Silicon Valley Office Design: Snacks, Bars, Coffee, Games and More

Silicon Valley has become the tech capital of the world, housing some of the biggest companies in the industry. Google, Facebook, and Uber all call Northern California home, along with countless other tech startups, and each is paving the way for modern office design. Whether it’s promoting togetherness through open space or increasing employee happiness through on-site available beverages and snack bars, there is a lot to learn from Silicon Valley office design.

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Best Examples of Silicon Valley Office Design

Bring People Together with Open Space

Long gone are the days of offices filled with cubicles, with modern office designs encouraging as much open space as possible. Open office design helps people feel connected, encouraging co-workers to communicate and build rapport. It is also encouraged for rooms that feature modern office amenities, such as coffee machines, allowing them to become social hubs where employees can connect and collaborate on work projects. Open space also makes your workplace easier to navigate, increasing employee happiness and productivity as they move around the space efficiently.

Feature a Café or Bar in Your Workplace

One of the most notable features of Silicon Valley office design is the inclusion of on-site features such as a café, a cafeteria, or even a bar. Most workers rely on coffee to help get them through the day, so having a café in the office helps with their productivity while also creating a social space within the office. Having a cafeteria on-site with a nice variety of food, from cereal for breakfast to sandwiches for lunch, ensures employees are well-fed at work. A workplace bar or a well-stocked office liquor cabinet is a perfect setting for Friday afternoon drinks where your employees can bond while celebrating the completed work of the week – off the clock. A juice bar is a nice alternative to alcohol for those who wish to run a sober office.

Create a Hangout Room

Being surrounded by work all day often results in a loss of productivity, which is why it’s important to feature fun and engaging activities in your workplace to keep employees energised and productive. Brain breaks are important. Many tech companies in Silicon Valley feature spaces built solely for employees to unwind and relax, containing things like arcade machines, board games, and ping pong tables. Modern office amenities such as these have employees excited to come to work every day, afforded the chance to connect with co-workers over fun activities in-between work projects – remember, a disconnect is important for increased productivity.

Embrace Technology

Technology has become an essential part of our lives, and that includes the workplace. With most employees being assigned their own laptop or computer, applications such as Slack and Zoom help keep employees connected. These apps make it simple for workers to communicate, allowing them to share ideas and tasks with the press of a button. Consider integrating technology into your company’s structure as well, with websites like Accelo and Asana allowing you to assign tasks without the need to speak to everyone individually, freeing up more time to be spent on the task itself.

Promote Comfortable Seating (or Standing)

Since office workers spend most of their time sitting at a desk, it is important to provide comfortable seating. Everyone has their own preferences so be sure to provide your employees with options. Many tech startups do away with traditional seats altogether and feature sitting balls to bring colour and comfort to the office. Another popular feature of Silicon Valley office design is ‘hot-desking’, which sees desks freely available for anyone to use, allowing employees to move around the office and work where needed. Standing desks are also becoming popular, providing employees with the opportunity to stretch their legs while working at their computer at free will.