there anything unique about your office you'd like to share?
We want our office to be as engaging and cool as the content created with our platform is. The best part about the office is our library of toys and other random items that make us happy, like a neon flamingo, an old typewriter and basically anything with glitter. We also have a collection of ugly dolls we got from airports around the world on our business trips, and a chalkboard wall where anyone can write or draw their personal story, just like they can do with our content creation tools.
Photos via featured companies.
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