Ever wondered why iconic companies such as Google have such amazing offices where employees are happy and productive? What makes everyone enjoy working there so much? The answer is simple: their design strategy is creative, customized to every location and the offices are not just sad places designed to bring money. We could learn a thing or two from those examples and make our own workspaces more enjoyable with features such as the following:

Fake grass.

Imagine yourself out in the middle of nature, with beautiful green grass on which to lie down and relax. Now take that feeling and keep it intact while you change the scenery. Suddenly you’re at the office. Though the grass is fake, it does help create a similar sensation.

A skate park theme.

You don’t have to be pro to know that skating is fun. In fact, you may not know it yet, but you might actually enjoy skating if you were given the opportunity. A skate park-themed office is not everyone but is sure fun to be at.{found on officesnapshots}.

A video game room.

This feature is more likely to be appreciated by the young generation. When you’re playing a video game you step into a whole new world where your unsolved tasks and problems don’t matter so it’s a way of clearing your mind before you return to work.{found on Studios Architecture}.

Recycle.

Shipping containers can be turned into private rooms, meeting spaces and all sorts of other features inside a large office. So you won’t just be recycling but you’d also be creating a productive work space with a unique and inspiring design.

It’s fun and inspiring to have unique features at the office. For example, a bunch of crates can be turned into a one-of-a-kind wall unit with storage cubbies and shelves. Perhaps each person can have their own tiny space where they can display something personal.

A rooftop social space.

It’s important to feel connected to nature and to the surroundings. So even if the office is in the middle of the city, away from forests and nature in general, there’s a way to revive that connection by creating a rooftop social area decorated with planters, perhaps even trees and from where the views can be admired.

A bike rack.

By including a bike rack at the office you inspire everyone to take their bikes to work instead of their cars and this way to exercise a bit more, to protect the environment and to boost their productivity in general.{found on luxspaces}.

A music room.

Never underestimate the power of music. Regardless of the gender a person prefers, listening to music at the workplace can have a really revitalizing effect. Suddenly your bored mind and body get energized and you feel really inspired and ready to take care of some tasks.{found on Geremia Design}.

A slide.

Slides used to be so fun when we were kids but then we grew up and it became embarrassing to continue using them. But what if your office had a slide? That would turn your workplace from boring to amazing in a second.

A privacy sofa.

Sometimes it’s more comfortable to work from the sofa. You get to unwind a little bit and feel more casual and relaxed without actually taking a break from work.

But there’s also another way in which a comfy sofa can be used. There could be this semi-private nook where several coworkers can gather and exchange ideas or chat in a casual and comfortable environment.

A dry erase room.

We’ve noticed that there are a lot of things we used to love as kids which prove to be effective at the office. For example, what if your office had a room with dry-erase walls? That would be so cool and fun and it would also be practical during meetings and brainstorms.

Or maybe one of the walls can be a giant dry erase board and it wouldn’t even have to be in a meeting room. The hallways could be designed this way.

A hammock.

Who doesn’t know how incredibly comfortable it is to relax in a hammock? Just a few minutes of relaxation are enough to make your whole day more productive. So having a hammock at the office wouldn’t encourage people to procrastinate more but to actually be more efficient and happy.

Scooters.

Remember when to used to have fun with these things as a kid? Well, actually they’re not just fun but also practical. Employees could use them to go from one area to another and they’d be having fun doing it. What may seem like a tiresome thing to do suddenly becomes a lot more enjoyable if you have a scooter.

A reading nook.

Having a reading nook at work is great for two reasons. First of all, it’s a great area where you can spend your breaks relaxing. Second of all, you actually get to read some books and find out new things. You can use this time to do research and to improve your work-related skills.{found on camenzindevolution}.

A gym room

In every office there’s that time of the day when people are full of energy and they start to be hyperactive. So, when you think about it, it would be really useful to have a gym room where everyone can go to blow off some steam and then get back to work all relaxed and ready to be productive.{found on studiomapos}.

Green walls.

Having some greenery at work actually boosts productivity. It’s also advised to have some sort of green plant in your home office as well. The environment is fresh and vibrant and the plants also add a touch of color to the décor. In large offices, a green wall can have a really great impact on the overall ambiance.{found on innocad}.

An interesting meeting room.

The meeting room should be a space where employees can be creative, come up with new and interesting ideas and solve problems so it’s important for this space to promote this kind of creativity. It shouldn’t be too bright, too dark or too austere.{found on Archdaily and Studio O+A}.

A great view.

When choosing our homes, we look for beautiful views. In a way, the office is like a second home since we spend there a lot of time every day. So an office with beautiful, panoramic views will definitely be superior to one that only shows views of ugly surrounding buildings.{found on mmoser}.

An inviting cafeteria.

Having a space where employees can go to serve delicious food or have a snack every once in a while is another element that boost productivity at the workplace. The cafeteria is also a space where those working there can socialize.

A relaxation area.

There are time when one simply feels the need to relax and come out to clean mind to better concentrate on the task at hand. A relaxation area allows employees to reboot their systems. It could be a space with comfy chairs, fresh plants and pleasant lighting or a space that looks like a regular living room where they can feel comfortable.

A gaming room.

Having a gaming room where one can go to have a friendly game of ping pong with one of their colleagues or where they can play video games is also really great because, this way, they can blow off some steam when they’re feeling energized or they can get a fresh start when they’re stuck on a certain task.

Small Private Spaces.

Sure, socializing is great but someone you need to be alone so you can put your thoughts in order. It;s why it’s important for a large office to also include a few small and private spaces. They don’t necessarily need to be separate rooms as long as they offer a sense of intimacy.

A coffee shop.

One of the most pleasant things someone can do is have coffee with a friend or colleague and just talk about stuff, whether it’s work-related or not. Everything is more pleasant when you have a cup of coffee in front of you.

A video conference room.

This is a private space where someone can go to have a video conference with a friend, relative, etc. everyone needs a bit of privacy in this kind of situations. And when you have such a space at the office, you actually consider using it.