Not sure in what kind of company you are working but it is pretty hard to top things that are done by Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft and other giants when it comes to the work environment. Microsoft just pushed the bar little bit higher as they decided to build three houses for its employees.
Think about working at 12 feet above the ground while you are surrounded by charred-wood walls. Fantastic feel is complemented with high ceiling and skylight that comes to the room. Microsoft used “gingerbread-house” to describe it connecting it with Christmas that always points to happy time.
Total of three tree houses have been created, and two of those are open while the third offers a shelter and is expected to be fully completed during this year. These “facilities” allow the employees to work outside but also to use meeting rooms.
According to the builder, Pete Nelson that we know from popular TV Show Treehouse Masters, tree houses will last at last 20 years. On top of that, they can be further expanded in the future and follow the growth of the trees making them quite incredible.
The tech giant recently planned renovations, and they talked with the employees asking them what could be done to improve the work environment. Many of the people that are working for the company suggested that they would like to spend more time outdoors and if given a chance they would work outside. It is fantastic to see that they listened and created something like this.
Here is what one of the employees said about working in nature: “On a recent sunny day, an employee perched, legs crossed, on a soft grassy knoll below a treehouse. For several minutes, she sat with her hands on her knees, eyes closed, head tilted toward the sky, breathing deeply. Then she grabbed her laptop and typed furiously. After a spate of work, she set her computer aside, rested her palms on her knees, gazed up, and then closed her eyes again.”
Don’t think that these tree houses don’t offer pretty much all commodities that you have in best offices. The benches are waterproof, hatches hide electricity sockets, the fireplace is there, outdoor Wi-Fi, rocking chairs, wood canopies, etc. Indoor cafeteria and a barbecue restaurant that is built into a shipping container are always there in case you get hungry.
Redmond campus just got better with the addition of tree houses. What do you think about this move by Microsoft? Would you change your office for a tree house?
