How do you put a little more fun into working in the office?
ALL work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. But it is not just Jack, we spend a huge part of lives in work so why shouldn’t it be a bit more fun?
These offices in Wales have certainly answered that question.
There are a couple of treehouses in the office, a ball pit, a mini golf course and a room dedicated to a TV legend.
1. MONEYPENNY, WREXHAM
The UK’s leading telephone answering specialist opened their new HQ in 2016. Staff took part in small focus groups, as well as being encouraged to send their ideas direct to the company founders, to create the £15m office that features a village pub and treehouse.
2. GOCOMPARE, NEWPORT
The price comparison firm Gocompare in Newport really pushed out the boat in terms of thinking outside the box with their themed breakout areas and meeting rooms.
Designed by Paramount Interiors they even have a meeting room inspired by the Coronation Street legend that is Hilda Odgen – including those iconic three ducks on the wall.
There is also a disco inspired room so staff can “strut their stuff” when making a business presentation.
3. WOODPECKER, CAERPHILLY
If you can’t be bothered to take the stairs then there is the slide to get to the ground floor at the remodelled offices of Woodpecker Flooring. Tucked away in Caerphilly’s Pant Glas Industrial Estate, the once empty shell of a warehouse was transformed following a £2m pound investment from the company.
Designed by fit-out company OEG, the indoor tree reaches between floors, bringing a sense of the outdoors, and is home to the treehouse breakout room. The Woodpecker team can choose to sit or stand at their desks with just the press of a button.
4. S3 ADVERTISING, CARDIFF
The award winning S3 Advertising’s offices comes with an 18 hole golf course. The offices, which opened in the summer of 2016 in Central Square 1, is also home to a games area with pool and football tables, kitchen bar area, lion island in a sea of 18,000 balls, huge hammock, relaxation seats, living trees, multi-coloured paths and dazzling neon signs.
A 32sq metre stadium style presentation area, which can be screened off for client privacy, takes centre stage at the heart of the open plan offices, three offices, two meeting rooms and one dedicated video production room.
‘Steak of the Art’ interior designer Patrick Abrams (PAC Architecture) was recruited to produce the plans for the offices whilst Paramount Interiors were commissioned to install the fixtures and fittings which bring the designs to life.
5. TECHHUB, SWANSEA
The TechHub in Swansea is the home for some of Wales’ most exciting start-up technology firms, and it is in its communal areas that it shows off its creativity.
There is a beach inspired room with deck chairs and palm trees, as well as its classy and sedate snug room that wouldn’t look out of place in any exclusive gentlemen’s club in London.
6. CARDIFF CREATIVE QUARTER, CARDIFF
Above Cardiff’s historic Morgan Arcade is a working environment – the Cardiff Creative Quarter.
With an emphasis on light, space and communal areas, its design can have no better endorsement in that it has attracted a host of creative businesses, including planning and design firm The Urbanists.
7. ADMIRAL, CARDIFF, SWANSEA & NEWPORT
While it is Wales’ only FTSE 100 company Admiral has fun on the agenda for its staff at its headquarters in both Cardiff and Newport.
At Newport, in the centre of the city, there are relaxation areas where staff can play table tennis or the latest PlayStation game.
At Cardiff there is even a ‘going out room’ where staff can relax and get ready for a night out on the town.
8. AIRBUS, BROUGHTON
Airbus is one of Wales’ leading advanced manufacturing firms with operations in both Broughton in Flintshire and Newport in South Wales.
In keeping with its focus on technology its meeting rooms certainly have a futuristic feel. Okay it’s not quite the Starship Enterprise, but you get the drift.
9. COASTAL HOUSING GROUP, SWANSEA
There cannot be many offices