Office culture matters more than toys

Google Sydney's reading room - the company is famed for its quirky office culture.

Novelty work space can lift productivity but only if in tune with firm’s values

The technology sector is famed for its cool, convention-defying offices. At Google in Zurich you can take a slide to get to the cafeteria, Google Sydney has a cool library, Facebook in Menlo Park has a sweet shop, and Twitter in San Francisco provides its "Tweeps" with a yoga room.

Although these companies may be cool places to work, are bean bags, a rooftop bar, nap pods or chill zones really needed to engage an organisation's "big kids" into better, more productive work? And could such an environment even be a distraction?

"We remind employers that their office environment is more than just the furnishings," says Nick Deligiannis, managing director of Hays in Australia and New Zealand. "It's about communicating to candidates the positive aspects of working at your organisation." He says providing a cool office environment can make a difference - provided it is reflective of the culture. "When a new coat of paint is only covering the cracks in your people management strategy, the results won't be so successful and turnover will not be reduced."

Point-of-sale software business Vend has occupied a large, open-plan office space on the ground floor of its Newmarket building since October 2013. The rapidly growing company, whose innovative software allows retailers to "throw away their cash registers", is known to Auckland's tech sector for its cool working environment. The colour of Vend's logo is replicated in the bright green, industrial-sized coffee machine on the reception desk, and in the workspace there are ping-pong and pool tables, chill-out areas, a beer keg, walking desks and free snacks.

Kirsti Grant, Vend's head of talent, says that rather than being distracting, their office is meant to help motivate and inspire people.

"Whether that's bean bags in a quiet corner or ping-pong in the middle of the office, it's about giving people the space to choose where and how they want to work. We've made sure there are plenty of quiet areas, meeting rooms and comfy nooks where Vend staff can go if they need to focus. Equally, having distractions can be really important. For example, our developers are often working on very complex code and concentrating intensely for long periods, so they need fun areas like our band room full of musical instruments where they can take some time out from work. It makes them far more productive and happy in the long run."

Grant says all the great things about Vend's workspace have added to the fun and creative feel of the company. "It's like a physical extension of our culture, and our employees really appreciate it. However, until last week we thought it was important to have a really special office environment that matched our culture. But we've found that having a cool environment isn't as important for culture and productivity as getting the basics right. Venders love working here because they get to do world-leading work, with really smart people, in a place where they are valued and supported."

Grant says they have discovered that practical things like whiteboards, reliable technology, nice hardware, and a location near public transport and good places to eat are what makes an employee's life easier and helps them do their job well. She adds that because Vend is built around a culture of collaboration, the importance of space is also something the move has taught them.

She credits the positive reaction to the culture to hiring people who are the right fit for the company - people who are committed to making the impossible happen and looking after each other.

"These are our core values, and have been since we began," she says.

"Everyone at Vend appreciates the office perks, but they're seen as a reward for hard work, rather than a core part of our culture or something people are entitled to. Apart from the coffee machine - if we got rid of that, we'd be in real trouble."