Google is renowned for being a unique workplace. Last summer, I had the opportunity to visit their famous world headquarters in Mountain View, California. The experience and atmosphere is unlike any other in the tech industry.
Walking up the main driveway, we expected to find a glaringly obvious GOOGLE sign pointing us in the right direction. But Google’s flagship campus is more secluded than one would think.
Hidden behind thick rows of oak trees, the vibrant colour of the campus shines through. Walking up to the main buildings, we found ourselves amongst an eclectic mix of tourists and headphone-clad 20-somethings commuting to and from work. Because the campus’ size could be compared to that of a university, Google employees get around on bicycles known as G-Bikes. Painted in the classic primary colour scheme of the company, G-Bikes are a hallmark of the Mountain View campus. Walking down the central path, we peered into the buildings alongside us, catching glimpses of the dozens of recreational spaces Google provides for workers. We spotted restaurants, open plan meeting spaces, bean bag lounges and even an arcade. We also noted that while other workplaces would require a smart business dress code, jeans and a t-shirt seemed to suffice at Google. Indeed, from the outside, one would wonder where any work gets done at all.
Making our way to a far-reaching corner of the campus, we visited one of the main on-site attractions for tourists: the Android Garden. With every release of the Android operating system, Google produces a statue of their android mascot with a flair fitting the name of the new version (Donut, Honeycomb, KitKat etc.). The statue is proudly displayed in the main plaza for a year before it is moved to the Android Garden and replaced by the new model. This is certainly the highlight of the tour for any tech geek.
From there we trekked to the merchandise store, not daring to take a G-Bike in case we were found out. Our difficulty in finding the store illustrated how Google are making a significant effort to ensure their headquarters do not become a tourist attraction. The only signage to guide us was a laminated A4 sheet stapled to a tree. Following the sign led us off the main campus to a disconnected building. The store was sparsely stocked with overpriced apparel and accessories (hoodies were almost $50). Expensive hardware like the Pixel smartphone and Google Home speaker were also available for purchase. It seemed to be more for employees than tourists.
This seemed to be a running theme among institutions on the campus. The complex is for employees first and foremost. Tourists are welcome but not catered to. We were reminded of this when we attempted to go to the Visitor Centre, where the history of Google is on display in a museum-like exhibit. At the door, we were told that the visitor centre is only open to family and friends of employees.
Not disheartened, we returned to the main plaza, on our way passing countless outdoor meeting areas, some with fire pits in the centre. We even spotted a giant sized chess court adjacent to one meeting spot.
The work day was winding down at this stage. As the clock approached 5, employees flocked to the on-campus restaurants and food trucks to grab a free meal before heading home. All food, drink and services on campus are free for employees. While some employees started home, others stayed behind and headed to the recreational spaces. We sat down at a meeting spot outside the main plaza to reflect on the few hours we had just spent.
Leaving the campus, we passed the Oreo edition statue, where dozens of employees were queueing for shuttle buses to towns around the San Francisco Bay area – another free service provided by Google. A man stood above the crowd and screamed out the destinations for each bus, including one bound for YouTube’s headquarters in San Bruno. It seemed that for some, the work day was not over yet.
Google seem to provide everything for their employees but a bed. You can even get your hair cut on campus if you’d like. Some have criticized the company for encouraging employees to spend longer and longer days at work by providing all the services they could need. It begs the question; are Google trying to keep their workers happy, or keep them always on-campus, available for work? The truth is that the line between work and play is so blurred at Google that employees don’t need to worry about overworking.
A trip to Google’s headquarters is an absolute must for any tech enthusiast visiting the San Francisco Bay area. Just don’t take a G-Bike as a souvenir.
Photos by Seán Clerkin.
