A Tour of Googleplex East

An anonymous reader writes "In Googleplex East: Search And The City, IWeek has posted a visual tour of the search giant's NYC HQ, complete with the requisite massage room, candy machine, and funky cafeteria. (There are even — surprise — work areas.) A companion story argues that New York City has reemerged as a tech center, citing the access to the Big Apple's media as a powerful pull for Web 2.0 companies. It also argues that NY's business community is more important these days to startups than Silicon Valley's deep pool of talent. Do you buy this thesis? Isn't it really unimportant these days where you work, geographically?"

Big Wow

[Subbynet]

Ok ok, I've had enough... Who cares if Google provides candy machines? This is not news, and many companies have these facilities (and more) available to staff.

unimpressed

[avdp]

I was rather unimpressed with the pictures I saw. OK, so free snacks (debatable if that's good or bad) but personally I find that work environment rather poor. Some big warehouse with waist high cubicle walls. Oh boy, sounds great until you've actually worked in one such cubicle farm. No thank you. I'll buy my own snacks.

Looks like a creche

[Anonymous Coward]

Do Googles employees really want to be treated like 5 year olds in some big, colorful playpen?

I find it patronizing and vaguely insulting.

These people are supposed to be adults, aren't they?

It DOES matter where you live

[chia_monkey]

It really does matter. On paper, two very geographically diverse places could be equivalent (infrastructure, cost of living, commute, etc) however, having a certain talent pool and mindset is a HUUUUUUGE advantage. I've lived all around the country in various "hotspots" and I can say without a doubt that by simply living in the Bay Area, I felt so much more creative and productive. You are always surrounded by driven people, creative people, people with ideas, people that aren't afraid to just go for is (ie, not work that 9-5 job). I miss that feeling and I shall be heading back there as soon as I possibly can.

Re:Low walled workspaces

[wkitchen]

I guess I'm old fashioned. Or maybe just a bit antisocial. But my preferred work space is a real office with a door that, though usually open, can be closed when I need some "focus time", or locked when I'm away and don't want my stuff messed with. A work space that's well enough isolated that I can listen to music without headphones and not bother anyone. Unfortunately, it's been a long time since I've had that luxury.

Depressing

[dreemernj]

All the images are oddly depressing. I don't mind a work environment that's all business, so to speak, and I have seen small offices where creativity is the goal and some of them were really beautiful and relaxing and allowed you to sit and work for ridiculously long periods of time and still feel comfortable. But the pics of the Googleplex are actually depressing to me. It's a standard looking office space with a bunch of novelties thrown in to remind you of what it's like to not be at work.

That said, Google if you are hiring, I'd love to work at your facilities :-D

Let's see...

[MarcoAtWork]

- big space set up as a cube farm so everybody hears everything and it's nearly impossible to concentrate?
- cubes are set up in a way so that PHBs can walk around and see what everybody is doing without any sort of privacy?
- only office pictured is a 4-person office with desks facing the corners so again there's no privacy whatsoever?
- nobody playing games in the gaming area but just one person taking some sort of nap?
- snacks around the office so workers don't ever need to leave and can get right back down to work?

this is making the news just because it's google, the working arrangements are the same as a million other valley startups: as much as MS-bashing is de-rigueur here on /. I do think they treat their workers a lot better: having a real office with a door that closes and a window beats every massage/gamesroom/freesnacks/... cubicle farm: I know, I've worked in both and my productivity level is hugely better when I can concentrate without being distracted by coworker xyz on the phone, or other coworkers having an impromptu meeting on things I couldn't care less (hint: that's what 4-person meeting rooms are for).